Mini Vegetables are a great way to get children and big kids (adults) excited about growing vegetables. These types of vegetables are smaller than the normal size making them perfect for handling and for healthy snacking.

Last year we grew Mini Cucumbers ‘Mini Munch’ for the first time in the greenhouse. From 3 plants, my daughter had a mini cucumber every day throughout the summer. We couldn’t believe how many mini cucumbers we harvested from so few plants. See our Harvest in June last year.

Last year we grew variety ‘Mini Munch’ but this year the seed prices have gone up to £3.50 for 3 seeds due to the popularity on this variety.

I have decided to grow an alternative mini cucumber variety ‘Picolino F1’ at a more reasonable price £1.89 for 8 seeds from Premier Seeds.

6 Reasons to Grow Mini Vegetables

• 1. They are a great healthy snack size.
• 2. If only one person in your family likes aubergines or eggplants, one plant will suffice and you can still enjoy the vegetable you like without having any waste.
• 3. Better flavour, as the smaller the vegetable or fruits, the more powerful the flavour.
• 4. You get more mini vegetables or fruits on the plant than if you do with larger varieties of vegetables or fruit.
• 5. If you have a small garden or only enough space for a few pots, with mini vegetables you can still grow your own food at home.
• 6. Mini vegetables cook quicker in the kitchen due to their size so meals in minutes! Or some mini salad veg can be eaten raw which is even quicker.

Mini Vegetables to Grow in your Garden, Patio or Greenhouse

• Mini Melon – I’m trying ‘Minnesota Midget’ this year from Real Seeds. More on Mini Melons here.
• Carrots – round like ‘Paris market atlas’ (round) or thin short like ‘little finger’ & ‘chantenay’. These can be grown in pots.
• Tomato – there are small dwarf varieties of Tomato that are a bush and can be grown in pots. Try varieties: Tiny Tim, Dwarf Cherry & Tumbling Tom.
• Radish – easy to grow. Get the milder varieties for children. Sow to Harvest in 4 weeks.
• Sweet Peppers – there are plenty of snack type small sweet peppers to grow, they can also be grown in a pot. Varieties include: ‘Tangerine Dream’.
• Aubergine or egg plants – there are a few patio varieties like ‘Slim Jim’.
• Peas that are low in height up to a maximum of 50cm tall can cope well in a pot and perfect for children to pick. (Watch the pigeons!) I’m growing ‘Twinkle’ and ‘Avola’ Pea varieties.

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Growing Veg with Children – The Series:

Growing Mini Vegetables for Children & Big Kids (Adults)

Let’s Grow Together – Weekly – Getting Children into Gardening – Free downloads

Sowing Sunflower Seeds with Children

How to get your Child involved in Vegetable Growing from a young age

Growing Vegetables with Children