Planting with Kids
(Choosing Kid-friendly Seeds)

There are lots of seeds out there to choose from ...which will help make your child's gardening experience the most positive? Here's some suggestions for kid-friendly plants:

Pole Beans

They're fun to grow and fun to pick. And they have an added bonus...you can plant them in a circle, using tall bamboo poles tied together at the top to create your own tepee or secret hideaway.

 

Sunflowers

Who can resist a sunflower? Try planting giant sunflower seeds that grow plants as tall at your house! You can roast the seeds and eat them or use them for bird feeders.

Pumpkins

Why go to the pumpkin patch when you can create one in your own yard? Pumpkins come in so many varieties--tiny Jack-be-Little types to large pumpkins that grow up to 500 lbs. They even come in non-traditional colors such a white. What could be more fun than carving a jack-o-lantern out of a pumpkin you grew yourself? (And once you have a pumpkin ready to carve into a jack-o-lantern, here's a chicken stencil for you to use!)

Potatoes

They're easy to grow ...plant them in a garbage can or a thick plastic bag...or above ground using newspaper and straw. Kids get a kick out of harvesting potatoes, no matter which way you go.

Radishes

If you're looking for something for your impatient little gardeners to grow, try radishes ...they're super easy and super fast to grow.

Gourds

Gourds are fun to grow and can be used for craft projects afterwards. Try a birdhouse gourd and make your own birdhouses with the dried gourds. Or Snake Gourds that grow in skinny twists and curls up to 4 feet in length!

Carrots

The ultimate kid food. For added fun, find a variety of carrots seeds that come in different colors--from purple to bright orange to white.

Sugar Snap Peas

Another kid friendly food that's also easy to grow and has an abundant crop to harvest. Kids can eat these straight off the vine! Another plus with peas is that the seeds are big so they're easy to space and plant.

More information:

Gardening with Kids

Kid-themed Gardens

Starting a 'Seed Company'