I am trying to do a very fun, kid friendly garden this year. I am planning on making teepees and planting my pole beans on them. What else can grow on a pole- tomatoes? Cucumbers? Watermelon? What would I do about the weight of heavier veggies?
Any other ideas for me to incorporate into a kid friendly, fun garden?
tia :) Jennifer
Plants to climb a teepee
I made a couple of teepees out of cedar branches and sturdy string. I am trying two kinds of morning glories on them, so will see how they do. I wrapped the string horizontally from bottom to top to give the vines more than just the three legs to hold onto. I look forward to hearing what others have grown on them.
Tonya
Cucumbers will work, but I think the weight of the fruit would not work for watermelons or canteloupe. Yellow squash will work though, and I have seen spaghetti squash on a trellis. You can also espallier a number of fruit trees, but it would have to be on a trellis, fence or wall rather than a teepee. I have an espalliered Little Gem Magnolia and in previous home had an espalliered apple and citurs trees.
For the kids, you might want to think about finding a spot for an eggplant. My kids loved this when they were little. There is one that has what looks exactly like hen's eggs, even oval and white colored. Depending on the age of the kids, and if you have room for something non-edible, water gourds are nice. You can cut them, clean out the inside, dry them and let the kids paint designs on them. They can actually be used for a water dipper.
I hope these ideas are of some help.
Crow
I notice you didn't say the kids would eat them ...
Irwells, that's so funny.....but actually, my 4 year old grandson's favorite food is salad. He actually prefers to take a zip loc of cucumber slices to school as his afternoon snack rather than chips, candy, crackers, etc. He was thrilled when he helped me plant lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs a few weeks ago. He couldn't believe you could just go to your backyard and get "salit" as he calls it. His little brother who's 3 won't touch anything other than meat and potatoes.
Many years ago in a Texas Gardener magazine, I read an article about growing both canteloupe and watermelon on trellises and using pantyhose to support the fruit. I'll have to see if I still have the magazine, but you might want to research online to see if you can find anything like that. I was amazed when I read about it thinking it would be really cool to try. If I remember correctly, the article was also about kids getting into gardening and making gardening more exciting to kids.
Better make a pretty sturdy teepee then. I'm trying to picture how you would grow yellow squash on a teepee. I haven't grown it for years, but I don't remember it has having runners.
Thanks for the replies. :)
I think I am going to use pvc and use this as a guide
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=Build/Teepee.html
I might make a little Indian (teepee) village and have each house (teepee) have a theme (veggie). In the middle, I might make a campfire circle with rocks and put my hot peppers in the fire circle...or I just might leave that a fire pit to put real fires to roast marshmellows in. :)
JD, that sounds like a wonderful idea. I'm sure the kids will love it. Heck, I'm a REALLY old kid, and I'd love it!
Crow
That will be so much fun for the kids! I wonder if i made my kids their own teepee to plant...I could move it every few days and trick them into sowing the whole garden.lol
Irswells, I ordered some heirloom yellow squash (can't remember name right now) But when I was reading the packet it said it was a runner/vine. I had no clue, I thought they were all bushes too. I don't know if I'll have to tie the vines to make them go up or not tho. I suspect so.
No one has mentioned pole beans??