Flower and vegetable plants safe for children - Ask Extension
I need to know a few flower and veggies that are safe and easy to grow with young children, 3 to 5 yr olds. I am the preschool coordinator at the Dubu...
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Flower and vegetable plants safe for children #175836
Asked April 18, 2014, 11:33 PM EDT
I need to know a few flower and veggies that are safe and easy to grow with young children, 3 to 5 yr olds. I am the preschool coordinator at the Dubuque YMCA/YWCA, and we will be doing planting in swimming pools very soon. I need to make sure that every part of the plant is non toxic. I would appreciate a list of safe plants.
Thank you
Monica Heri
Dubuque County Iowa
Expert Response
Flowers and vegetables that are safe and easy to grow include the following:
Flowers
marigolds (seeds or plants)
nasturtiums (seeds)
pansies (plants)
sunflowers (seeds)
Vegetables
lettuce (seeds)
spinach (seeds)
beets (seeds)
Swiss chard (seeds)
onions (seeds, sets, or plants)
basil (plants)
oregano (plants)
Flowers
marigolds (seeds or plants)
nasturtiums (seeds)
pansies (plants)
sunflowers (seeds)
Vegetables
lettuce (seeds)
spinach (seeds)
beets (seeds)
Swiss chard (seeds)
onions (seeds, sets, or plants)
basil (plants)
oregano (plants)
could you tell me if Daisy, peas, corn and beans are also safe. Thank you
The foliage of snap (green) beans, garden peas, and corn is not edible, but it's not highly toxic either. I regard them as safe.
Could I please get a list of plants that are not toxic, both veggies and flowers. We want to continue to add to our garden. Thank you
In regards to edibility, there are three types of plants. There are plants that are edible, plants that are non-edible (unpalatable), and plants that are poisonous. The poisonous plants are the most important group of plants as they may cause serious illness or possibly death. There are a number of books and other references on poisonous plants. Books on poisonous plants can be found in public libraries. Various internet sites (such as http://www.cbif.gc.ca/pls/pp/poison) also list poisonous plants.
To my knowledge, there are no lists of "safe" plants.
To my knowledge, there are no lists of "safe" plants.
