All the plants for the schools are now growing well, we started propagation in January, we will also be taking some seeds to each of the schools so that the children can germinate some of their own plants.
The plants that we are growing for Little Growers are as follows:
| Tomatoes: | Sungold, a small yellow cherry tomato, with thin skins and very sweet. Gardeners Delight, a small red cherry tomato, a greenhouse favourite. Ailsa Craig, a medium size tomato. Pomodoro, an Italian plum tomato, with thin skins & few seeds. |
| Aubergine: | Black Beauty, large tasty purple fruits. |
| Cucumber: | Tasty King, producing heavy crops & tasty fruit. |
| Pumpkin: | Atlantic Giant. Hundredweight. |
| Broccoli: | Olympia F1, once the central head has been harvested; expect several tender side-shoots too. |
| Onion: | Ailsa Craig, a great all rounder, which still takes some beating. |
| Sweet Corn: | Honey Bantum, sweet tasting and early cropper. |
| Garlic: | Marco, distinctive strong flavour, excellent when used in companion planting, as it will act as a natural deterrent to many pests. |
| French Bean: | Tendercrop, long straight, succulent & stringless pods. |
| Garden Pea: | Kelvedon Wonder, the most popular dwarf variety. |
| Swiss Chard: | Bright lights, very tasty, can be used in stir fries; young leaves are delicious in salads. |
| Chillies: | Peach Habanero, very hot, small squat variety with peach coloured fruits. Fiesta, tri colour fruits, changing from green-purple-red, height 2-3 feet. Tepin wild chilli, believed to be one of the worlds hottest chillies. Purple Tiger, tri coloured fruit & leaves, very attractive & hot. Rocoto, golf ball size fruit, changing colour green-yellow-orange-red. |
| Loofah: | This is our competition plant for this years launch of Little Growers, each school will be given two plants the school producing the most loofah’s will win the competition. The children can harvest the fruit, dry it out, collect the seeds for next year. The sponges once dry can then be used in the bath or shower. |
| Gourds: | We thought we’d add these to the selection; the children should have fun growing this unusual shaped gourd. |
We would like each school to ask the children to choose what they would like to grow from the above. We will then deliver the plants to each school after the last frost. By all means feel free to grow other plants that you would like to see in your greenhouses.
The Food for Life Partnership is a network of schools and communities across England committed to transforming food culture. The Partnership is led by the Soil Association together with the Focus on Food Campaign, Garden Organic and the Health Education Trust. Their goal is to revolutionise school meals, reconnect young people with where their food comes from and inspire families to cook and grow food. All schools can join the Food for Life Partnership and win awards for good food culture. Visit their website for more information at www.foodforlife.org.uk.
Little Growers Video/Photo Diary:
To help other schools & children & dare I say it the adults too. We would like the children from each school to document what they see, when they see it. Taking photos and or video footage once every couple of weeks will be invaluable for other children to learn from. Please note that consent will be required from the parents of the children, allowing them to have the information added to the Little Growers website.
Little Growers website:
The Little Growers website is now live it can be viewed at www.littlegrowers.com more information will be added as the season progresses.
Little Growers Competition:
As previously mentioned we will be having a competition with the schools, the school growing the most loofahs from two plants will win an AeroGarden worth £130.00. The AeroGarden is a simple to use but very effective herb growing system. It will also show the children how effectively plants can be grown using different techniques. Herbs in the AeroGarden can simply be grown on a window sill all year round. To see the product please visit www.aerogrow.com
Parents Help:
As we’ve mentioned in the past, it is important that the parents, families & friends get involved to help Little Growers grow from strength to strength. Anyone buying any of the AutoPot products being used by Little Growers over the value of £30.00, excluding delivery will have 10% of their purchase value transferred into the Little Growers fund. Helping is very simple, visit www.autopot.co.uk place an order over the value of £30.00 & in the comments box add “Little Growers”. 10% will then be transferred to the fund. So that everyone can see how much has been raised a barometer will be added to the Little Growers website. This year there are now seven schools launching Little Growers. Next year with the help from money raised from parents, charities, grants, corporate sponsorship & if possible the lottery. We would like to provide up to 100 schools with all they need to grow in 2009 & up to a 1,000 schools in 2010.
Little Growers Sponsers:
Little Growers & AutoPot would like to thank the following companies for providing the necessary products to help launch the Little Growers scheme with the selected UK schools.
Sponsors & Affilliates:
Click here for more information about the Little Growes’ sponsors and affilliates.