Grow your own winter vegetables

Growing vegetables doesn’t have to be just a summer activity. In temperate and warm climates, it’s possible to grow lovely winter vegies, including leafy greens, to enjoy throughout the cooler months. This activity will help you teach the kids all about gardening.

What you need:

• small garden bed, planter box or pot
• good quality organic potting mix
• compost/manure
• winter vegetable seedlings/seeds
• mulch

Number of players:

Activity:

Prepare your garden bed or planter box by filling it with good quality soil or potting mix. Turn in some compost or other organic fertiliser, such as chicken manure.

Mark out rows for planting then plant your seedlings and seeds, spacing them according to the distances indicated on the packet.

Water well, then mulch to help keep the moisture in.

When it is time to harvest, be sure to involve your children. Let them pull the carrots, cut the broccoli, peel off the cabbage leaves, and then they can help cook up a delicious winter feast.

Notes

• It’s important to choose an area of your garden that sees several hours of sunlight a day during the winter months to give your plants their best chance of success.
• Water often but be careful not to overdo it. Remember, winter garden beds don’t dry out as quickly as they do in summer.
• Vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, broccoli, spring onions and beetroot all thrive in winter.
• Choose a variety of seeds and seedlings to help stagger the growing, and be sure to include some root vegetables such as carrots to add a bit of suspense to your gardening.
• This activity was created by Greer Worsley.