I want to start growing my own vegetables how do I go about this and what are the best veg to start with ?

Question

My 4 year old won't eat vegetables and both hubby and I love them, so we thought that we would grow our own with the help of 'junior'. Any ideas folks?

Answer 1

Great idea! Kids love planting anything. Carrots, string beans and radishes are always fun to grow and are very easy. Buy tomato plants and any other vegetables which need a longer growing season. Cherry tomatoes are child-bite sized and they don't require anything except sun, water and a little fertilizer. Plant a few pumpkin or squash seeds too. Even if your child won't eat them he'll have fun setting up a nice fall display. Don't forget to plant some flowers, especially sunflowers. We still proudly display a picture of our grandson when he was four next to a GIANT sunflower. He's almost 16 now and everyone loves it.

Get a vegetable gardening book from your library or go online for information. When you know what, WHEN and where you want to plant go to the garden center and get one of these: composted soil, peat moss or composted cow manure. To prepare a bed turn the soil over with a shovel. Add the "rich" soil and work it in well making sure to break up any clumps and removing rocks. Now take a rake and smooth it all over. Gather your seed packets and plants and share an afternoon of work, fun, satisfaction and making memories none of you will ever forget.

Answer 2

The answer lies in the soil! A load of well rotted manure is the foundation for plant food and should be dug in at early Spring. Keep a compost heap. Buy 'The Vegetable Expert' by Dr Hessayon from a garden centre. It is so quick and easy to refer to, has all the basics and even comments on varieties. Heavy Bsoil is particularly suited to the cabbage family and potatoes. For a beginner broad beans, runner beans, lettuce, swiss shard, carrots, leeks, beetroot and bought in cabbage family plants are easy. Think about holidays though. There aren't many things you can leave unattended for 10days in the summer, what with watering and pests. Why not put red and white currant bushes ia a border as shrubs. The grow like weeds and are delicious. A blackberry or loganberry type fruit can be grown along fence panels. The taste of all compared with bought stuff was to me a revelation, commercial growing does noyt have flavour as it's first priority. Never be discouraged, all things have good and bad years and it teaches little ones the realities of life. Oh and don't worry too much about insectitides. A teaspoon full of washing up liquid in a pint of water kills greenfly instantly!

Answer 3

If you are trying to get the little one involved, why not start with mustard and cress. Get an old egg shell, draw a face on the outside and put damp cotton wool inside ,then sprinkle the seeds onto this and in a few days the egg will have hair that is edible.

Also, for outside just start with some simple salad stuff that is easy, and quick to grow such as lettuce, onions, beetroot and some tumbler tomatos from a hanging basket.

Answer 4

What a great way to get your precious little love involved !! I don't know where you are located , but I do know this.... you MUST prepare your garden soil well first. Do make that investment ! A local nursery can help with that. Also, remember there are cool weather veggies and warm weather veggies. For me personally, nothing is better than a tomato right off the vine or freshly dug up potatoes. Plant a few herbs, too !!! Parsley, chives, basil, will perk up veggies (like squash ) that most people don't like. Beware.... if you plant eggplant or cucumbers, they will multiply over night !!!!

Answer 5

1. I recommend a "raised bed" garden so you dont do a lot of backbreaking work.

2. Fill with good quality garden soil and compost. Some peat moss too - (except for Bell Peppers).

3. Now is the time to start one. Get a seed starting solution. You can start the seeds in single pots and transfer to outdoors. Or you can plant outdoors (if there is no chance of frost).

4. Make little raised hills, add some bone meal and blood meal in soil according to directions. Plant seeds according to pkg. directions.

Make a diagram of where and when you planted your seeds or label each row.

Water and wait for deliciousness. Try to avoid pesticides!

Weed when needed.

Good Luck

Answer 6

I grow vegetables, flowers, and herbs every year. It's a very rewarding hobby. You need to find a sunny location with good drainage. I add manure to the dirt and till it in. The best vegetables to start with are easy ones. your 4 yr old will start to get interested in eating those veggies if he is a part of planting, watering, and growing them. Some easy ones to start with are carrots, & tomatos

Answer 7

i had this same problem. we made a nice sized garden to grow a few different kinds of veggies. i think it kind of overwhelmed them at that age. we decided instead to get big patio planters or big indoor planters and grew a cherry tomato plant and a sweet pea plant (which are very good raw too). we went to a local hardware store and bought some plastic chicken wire type fencing. we used long sticks and put the fencing around them to give the peas something to climb up. these were the only ones that my picky little guy would eat. he would eat cucumbers too but they don't do very well in a planter. hope this helps and have fun!!

Answer 8

In the superstore, fruits are usually picked out far too soon. Some are rocks, many are bad. Some of the fruit and vegetables are right (zucchini, onions, garlic, lettuce, greens, and a few others) so I'd have to go with vegetables.

Answer 9

it really depends on your soil what is best. Sandy soil is best for root type veggies, like carrots, potato's etc. Unless you have a lot of space stay away from things that pollinate like corn. Also climate is a factor. You should get local advice from real farmers when you get serious.

Answer 10

Dig some trenches and plant potatoes cover them up,potatoes are good for breaking down the soil,Plant carrots in between.