Cub scouts newbie growies

So I'm a Cub Scout leader for a small pack here in Nova Scotia. I suggested to our leadership that perhaps the cubs could grow a tomato plant for a number of reasons:

1) Teaching skills they wouldn't otherwise learn
2) Taking responsibility to look after something - make sure it's watered etc
3) Eventually eat what they grow

I thinking something like cherry tomato plants since they are small enough to go on a window sill, which anyone can do regardless of circumstances. I can't even grow much outside right now (circumstances beyond my control), so a sill plant would be ideal.

So I'm think cherry tomatoes or something similar - unless someone can come up with a better strain?

I think it is great to get kids growing things. I worry that even a cherry tomato plant might be too big for your average window sill. Though, they tend to produce over time and my kids love picking the tomatoes. Or maybe you just meant the seedling on the sill and then planting it outside afterwards?

I think one of the best things you can do is to try to grow something that they like... my kids are much more willing to take care of something they picked out, whether it is flowers or veggie.

Also, finding something that grows fast... or at least does something fast can help keep the kids interested. None of my kids like radishes, but when you can grow them in a month, they like that over waiting all summer for tomatoes.

Something I remember doing when I was 6, was to plant some grass in a small cup or pot. Then color a face on the pot. When the grass grew... we got to give it a haircut. Lots of fun :)

Also, there is the classic growing beans or peas, then cover the pot with plastic and flip the pot upside down to show how the plant will curve around and grow towards the light, no matter the roots being upside down.

Good luck!

**Edit - sorry, just some typos that were bugging me

If you want to teach them something that can sit on a widow sill maybe start with an avocado seed or a sweet potato plant.

This will not teach them "how to plants seeds" so for that maybe leaf lettuce would work for a window sill or some kitchen herbs.

Considering your eco-system, I'd consider whether growing pod peas might work better. They can be eaten raw, and started now, would produce in late June.

Alternatively, I'd splurge on the pricier seeds for F1 basket mini-tomatoes. They're intended for relatively small pots and could be moved around to capitalize on the warmest, sunniest window or a sheltered spot outside when things warm up. (Something like one my friend bought called "Tumbler".

If you were willing to skip the seed stage, at our local school, we planted several strawberry plants in a raised basket, and fed all the runners into pots. Then the kids got to take the runners home and transplant them into the garden or a larger pot. This was a *really* big hit! I have a feeling the raised starter basket got a large dose of llama manure, so it made babies like crazy. It was too long ago to know for sure, but I think the project started in Sept and the babies went home the following June.

Matt McSpadden wrote:I think it is great to get kids growing things. I worry that even a cherry tomato plant might be too big for your average window sill. Though, they tend to produce over time and my kids love picking the tomatoes. Or maybe you just meant the seedling on the sill and then planting it outside afterwards?

I think one of the best things you can do is to try to grow something that they like... my kids are much more willing to take care of something they picked out, whether it is flowers or veggie.

Also, finding something that grows fast... or at least does something fast can help keep the kids interested. None of my kids like radishes, but when you can grow them in a month, they like that over waiting all summer for tomatoes.

Something I remember doing when I was 6, was to plant some grass in a small cup or pot. Then color a face on the pot. When the grass grew... we got to give it a haircut. Lots of fun :)

Also, there is the classic growing beans or peas, then cover the pot with plastic and flip the pot upside down to show how the plant will curve around and grow towards the light, no matter the roots being upside down.

Good luck!

**Edit - sorry, just some typos that were bugging me

I agree that tomatoes are too big to grow on window sill. A small type of pepper could work on a medium pot. Whatever you grow, if you think they will be keeping them inside on a window sill, give them a big enough pot that it can actually grow. My kids have come home with so many plants started in little cups or pots and they would just die if we didn't transplant them into the ground.

Things that would grow well in smallish pots:
*Herbs. Chives could be really fun, like the grass mentioned above, only you can eat your trimmings, and you don't have to worry about thinning them.
*Edible flowers like marigolds, pansies, and nasturtiums. I think marigolds are the easiest and they will bloom even while stuck in a tiny starter tray.
*A bulb of a small spring flower, like a daffodil, tulip, or hyacinth would give dramatic and fast results (though you'd want to make sure they know these are poisonous to eat).

Things that grow well as long as you transplant them into the ground when it warms up (my kids have had success with all of these just sticking them in random places in the yard as long as they are out of the way of foot traffic and lawn mowers):
*Squash. Pumpkins, zucchini, etc are all so much fun for kids to watch since they grow so big so fast and the male and female flowers are so interesting.
*Sunflowers. These can't get too big before going into the ground or they can get stunted.
*Tomatoes. They need a good sized pot to be healthy enough to get fruit but they are so easy to transplant, even if they get leggy.

My ultimate vote if I were doing this with cubscouts would be for chives or marigolds. I'd probably do both or let them choose. Plus even the cheepo packages of chives and marigolds at the Dollar Tree will germinate well and give good results.