The Rise of the Mini Mucks

How bug-hunting kids discovered the joy of growing - and eating - their own vegetables

Vegetables. They’re absolutely hated by most kids, I know. But what if you could get your kids to eat their greens without any drama?

Every June, we host a big BBQ. The bubbly flows. The beer’s chilled. The music booms. Great for us adults, but not so great for the poor kids who get dragged along. Muck Manor is a dull place these days, or so I thought: no PlayStation, no Wii, no trampoline and, because of my beloved greenhouse, no ball games.

But last year the kids proved me wrong.

Three hours into our relaxing afternoon in the sun, we realised the kids were nowhere to be seen. Always a worry. So off His Lordship and I trotted, only to discover them behind the potting shed, covered in dirt, heads down, concentrating hard, sticks in their little hands, silently scrabbling around in the earth. ‘Ink-Sets’ came their collective reply when we asked what they were up to. ‘We’re looking for Ink-Sets.’

Ink-Sets? What were they talking about?

Rolling their eyes at us oldies in frustration, they explained again very slowly: ‘INK-SETS. We’re looking for INK-SETS.’ We looked at each other in bewilderment, which prompted them to thrust under our noses their haul: nine wiggly worms, twelve slimy slugs and eighteen loathsome louses – all proudly held out on their ickle hands as if they were holding precious treasure. Insects.

They had entertained themselves all afternoon looking for insects. Brilliant. Right there and then, I wondered if the mucky old insect-ridden world of grow-your-own might interest them. Let’s face it, kids love getting dirty, they aren’t afraid of creepy-crawlies and, most of all, they are curious creatures. I tentatively asked the Ink-Set Crew if they would like to go hunting for more insects in my kitchen garden and greenhouse, and you know what? They jumped at the chance.

Much to the amusement of their parents, the kids followed me around for the next couple of hours, bombarding me with questions about veggie-growing. But the question that took me most by surprise was a simple one: ‘Do you think we could grow something, Auntie C?’ Over the course of that one afternoon, I had somehow assembled my own little army of Mini Mucks, who left excited about sowing some of my seeds at home.

A while later, reports back from our pals were positive. Not only had their kids remained enthused about gardening, but they were also seemingly far keener to eat their five-a-day. Result.

So, if you fancy not having to force-feed your kids their greens, why not have a go at creating your own Mini Mucks? Start with easy-to-grow seeds such as cress, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, runner beans and courgettes. To get started, you will need: seeds, seed compost, a seed tray, a small watering can, space for the potted seed tray (e.g. an indoor windowsill).

My best tip is to let the kids sow their seeds themselves. Yes, it will get messy, but they will absolutely love it, I promise. I tend to sow some seeds myself first, so they can see how it’s done, then let them loose with their own seed tray.

So, how to sow seeds? First, grab your seed tray. I find modular ones best. They are the ones that are divided up into rows of small individual growing cells. Fill it with peat-free seed compost up to about a centimetre below the rim of the tray, then pat down to give a flat surface to sow on. Remember to bring the compost inside for a couple of days to warm it up a little, as this really helps seed germination. Then sow the seeds following the instructions on the back of your seed packet. Cover the seeds lightly with compost and water gently. Now, the kids will love this part, but my advice is to use a small watering can with a very fine rose, or a spray mister, to ensure their overenthusiastic watering doesn’t drown the seeds.

Have some ice lolly sticks nearby so you can write your child’s name on a stick and pop it in their tray. To keep your kids interested, you could take weekly photos of the seeds’ development, and measure the seedlings as they emerge. Once they’re big enough to handle, pot on individual seedlings into bigger pots. Then relax and wait for the day when your kid points at their dinner plate, looks up at you, smiles and proudly says, ‘I grew that.’ Bless.

Right, must dash. Need to go and rescue the Duke and Duchess of Didsbury.

They popped round earlier with their little ones to sow some seeds.

But the kids seem to have ditched their diddy watering cans and gotten hold of the hose instead…