15 children’s favourites to plant

IF PLANTING outside, parents should weed, dig and rake the soil so it’s not lumpy. Or sow many of these plants in pots of compost, indoors or outside, as indicated below.

NASTURTIUMS:

easy annual flower Sow: March to May outside where they are to flower in drills about 2cm deep and rows 30cm apart or at random. Sprinkle in seeds, cover, water and watch them grow. You can eat the leaves, which are peppery, and sprinkle the flowers in salads too, while the green seeds make cheap and easy capers.

SUNFLOWER:

easy annual, tall

Sow: April to May to flower in August. Plant outside where they are to flower in drills 3cm deep, give about 30cm space between seeds, cover and water gently. See them shoot up. You might need to support them with a cane and string if they get very tall. After they have flowered, you can enjoy the seeds or feed them to the birds.

POT MARIGOLD:

easy annual, orange Sow: March to May, outside where they are to flower or individually in pots about 1cm deep. Cover and water. You can eat the petals.

BROAD BEANS:

vegetable, large seeds Sow: Autumn and they will be ready to eat in May or June, or February and March to eat in late summer. Plant outside where they are to grow, 5cm deep and 20cm apart. Space in zigzag rows, 20cm apart so they can support each other as they grow. Tie to canes gently with string when they are cropping so they don’t fall over. Give them lots of water when they are in flower. Once the beans start to form, pinch out the top 10cm or so of the plant. They are ready to harvest when they are about 10cm long.

PEAS:

vegetable, large seeds Sow: March to June outside where they are to grow, or in pots and plant out when 10cmm tall. Make a drill 5cm deep, and drop them in 5 to 10cm apart, with about 60cm between rows. Cover and water gently. Use canes or twiggy branches to support them once they are established. Water well. Try and resist eating them all before they reach the table.

RADISH:

quick vegetable, large seeds Sow: March onwards, and every few weeks so you always have a good supply until August. Make a drill 1cm deep, and rows 15cm apart. Leave roughly 5cm between seeds — the more room you leave, the bigger they will grow. Cover, water gently and enjoy four to eight weeks later.

POTATO:

tuber to plant Sow: between mid-March and midMay. Plant in a row, the seed potatoes about 40cm apart, each in a little hole 15cm deep. When they have grown to about 20cm high, earth them up by pushing soil up around the stems to avoid the tubers going green. Or just plant a few tubers in large pots of compost and remember to water. A couple of weeks after flowering, test a few to see if they are ready.

RUNNER BEANS:

climbing vegetable Sow: inside in small pots from midApril, set into a 2cm hole, covered and watered. Plant out the young plants at the end of May in a small circle or short row with a wigwam of canes or a row of canes for support. Or sow seeds outside, in a row or circle, in mid-May. Watch the beanstalks climb, flower and make bean pods.

ONION SETS:

small onions to plant Sow: from mid-March to mid-April, plant onion sets 15cm apart in rows 30cm apart. Cover so just the tips are showing. Harvest when the leaves turn yellow and topple over.

SWEET PEA:

climbing flower, large seeds Sow: from March onwards where they are to flower in drills 2cm deep, 10cm apart. Cover and water gently. They will need support on canes or a fence as they grow. When they are 10cm high, pinch out the tips which will make the plant bushier. When they bloom, pick them — the more you pick them, the more flowers will appear.

LILY BULBS:

bulbs to plant for flowers

Sow: plant in spring or autumn in full sun, three times its diameter deep (deeper is better for lilies), and 30cm apart. Add coarse sand to the bottom of the hole for drainage. Or plant one or a few bulbs in a pot of good compost.

ANEMONE:

tubers to plant for flowers

Sow: in spring or autumn in a partially sunny or sunny area, or in pots. Soak the tubers overnight or for a few hours before you plant. Place in soil 10cm deep and 10cm apart. Don’t worry about top or bottom, they sort themselves. Cover and water regularly.

MUSTARD AND CRESS:

seeds for mini-salads

Sow: in summer, scatter seeds densely on damp compost, kitchen paper or cotton wool. Keep just moist in a bright window. When the seedlings are 5cm tall, snip them off with a scissors, quick and delicious!

PUMPKIN:

large seeds to sow indoors

Sow: indoors in early April and May, and transplant outdoors in June. Using an 8cm pot, fill with compost and make a 2cm hole. Sow the seed on its edge and cover. Transplant outside when the weather is warm. Water well in hot weather. Leave to grow huge if you want to carve, or harvest when small to eat. Incredibly rich in vital antioxidants, the pumpkin is a fast-growing vine. You can replant its seeds next year.

ORANGE OR LEMON PIPS:

sow seeds indoors

Sow: some large pips 5cm apart into pre-moistened potting compost in a 15cm pot, about 1.5cm deep. Cover and water lightly. Place in a breathable plastic bag (or poke holes into a bag) to keep the compost moist and keep the pot in the hot press. Check every day and move to a bright but not sunny window sill to green up, then remove the bag. Keep the soil moist. Separate and pot up the seedlings in individual pots. Each will need repotting to a larger container when it is bigger. Lemon and orange trees can be put outdoors in their pots in summer.

AVOCADO STONE:

pip sown indoors Sow: anytime by balancing the stone on top of a jar filled with water and keep it somewhere warm. Keep the water topped up. When it has grown roots and leaves, plant it in a mediumsized pot filled with moist sandy compost. Use as a house plant.