Summer planting

Hi. I've been trying to find somewhere to ask advice. I am involved with a primary school summer fete this year and we want to run a 'green' stall. We are planning to do things like nature trails (it's in a field and we are very rural so there's lots to see and find), making bird feeders, craft things with a 'nature' slant and so on.
We also want to offer a seed planting thing for the kids to have a go at. What we are not sure of is the best seeds for the kids to plant and take home. We'd like a small variety so there's a bit of choice but not too much. We'd also like a couple of edible things and a couple of pretty flowers.
Cress is one easy option. What else could we offer? The fete is in mid-July. We were thinking because of the timing we may end up with houseplants/things that can be put on a windowsill rather than plants that the children could then put out in the garden - are we right? They also need to be fairly easy to care for as we want the children to be excited and proud of what they grow rather than dejected because it all died! I did wonder about nasturtiums - nice big seeds that the kids can handle easily and it could be a pot plant... couldn't it?!
Any ideas most welcome, and thank you in advance.

 

I'll look at the cosmos and zinnias - thank you for the suggestion. I thought it might be too late for sunflowers though - we did wonder about them but had discounted them but if they'd still grow if planted that late then brilliant.

 

Hi

And welcome to the forum , sorry to say but Mid July to plant most seeds is too late in the year to flower or fruit , if possible why not start planting just after Easter in pots and ask the children to bring to the fair in July .

Spruce

 

What about planting up some Dwarf sunflowers,trailing tomatoes,etc now and giving them to the kids now and getting them to bring them back in July to see whos grown the best plants.

A bit of competion is a good thing and they will be determined to grow the best they can.

Planting most things mid july wont give enough time before the end of season except for salad crops maybe ?

 

Thank you. We did wonder if it was a bit late. The school does lots of planting - last year it was a competition to grow the best sweet peas (planted at school and brought in later) and then they decorated the decking with them so we can't really do that without stepping on an existing thing. We really wanted a 'doing' thing for them at the fete - maybe we need to stick to cress which would be fine at that time of year I would think, especially as they can just pop it on a windowsill.
Thanks again for the replies.

 

pots of geraniums , fuchsia

How about a paper machi animal etc ( i will be told of by the teacher for my spelling) they can make on the day and use the cress to grow as fur ? on its head ?

 

What a wonderful idea!
Although mid-July is the latest time to sow many seeds, looking through my seed box, edibles such as Dwarf French Beans (chunky seeds for little hands: 9 - 12 weeks to cropping), and peas (Kelvedon Wonder: 11 - 12 weeks to cropping) can be sown then.
Or: how about encouraging them to grow "Micro Greens" (the latest in "healthy" eating and a step up from sprouting seeds)?
Mainly grown during the winter so there are fresh greens available, there is no reason the children couldn't be encouraged to grow them in July, pop on a windowsill and munch away on them during the summer holidays. They can be grown in yogurt pots, plastic food trays and are very much like your cress idea because they will produce (edible) results in under 2 weeks. Seeds to try could include: broccoli, rocket, radish, coriander, beetroot, fennel, basil or even pea shoots.

 

What about taking cuttings? Could learn how to take them, pot them up etc. Lots of choice of suitable plants in July. Also some can be started off in water (eg Mint), just take the cutting (in the right place) and put in water until new roots start to form.

 

Possibly not for the fair, but I remember aeons ago at school having bean seeds and a jam jar with a roll of blotting paper in it which was kept damp. The beans were put between the BP and glass and we could watch how the growing of the roots and shoots occurred at different times.