Grow a Child-Friendly Vegetable Patch

Getting some children to eat their vegetables is a famously difficult task. Some parents will explain that there are children in famine hit countries who would love a spoonful of peas. Others attempt to bribe their children with promises of dessert. Happily, the cruel practice of presenting the same plate at each mealtime until the vegetables are eaten seems to belong to a previous era. A recent study has shown that children who are involved in the growing, harvesting, preparation and cooking of their vegetables are happier to eat them. Here’s our tips for making a child-friendly vegetable patch.

A Patch of their Own

Mark off a small patch within the boundaries of your own patch that is your child’s own allotment. Kids innately understand the concept of possession (it’s why one of the first words they will use is “mine”) and they will get a great enjoyment out of having their own bit of garden.

Choosing what to Grow

Let your children select what they want to grow. Most modern seed packets have pictures on them. Let them look through the packets and choose what vegetables they want to plant. You might want to encourage them to choose things like carrots and courgettes that are pretty easy to grow!

Help with the Watering

You might want to consider getting your child their own small watering can. Adult size ones can be very heavy! If you do your watering with a hose, you should still encourage the child to water their own patch. This is a great opportunity to explain how plants grow when given water and sunlight.

Harvest Festival 

When the vegetables are ready for harvesting, plan a meal that incorporates them that day. That way the child will see the connection between the veg that they have grown and picked and the ones served on the plate. Hopefully, this will make them excited about eating them. Some vegetables can be eaten raw. Peas straight from the pod taste really sweet!

If you don’t already have a vegetable patch, maybe it is time that you redesigned your garden. We can include whatever features you desire as part of our landscaping service – that includes areas designated for growing vegetables as well as patios, driveways, paths, ponds, raised beds and whatever else you envisage. Call us on 01603 360548 or email us at enquiries@knightslandscaping.co.uk.

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