Recommended Seed Varieties for Schools

Recommended Seed Varieties for Schools

We understand it can be difficult for teachers without gardening experience to choose the correct vegetable plants for school growing. Our seeds packs are designed for growing within the term dates as we know getting someone to look after the vegetable garden in the holidays can be a burden. All our seeds are from our own seed packing company - Iona Seeds and are all varieties particularly suited to Irish growing conditions.

Below I've included a selection of seeds suitable for growing in school with the emphasis on fast growing crops that will be ready to harvest before term ends in the Summer. All the varieties are easy to grow and with a little maintenance should provide some fun crops for the children to enjoy.

Our school seed selection:

Beetroot pablo seed

Beetroot - Pablo F1
Beetroot is a very easy and relatively easy crop to grow. It can be planted close together so perfect for raised beds. Pablo is fast and reliable without the bitter beetroot aftertaste. If you've never tried chocolate and beetroot brownies you're in for a treat. Very easy to grow and suffers from very few pests or diseases.

Broccoli Calabrese - Chevalier
Broccoli is easy to grow with the right soil and is one of natures powerhouse crops packed with vitamins and minerals. Sow indoors in March for planting out in April and look forward to tasty heads just before the summer holidays.

Carrot - Ya YA F1
An early fast growing variety which can be sown under cover from January through till early April. An early variety is essential to ensure you have carrots by before school breaks for the Summer holidays.

Chard - Rhubarb Chard
Chard is related to beetroot and produces glossy dark green leaves which can used in a salad when small of cooked as spinach when large. Ideal to grow as the plant keeps producing new leaves when picked so perfect for a raised bed. Glossy dark green leaves with bright red stems. Ready to eat 8 - 10 weeks after sowing.

Lettuce - Little Gem & Batavia Mix
Lettuce is ready to eat 8 -10 weeks from sowing so can be grown in all 3 terms of the year. There's nothing like a crop of fresh crunchy lettuce and if you keep an eye out for slugs they are the easiest things to grow.

Peas Sugar Snap - Delikett
Sugar Snap Peas are a 'mange tout' variety which also produce a good size pea. A mange tout variety is a good idea as if you have a cool Spring and the peas fail to ripen the delicious sweet pods can still be harvested before the Summer break. Produces an large crop of sweet snap peas.

Early Potatoes - Orla
You will need to grow early 'new' potatoes as maincrop varieties won't be ready until August. Orla is an Irish variety with good resistance to blight which will give you an ample crop of small new potatoes at the end of June.

Radish - Short Top Forcing
Radishes are quick and easy and ready 4 - 6 weeks after sowing. The ultimate beginners vegetable.

Oriental Salad Mix
Orientals like Rocket, Mizuna and Salad Mustards are quick growing and require little care. They are perfect for early Spring and late Autumn salads.

Spring Onions - Ishikura Bunching.
Spring Onions are so easy to grow and you wont find a more reliable variety of than ishikura. Ready 8 - 10 weeks after sowing.

Turnip - Tokyo CrossTurnip is very quick to grow and you wont find quicker than Tokyo Cross. Baby turnips will be ready in about 8 - 10 weeks, leave them longer to get larger turnips.