Growing fruit and veg with kids – it’s easy and they'll eat them!

Growing a veggie garden

You don’t need a massive garden to start a veggie patch. You can use a raised bed, or different containers for each type of fruit or vegetable.  

Younger children will love spending the time with you and older children will also love helping to plan the project and looking after the plants themselves as they grow.  

Location

Edible plants prefer full sun, so choose a sunny spot close to your house – this will make it easier to keep an eye on (for things such as weeds and pests) and for watering if you don’t have an automatic sprinkler system.  

Raised beds or containers

Anything that holds soil and has good drainage can be used. Raised beds also tend to warm up sooner in the spring, so you’ll enjoy a longer growing season. Best of all though, raised beds and containers reduce the chance of weeds.  

Planting

The ideal veggie garden will produce all year round, so check growing conditions and planting calendars for different times of the year (this is also important for your veggie garden to grow successfully!). As long as you keep the ground well aerated and drained, your vegetable garden should thrive.  

Plant things that kids like to eat, such as:  

Peas/sugar snap peas/snow peas

Harvest regularly to encourage more growth. Peas need a trellis to climb on.  

Cherry tomatoes

There are so many varieties (and colours) to choose from and they will grow happily in containers (even hanging baskets).  

Lettuce

Once grown, snip or pick outer leaves often to encourage more growth.  

Baby carrots

Baby and golf-ball variety carrots will be happy in pots and raised beds. They can be planted all year round.  

Strawberries

Once you’ve grown your own strawberries, you’ll never want to buy them again!  

Blueberries

Blueberries make wonderful pot plants if you choose a dwarf variety, which only grow to about a metre high.

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