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Children also have fun gardening and are happy that delicious fruit and vegetables grow from small seeds. With a first raised bed, slowly introduce the children to gardening. Choose varieties that are fast-growing, easy to care for and popular with children so that the little ones stay motivated.

In a nutshell

  • ideal dimensions: approx. one meter high and just as wide
  • put many different plants in it
  • should be non-toxic!
  • fast-growing, easy to care for and tasty
  • let the child have a say

Leafy greens and salads from F to M

Lamb's lettuce

Many children like the slightly nutty-tasting lamb's lettuce, also known as "Rapunzelsalat".

  • sow in August or September in the harvested raised bed
  • harvest in winter
  • if there is a threat of frost, put some spruce branches on the plants

lettuce

Lettuce is a grateful vegetable that is popular with children, as it can be planted in the raised bed to fill the gap between beans, strawberries, kohlrabi, spinach, radishes and tomatoes.

  • very fast growth
  • Harvest within five to seven weeks
  • very easy to care for
  • Keep soil evenly moist

Tip: Lettuce and parsley don't get along very well, which is why you shouldn't place these two plants as neighbors in the raised bed.

chard

Of these vitamin-rich leafy vegetables, the 'Bright Lights' variety with the pretty, rainbow-colored stems is particularly recommended for children.

  • sow directly into the raised bed between April and July
  • ongoing harvest possible
  • just cut off the outer leaves
  • Leave "heart" as it is.

Tip: The broad leaves are prepared like spinach, the thick stalks like asparagus.

Leafy greens and salads from P to S

Pick and cut lettuce

In contrast to lettuce, lettuce and cut lettuce do not form heads. Instead, the leaves are plucked or cut and constantly regrow. So your child can harvest more often with just one sowing, especially since the different varieties grow quite quickly and require little care. It is best to sow a row of lettuce as a raised bed border. Particularly recommended varieties are:

  • 'hollow-leaf butter'
  • 'curly yellow'
  • 'American Brown'
  • 'Lollo Rossa' (reddish brown, curly rosettes)
  • 'Lollo Bionda' (yellow-green, curly rosettes)
  • 'Baby Leaf'

Good neighbors include fennel, kohlrabi and radishes.

spinach

Contrary to rumours, many children really like spinach, especially as a creamy sauce for pasta or, very traditionally, with potatoes and eggs.

  • ideal plants for a children's bed
  • easy to care for and fast growing
  • can be sown in early spring, in the summer months and in autumn
  • thrives with strawberries, radishes and tomatoes
  • do not plant together with Swiss chard

There are numerous varieties that are perfect for different seasons, for example:

  • 'Matador' (spring and autumn sowing)
  • 'Winterriesen' or 'Verdil' (autumn and winter sowing)
  • 'Rico' (all year round)

Notice: Spinach should not be sown on freshly filled and therefore nutrient-rich raised beds, as the plants are very sensitive to nitrogen. Ideal plants for reseeding.

Vegetables and legumes from B to G

bush beans

In contrast to runner beans, bush beans do not need climbing aids and can therefore also be cultivated in raised beds.

  • green, yellow, purple and red speckled varieties
  • sow directly in the bed for the first time from the beginning of May
  • sow again between June and the beginning of July
  • good neighbors: strawberries, cucumbers, kohlrabi, tomatoes, lettuce and beetroot

Notice: In the case of legumes - which include beans as well as peas - you should avoid nitrogen fertilization, and the substrate in the raised bed should not be too nutrient-rich.

peas

Sweet sugar snap peas, such as the Oregon Sugar Pod variety, which is very popular with children, are ideal plants for raised beds, as long as you pay attention to the height.

  • Climbing plants need supportive climbing aids
  • for example, from twigs or wire mesh
  • half-height or low varieties, even without climbing aids
  • thrive alongside fennel, salads, kohlrabi and carrots

Tip: In addition to mangetout, wrinkled peas are also good for children. These taste very sweet and tender as long as they are harvested young and green.

cucumbers

Cucumbers are also popular with children, and the vegetables are great for growing in raised beds. From April, pull the plants out on the windowsill and place them in the bed from the end of May. Although cucumbers are climbing plants, their height is not a problem: simply let them climb down the walls of the raised bed. Alternatively, you can let them grow up a trellis.

These varieties are recommended for children:

  • 'Passandra' (early bearing mini cucumber)
  • 'Delicacy' (established variety)
  • 'Perisaka' (established, short to medium length)

Tip: Cucumbers thrive alongside dill, sweetcorn, and peas.

Vegetables and legumes from K to P

Kohlrabi

Tender, young kohlrabi is a delicacy - and is great for growing in a raised bed, as the fast-growing tubers don't need their own bed.

  • welcome "gap fillers" between other plants
  • good plant neighbors: e.g. Radish. beans and lettuce
  • New sowing possible from spring to late summer

tip: Most discard kohlrabi leaves or feed them to the rabbits. The delicate foliage contains a lot of iron and can be eaten raw or steamed.

carrots

Children love carrots, so the not entirely uncomplicated vegetable should not be missing in the children's bed.

  • germinates very slowly
  • takes up to four weeks to rise
  • Mix a few grains of radishes into the seeds as a "marker".
  • come out quickly and show row progression
  • Radishes can be harvested faster
  • shorten the waiting time.

There are numerous carrot varieties that can be grown from early spring to autumn.

Tip: Round varieties such as the proven 'Pariser Markt' can be harvested after around 75 days, while those with long roots take longer.

paprika

Sweet, red peppers are perfect for the children's bed, because most kids really like the lovely sweet peppers.

  • preferred on the windowsill
  • outside after the ice saints
  • needs a lot of sun and warmth
  • water and fertilize regularly
  • bushy growth
  • 40 centimeters of space in all directions

Vegetables and legumes from R to Z

radish

Radishes come in many varieties and can be grown from early spring to autumn.

  • ideal plants for children
  • are easy to care for and fast-growing
  • good neighbors: beans, peas, carrots, lettuce, spinach and tomatoes

Tip: Radishes should not be too close together, otherwise they will not form round tubers. Therefore, pluck out seedlings that are too close together (less than five centimeters apart).

tomatoes

Bush tomatoes such as 'Balkonstar', 'Hoffmann's Renita' or 'Little Red Riding Hood' or small fruit tomatoes such as currant or cherry tomatoes do not need climbing aids because of their bushy growth, but can simply grow in the bed. The small, sweet fruits go straight from the bush into the child's mouth.

  • sunny, warm location
  • Rain cover required to avoid brown rot
  • Heavy feeder, must be fertilized regularly

zucchini

The "little pumpkins" grow bushy and produce numerous fruits non-stop - so your child can look forward to a frequent harvest. A single zucchini plant in the raised bed is enough for a whole family, especially since the plants grow continuously and can reach a considerable height.

  • at least one square meter of space per plant
  • need a lot of water
  • fertilize regularly and vigorously
  • do not plant together with ornamental gourds

sweetcorn

Tender, sweet delicacy corn can be grown in a raised bed that is not too high and can be harvested between August and September.

  • needs a lot of sun and strong soil
  • Heavy feeder, fertilize well with compost
  • Sow early to mid-May
  • good plant neighbors: beans, cucumbers, melons, tomatoes, zucchini

fruit

strawberries

No children's bed without strawberries! So-called monthly strawberries are particularly suitable, which incidentally belong to the varieties that bear fruit more often and bloom and bear fruit continuously between June and late autumn. Examples of recommended varieties are:

  • ,To reprimand'
  • ,Alexandria'
  • 'Sparrow's Bowl Magic'
  • 'Ostara'

frequently asked Questions

Which herbs are good for the children's bed?

Children especially like herbs like parsley (which comes in both curly and flat varieties), chives, peppermint, and garden cress. These are easy to care for, grow quickly and also thrive in raised beds.

Can you also sow flowers in the raised bed?

Naturally! Species such as marigolds or marigolds (marigolds) are even beneficial in raised vegetable beds, as they keep pests away. In return, they attract bees, bumblebees and butterflies, which your child likes to watch. Nasturtiums can also be grown in the children's bed. Not only does it look pretty, it's even edible.

How big should a children's raised bed be?

Make sure that your child can reach the raised bed easily and without a stool (risk of accidents!). But it's not just the height that should fit, it shouldn't be too wide either: a maximum width of one meter is ideal, so that the short arms can reach everywhere.

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Category:

Garden design