[permaculture-oceania] easy plants for children

[Petra.Kahle at haztech.com.au]

Dear All,

Bec from the Victorian Scouts Enviro Team asked me about easy plants 
for planting with children.
These plants are food pants, mostly aimed at the beginner and a 
planting place other than home, like a scout hall for example.
Some produce good eating for kids, others can become presents for 
adults once harvested.
These are the ones I found and they would suit young children.
Most can be planted into pots and stay there, some need stakes.

If you have more ideas on this, especially for kids at home in a 
"permaculture family" you might want to give us some more ideas.

radish  and cress - dead easy, takes a month only from seed to harvest
sprouts - in the kitchen: alfalfa, mung beans, radish, lentils, no 
soil involved, just seeds, water, a jar & mesh
               (sheer curtain material works well)
potatoes - plant the peelings with at least one "eye" in it, bury 
them 5 inches deep in mulch or soil - take a while

also on the easy side and best from seed:
carrots - small seeds, need to be spread with sand or seriously thinned out
peas, especially sugar snaps - bush varieties won't need staking (at 
least not much)
calendula or english marigold - edible flowers, medicinal leaves, 
beautiful and easy and useful
nasturtium - edible leaves and flowers with a mild peppery taste, 
non-climbing varieties available
beetroot - take a fair while
bush beans - won't need any stakes and are so yummy fresh - take a 
couple of months
(7 year) runner beans - need serious staking, 2 or 3 metres - more 
for the really keen ones, or at a hall

easy from seeds or seedlings:
spring onions - once established they can be cut and will regrow

easy from divided plants, (but not good in areas where they can be 
invasive ie best in pots):
chocolate mint - if it really smells of chocolate,
apple mint - very nice in drinks
lemon balm - great refreshing lemony tea - drought tolerant
alpine strawberries - make sure it's the edible type - the edible 
type has no runners and has white flowers
chives - not in winter, they are dormant then

flower petals that are edible and attractive frozen in ice-cubes:
dianthus, violets, borage, some rosemary, some lavender.

Good combinations for a balcony box, large pot, little bed or styro-foam box
- make sure there are drainage holes:
* lettuce plus radish plus kohlrabi
* carrots plus onion or leek
* carrots plus bush peas
* bush tomatoes plus radish plus lettuce plus carrots

have fun
Petra.
phone Melbourne 9885 1269


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