Grow veg with your children there is no excuse

[Keepdlingwhatyourgutsays]

I can not tell you how much fun it is to grow plants with your children and how good it is for your own self. Currently living in what i call my concrete garden (slabs and gravel) but managing to grow veg. Its a must please try it. Even if its water cress

Wow cloudtree i bet they look great now. (no idea how to tag). Garden looks a nice size. Id love an allotment but the waiting lists are always so long. The dream would be mr mgregors garden

We tried carrots and broad beans one year. Did exactly what it said on the seed packet. Massive wait for not even enough for one meal. Hugely dissapointing. Not worth the effort at all!

cloudtree im salivating over your garden growing cratey things

Give it to a neighbour . If you google im sure yourll find something you like that you could grow. Even if you don't eat it your'll be able to have that experience growing it and your son to.

How do you grow peas on concrete and how do you protect them from an estate full of cats (including our own)?

This is a picture of how they looked once we'd filled them and surrounded them with gravel (and taken from a much more attractive angle so that you can see the rest of the garden!).

You can also see the tile crates which we wrapped in gardening membrane and then surrounded with willow screening. All still work in progress at that stage.

Clearly I appreciate we have good garden space but it does show what you can do on tarmac/cement/slabs.

Mate you're not listening. I have no space. I have no use of outdoor window ledges and no space on the indoor ones. I have two cats who eat all plants they can reach and have sensitive tummies. Who the hell are you to say I have to grow things with my child? Utter sanctimony, and you can do all the cutesy smilies you want.

And I would look like an utter loon presenting my neighbours with a tray of watercress.

Photos of yours OP?

I'm so jealous cloud tree. They look great .
We've managed to protect ours from the cats so far with a cover but im sure if they eventually get eaten by the cats or the were rabbit we will find the funny side. The enjoyment the kids have had so far would have made it worth it. We've got the cress on the inside to watch.
I'm so glad i started i didn't realise how much fun it would be.

Really ‘no excuse’ I think you might be lacking imagination

I would love to add have tried to but everything I plant in my flood prone heavy clay surrounded by concrete swamp just rots .

The only things that grow are reeds and moss (and a couple of thriving fruit trees). Even dandelions struggle.

We are hopefully moving soon, I really can't wait to be shot of it

Cress smells like shit. I’d rather take them to Greggs.

Yes well if my cat eats something she shouldn't she gets ill so yeah. Not sure the watercress is worth the massive vet bill.

Growing veg is boring as shit anyway.

Might as well watch grass grow.

Cheers tartan from the stands (and before you say I have time to Mumsnet I am on a train hundreds of miles from home. Again)

Smug.

I can only imagine how much the initial outlay was for those crates, plus the soil, compost, tools etc.

I can think of a number of 'excuses' someone might have for not growing their own veg.

Currently living in what i call my concrete garden (slabs and gravel)

From the second photo you posted, your garden doesn't look how I'd imagined it from your description...it's bloody huge looking for a start.

Cloud tree did you build the raised beds yourself are they hard? I don't have the space in my garden as its tiny but hopefully this year ill get an allotment. I don't want to fork out for any though.
There's a few things on gardening and depression they might be an interesting read but thats of topic for me.

Don’t be daft Tartan

The kids are probably bored shitless and want to be watching CBeebies.

Come on guys. Whilst the OP's title might have been a little more considered, this thread clearly wasn't mean to be a declaration of war.