need garden ideas for allergic child...

651 Views 9 Replies 7 Participants Last post by mumkimum, Mar 1, 2010

dannic

Discussion Starter · Feb 25, 2010

So I've got my garden somewhat planned, but since then realized that dd2 cannot have most of what we'll grow. I'm needing ideas for her, please.
Her list of no-no's:

all melons (european, asian, mater, musk, ect)
cukes
summer and winter squash
pumpkins
tomatoes
peppers
eggplant
potatoes
all berries except blue

I'm going to do sweet potatoes, but those are not harvested throughout the season. Is there anything fun for her to grow? (and pick,eat,ect)
we've tried green beans in the past no luck.
I'm zone 8. she's 3. TIA!!!

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Thalia the Muse

· #2 · Feb 25, 2010

Oh, that's too bad! It looks like it's mostly nightshades and new world vegetables?

Peas are easy to grow most places, and so delicious when they're fresh from the vine.

How about corn? I guess success is iffy, but a neat thing to grow.

All kinds of greens -- easy and also very fast from seed to edibility. Spinach, lettuce, chard. Kids aren't always super-excited about greens, though!

Broccoli, cauliflower. You can grow purple cauliflower, which is fun.

Carrots. Again, you can get rainbow varieties, plus they're fun for kids to harvest.

Radishes (maybe too spicy).

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possum

· #3 · Feb 25, 2010

sweet peas, radishes, greens, lettuce, herbs, beets, turnips

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lakeruby

· #4 · Feb 25, 2010

I think radishes are the best crop for kids to grow! there are many different varieties, some not as spicy. Also, if you cook them they lose their spiciness. They grow so fast and as so pretty and fun to harvest. Carrots are also a lot of fun, but slower.
I agree with the pp about peas too!
Maybe some edible flowers like nasturiums and pansies?

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Thalia the Muse

· #5 · Feb 25, 2010

Edible flowers are a great idea!

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dannic

Discussion Starter · #6 · Feb 25, 2010

Thanks for the replies! I forgot to mention that we're already growing the winter crops right now. We get hot in the summer and I was wanting something she could grow at the same time we're growing everything she can't have.
Edible flowers are a good idea. She loves "pretties". And radishes.

Keep em coming!

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TheGirls

· #7 · Feb 25, 2010

Snow peas. Super yummy off the vine, and pretty when in flower. We're doing a snow pea teepee here for my almost 2-yo.

Carrots, kids love carrots, and carrots don't care much about temperature.

Seconding greens - lettuce comes in many colors and is super easy and fast, though not in the heat. There are other greens that do ok with heat.

How about sunflowers? They do well in the heat and the seeds at least are edible. Plus they're just super fun.

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jocelyndale

· #8 · Feb 28, 2010

My son loves kale. He eats it straight from the garden. This year I'm growing a few things for him. It appears you're avoiding all nightshades. I'm allergic to tomatoes, but fine with the rest, including tomatillos and groundcherries, so we grow those.

Peas, beans, passionflower?

Are there any blueberry varietals which are tolerant of your climate? If so, go for it!

Mint and other culinary herbs! Kiddo loves mint. You may want to contain it.

Flowers my child likes to look at:
cosmos, sunflower, borage

and eat:
nasturtium, borage, sunflower seeds (we usually give those to the squirrels and birds, though)

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dannic

Discussion Starter · #9 · Mar 1, 2010

Thanks for all the replies, everyone. Herbs are a great idea too. And sunflowers. Lettuce, carrots, peas, stuff like that bolts come April, possibly may. We get hot--well past 100F, into the teens, too. I think some herbs and flowers and sunflowers would make it (and love it) through the heat for sure. Thanks so much!

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mumkimum

· #10 · Mar 1, 2010

Our dd's favorites in the garden have tended to be mint and nasturtium, anyway. We also did pineapple sage last year which she loved picking for her fruit salads - tasty and sweet (and it got huge too).

Artichokes are pretty fun to grow too - whether you plan to eat them, or just fun to let go to flower. We also were impressed with the celery we did last year (very tasty).

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