First time house plants for child?

Hi there,

I've got my 7 year old a plant pot set for her birthday, what plants would be ideal for her. Looking for 3 different ones that can live in the kitchen on a very sunny windowsill.

Oh and we have a cat so nothing poisonous for him thanks xx

First time house plants for child?
A cactus was my very first.



But my "funnest" was probably when Mom and I decided to plant an avocado seed. Neither of us knew what it would do. I was sooo excited when a little stalk popped up out of the soil. And then it grew.... and grew.... and ended up being about a 3-foot single stalk going straight up, with long leaves at the top. It looked like an umbrella. But it was all mine! LOL



Another choice would be some herbs... like parsley, that she can snip for you when you're cooking :)
Reply:Hi, I agree with the others that cacti are easy to keep alive, but in my experience a young girl would prefer something that flowers.



So how about nasturtiums in one pot - easy to plant, very good growers, fine inside and out, and are edible flowers.



The second pot could then be a herb, mint or parsley would be good choices as they grow quite fast. Or dill maybe, because it has such a wonderful feathery appearance.



And in the third pot try growing some busy lizzy: they tend to grow slower than the nasturtiums and have a completely different growth pattern and shape.



Other plants you could try would be sunflowers (miniature variety), tagetes (lovely bright flowers), or some vegetables, lettuce (Little Gem would be a good choice for a plant pot), some radishes or even a bush bean or peas.



If you don't necessarily want to grow something from seed, most kids love the Venus Flytrap - a carnivorous monster plant - or a spider plant which will eventually have babies (they are almost impossible to kill off!), or a miniature rose. The miniature rose could not live inside all the time though, just visit inside and then go back outside.



Hope you are feeling inspired!
Reply:Ideally, a small herb garden with basil, oregano and dill, or something similar. These will provide your kitchen with a nice aroma, and your daughter or son will come to understand the usefulness of edible plants. He or she might take considerable pride in adding a little dill to the tuna salad or the basil and oregano to flavor the spaghetti sauce for the family meal.



One other thing you might try is aloe vera. This would give you a chance to teach your youngster about medicial plants. Aloe vera is super easy to grow, is a succulent without the stickers protruding from cacti that could injure your curious child, and offers a good salve for bites and burns.



I hope this is the beginning of a lifelong love of gardening for your child. It's a wonderful thing.
Reply:Christmas cactus,Kalanchoe,both available in lots of colours,+ any non-spikey succulents or cacti.All thrive on neglect,just water when very dry,%26amp; a bit of feed just before flowering-all flower at different times,so you could have quite a regular show.

Also,carrot tops are fun,lovely ferny foliage,%26amp; try any pips(orange/apple,whatever),%26amp; avocado stones.All free %26amp; you never know what you might get.

That would be enouh to choose from for starters.Should all be ok for cats,but make sure it can't knock them over-not ok for you!
Reply:Cactus's. If you leave them outside in the winter they flower with big flowers.



And there are cactie that have no spikes and can also with stand heat and the sun.





any other help i could give would be you going to a garden centre %26amp; asking the staff.
Reply:Ivy, fern, and pothos (or maybe a violet to add color)



Hope your cat's name isn't Garfield, or you might have to rethink that second one there.
Reply:Check out an African Viloet and she needs to give it very little water under the leaves- 5 /8 tablespoons.
Reply:You could probably get away with a tomato plant if you have enough space...then she can eat what she has grown...I think its a good idea to gets kids to connect with where food comes from...good luck
Reply:Venus fly trap, cactus or succulents.
Reply:MUSTARD CRESS IS VERY QUICK TO GROW AND EDIBLE
Reply:try a small cactus. They are cute, and easy to maintain.