What's good for container gardens with a 4 year old?

[StephandOwen]

DP and I were talking about doing a small container garden with ds. I did one last summer with ds and my then 4 year old sister (the 4 year old was way more excited than my ds.... who just wanted to pick unripe things off the plants. LOL!). I think ds might enjoy it a bit more this year though.

So... what types of things are easy to grow in containers? The only ideas we have so far are tomatoes and basil (basil because dp is always on my case about wanting fresh basil and it's just so d*mn expensive in the store and I never remember to get any. LOL!).

Other question- I just moved to Kentucky from Michigan so I have no idea what grows well here, when to start planting, etc. HELP!

[dannic]

Basil would be a great cg plant...herbs, small tomatoes, ect...'m sure others know more...just wanted to bump this up for you!

[textbookcase]

Tomatoes:Patio, Pixie, Tiny Tim, Saladette, Toy Boy, Spring Giant, Tumbling Tom, Small Fry
Peppers:Yolo Wonder, Keystone Resistant Giant, Canape, (Hot) Red Cherry, Jalapeno
Eggplant:Florida Market, Black Beauty, Long Tom
Squash:Dixie, Gold Neck, Early Prolific Straightneck, (Green) Zucco, Diplomat, Senator
Leaf Lettuce:Buttercrunch, Salad Bowl, Romaine, Dark Green Boston, Ruby, Bibb
Green Onions:Beltsville Bunching, Crysal Wax, Evergreen Bunching
Green Beans:Topcrop, Greencrop, Contender, (Pole) Blue Lake, Kentucky Wonder
Radishes:Cherry Belle, Scarlet Globe, (White) Icicle
Parsley:Evergreen, Moss Curled
Cucumbers:Burpless, Liberty, Early Pik, Crispy, Salty


Strawberries are also a good thing for containers

[AddysMom]

Mine 3yr just started her first one. We planted basil, oregano, parsley, and chives. They all seem to be doing great and she really loves talking to her plants

[emilys_mom1]

Potatoes are also really easy to do in containers and really fun for kids.

[Monie]

sugar snap peas are always a hit with my kids. I've never grown them in containers, though, but I think they would work. The girls would just pick them off of the vines and eat them like candy.

[lmonter]

I think it depends on what the kid eats. My 4yo's all over tomatoes, and helps harvest 'em when they're ripe (when he was 2yo he tried eating green ones, that was *so* amusing), loves strawberries, likes helping me with basil... likes helping me find ripe zucchini on the plants, same with cucumbers. But strawberries by far are the most popular - he'll sneak 'em when he thinks I'm not looking if he thinks I'll get mad or something.

But this year? He's all psyched to have asparagus in his garden. We're going to buy some asparagus (green and purple!), and he'll help me plant 'em in the bed we till up at some point after the snow's melted and ground's thawed. He was also quite excited to help me plant some of my seeds today, too - I started onions and celery and leeks to stick under lights in the pantry today.

[delphiniumpansy]

Originally Posted by emilys_mom1

Potatoes are also really easy to do in containers and really fun for kids.

good idea! Don't they make a nice plant on top, too?

Honestly, I think the 4year old would probably have just as much with a container of dirt. hahaha! My now 5 year old could never wait for whatever to grow. She preferred to just dig in the dirt. But, we did carrots and tomatoes and flowers and berries and we also have fruit trees (not all in containers, obviously). She grew daisies in containers. Those were fun for her. She also loved the carrots.

[jessaries]

I have onions in containers and they seem fine. ds has picked a few of the tops and I keep saying, "you pick it, you eat it" and he takes a bite, makes a face and says, "onions". As if he doesn't know by the 20th time he's done it? He's a nut!
I was just today thinking that I should do some carrots in containers, the potting soil I make is so loose that I think they would do well? anyone? Carrots are another kid pleaser!
Green or anycolor pole beans should do fine. They are so easy to grow! Also after trying one everyday by the end of last summer ds would eat them raw in the garden.
peppermint should do fine too?

[StephandOwen]

Originally Posted by lmonter

I think it depends on what the kid eats.

LOL. Virtually nothing. How's that for an answer? DS has been diagnosed with autism and has major food issues. He's in a feeding therapy with an OT for an hour each week and is making amazing progress. Thus, another reason why we thought it would be cool for him to do a small garden- something to get him involved with the growing of the food and maybe, just maybe, he'll take a bite of something

The only thing that's been listed on this thread that he eats are carrots. And only small ones and only raw (and only if the moon and stars are aligned just so ).

Thanks for all the ideas!!! I'm off to do some research this week!!

But before I leave.... can anyone from this area tell me when it'll be safe to put plants outside (day and night)? When am I supposed to start planting these things? Should I start seeds indoors? (I would if I were in MI because it's cold longer and, thus, has a shorter growing season). I know nothing about Kentucky weather! We just moved here at the end of July.

[Bird Girl]

Your local Ag Extension office can tell you when the usual last frost date is for your area. I would think that KY has a fairly long growing season--it certainly seemed green and lush when we visited there.

[mattemma04]

Some things my now 5yo loved to grow:sunflowers,chamomile,mints of any kind(we have spearmint and chocolate),lemon balm,zuchinni,gourds.The only things he did nibble on was some lettuce mix we grew in our salad circle(in siggy photos).Otherwise it was more for smell or for his true interest that he grew stuff:seed collecting.

[Owen'nZoe]

Some of the smaller sunflowers, like Teddy Bear or Sungold Dwarf, would work great in a container. Sweet peas also will grow in containers, and never make it into the house at our place - half the time, my preschooler has picked them and started snacking before I even know they are there. Herbs also do well. One of my neighbors grows chocolate mint and stevia in containers, and her grandkids love taking a leaf of each for a sweet treat while they are playing outside. If your little guy isn't big into veggies, maybe something like that would be a nice way of easing into eating from the garden.

Last year we made a pizza garden - ours was in the ground, but you could totally do it in containers - tomatoes, garlic, and herbs to make sauce, peppers, onions, eggplants and zucchini (just pick the smallest variety you can find) for toppings. If your little guy will eat pizza, that might be an easy way to introduce the veggies from the garden, too.

And sorry, no advice on planting times in your region. I second checking with your local Ag or County Extension office, though. Good luck!

[beachbaby]

what about nasturtiums? The seeds are big, they grow fast, and edible flowers are fun!