Vegetable Gardening with Kids

A sunny patch of land is all that is needed to grow most vegetables at home with children. If none exists, patio gardening is a great alternative. Vegetable gardening with kids has many benefits such as teaching children about planning, responsibility, hard work, and patience. It will also encourage youngsters to eat their vegetables, because they’ll be more likely to try something that they have tended to with their own hands!

Early Season and Summer Vegetables

Some of the most successful garden vegetable plants have a relatively short growing season such as peas, green beans, lettuce, cucumbers, strawberries, and carrots. These plants provide a quick reward and kids will enjoy eating raw as well as cooked. Peas and lettuce must be sowed very early and grow better when the weather is still cool. If space is limited, grow these plants first, and once harvested beans can be sown in their place.

Note: Corn is a great vegetable for kids, but must be grown in rows for proper cross-pollination, so significant space is required.

Vegetables that Do Well in Containers on the Patio

One of the best vegetables to grow in pots on a patio or deck is the tomato. The varieties of tomatoes are endless, but so are the pests that love to attack them. Growing tomatoes in containers discourage many pests such as squirrels and deer. Also, because tomatoes can be kept off the ground, slugs are less likely to burrow into the blossoming fruit.

One of the best types of tomatoes for kids is the grape tomato. If done well, potted grape tomatoes will grow hearty and produce bowls and bowls of deliciously sweet fruit for children to eat. They are wonderful on their own but of course can be put in a salad or baked for a sweet tomato sauce.

Other vegetables that are successful grown in pots are peppers and eggplant. Keep in mind that potted plants must be watered and fed more frequently than those grown in a garden. Large plants must still be staked or caged to keep them upright and stable. During rainy spells, the plants can be moved so that they are not drenched.

Vegetables and Fruits that are Worth the Wait

Some fruits and vegetables have long growing seasons and are not ready until the fall, but kids will wait for them with anticipation. Pumpkins and watermelon are two related, kid-friendly plants that kids will love to grow and tend to. Both should be planted in rings or on mounds and need a lot of space to be successful.

If the growing season is short, try an early-ripening variety of watermelon. One tricky part about growing watermelon is testing for ripeness. There are three general rules:

1. ‚”Thunk” noise when fruit is tapped
2. Pale yellow on underside
3. Tendril on fruit stem has shriveled

For pumpkins, harvest them when the first frost kills off the plant.

Start a vegetable yard/patio garden in early spring with the kids. Give each child his own space within the garden and provide a choice of the vegetables or fruits to grow there. Supply kids with the tools necessary to be successful gardeners: gloves, watering cans, and shovels/rakes. Children’s faces will light up with the first appearance of seedlings, flowers, and tiny vegetables! For another outdoor activity for children, try going on a garden bug hunt!