Help! kids veg garden

[inca'smum]

Hi there all,

I'm pretty new to growing veggies I've grown peas,mangetout and tomatoes with success, last summer. My two little girls loved it and ate all of them, even although they wouldn't look at these veg before.
They have been to the garden centre and picked out seeds to grow this year.
They each have a half barrell (old whiskey barrells) and they want to grow brocolli, carrots, sweet peppers and parsnips in them but I'm not sure if you can grow these veggies in containers. Could someone maybe advise me.

Thanks

Inca'smum

[Percy T]

hi inca's mum

I cant help with container growing as I am new to growing veg myself, but just wanted to say congrats on involving the kids.

I too have been involving my grandkids with sowing seeds etc

[shirlthegirl43]

hello and welcome to the Vine.

Carrots will be okay if you go for a round variety like Parmex or a stumpy one - can't remember the name of those sorry. Couldn't say for sure about parsnips - think you would need a deeper container. Brocoli should be okay I think as they don't have a very deep root (well, the ones I grew last year didn't). Sweet peppers should be okay if you have an outdoor variety.

Good luck and well done with getting your children interested. my sons are growing their favourite veg this year - elder son melons, water melons and squash, younger son dwarf french beans (3 colours) and carrots of various types.

[Alice]

Hello Inca's Mum, if you're growing in half barrels you will have no problem as you will have plenty of depth. Carrots will do fine. I've grown Early Nantes in containers and get good crops. You can grow the stump rooted ones (Parmex) if you only have shallow containers but in half barrels tou will have plenty of root space. Parsnips will be fine too - the problem here can be getting them germinated. They can take a long time (still waiting for mine to appear.)
Peppers will be OK for root space, as long as you have warm enough growing conditions - I grow mine on the windowsill.
Brocolli should be OK, I don't grow it myself, so someone who does will advise you.
If you want to grow some things in smaller, shallower containers, lettuce, rocket, all kinds of salad leaves, radish and spring onions will get on just fine.
Good luck with the project.

[inca'smum]

Thanks for the advise guys. I've been registered on this site for ages and have gleaned loads of info from it but never had the courage to post any queastions before. I have a feeling I will be logging in more often now.