A pot that lives in two homes

01 Start with one pot, not a garden

A child can grow a small, tough plant on a windowsill or a balcony, and keep it alive across two homes, if the plant is chosen for shade and neglect rather than for show. The pot travels, or a second pot waits at the other home, and the jobs are limited to watering, turning and one feed. Everything else can wait a fortnight.

A single pot is the right size for a child. It fits in a bag, on a bus seat, on a windowsill, and on the corner of a balcony that gets a few hours of light. A pot of about 20 cm across holds enough soil for a small herb, a strawberry, or a compact chilli, and it is light enough for a child to carry without help.

Choose the pot with the child, in a shop or from what is already in the shed. Terracotta dries out faster; plastic holds water longer, which matters when a plant is left for a week. A saucer underneath catches the overflow and stops a windowsill from staining. Write the child's name on a strip of masking tape and stick it to the side. That small act makes the pot theirs, and it survives the journey between homes.

Soil matters more than the pot. Ordinary multi-purpose compost from a bag is fine. Fill to about two centimetres below the rim, so water does not run straight off. Press it down gently, not hard. A child can do all of this in an afternoon, with a spoon for a trowel and a jug for a watering can.

For families who want a wider set of ideas before choosing, a magazine such as The Sunflower Fort covers growing with children at this scale, including pots, balconies and window ledges. It is written for parents, grandparents and anyone who looks after young children, and it stays with what can be done in an afternoon.

02 What can a child actually grow on a windowsill?

A windowsill is a narrow, changeable place. Light comes from one side, radiators dry the air, and the sill may be the only safe surface in a small flat. The plants that cope are the ones that tolerate shade and irregular water.

Mint is the easiest. It grows in almost any light, it comes back after cutting, and a child can pick a leaf for a glass of water. Keep it in its own pot, because mint spreads. Chives are nearly as forgiving and can be cut with scissors. A small strawberry plant will fruit on a bright sill, though it needs more water than mint. A chilli plant is slower but gives a child something to watch over months. A spider plant or an aloe is not edible, but it survives being forgotten, which is a useful first plant.

Avoid basil on a dark sill and avoid anything tall that will topple. Avoid plants that need daily attention, because a fortnightly week does not allow it. If the sill faces north, choose mint, chives or a fern. If it faces south, water more often and move the pot back from the glass in summer, where leaves can scorch.

A child can also grow a carrot top or a bean in a jar of water on the sill. These are not crops, but they show a root and a shoot in a week, which is the part that holds attention.

03 What works on a small balcony?

A balcony gives more light and more room, but also more wind and more heat. A pot on a balcony dries out faster than one indoors, so a larger pot is better. A 30 cm pot holds enough moisture to last several days in mild weather.

A child can grow a cherry tomato in a large pot against a wall, with a cane for support. It needs watering most days in summer, so it suits a home where someone is in during the week. A bush bean in a pot gives pods in about ten weeks and does not need staking. A courgette in a big pot is possible but thirsty. Salad leaves are quick and can be cut young, which suits a child who wants results.

Wind is the main problem. A balcony above the first floor can strip leaves and dry soil. Put pots against the wall, group them together, and avoid tall plants. A tray under the pots catches water and adds a little humidity. If the balcony is shared or has a rail, keep pots inside the rail and never on the ledge.

A child can carry a small watering can, fill it at the tap, and water without help. That is the whole routine on a balcony: fill, water, check the saucer, put the can back.

04 How do you keep it going across two homes?

The simplest answer is two pots, one at each home, from the same packet of seed. The child sows both, and each pot stays where it is. Nothing travels, nothing is lost in a bag, and the child sees the same plant in two places. This works well for mint, chives and salad leaves.

If there is only one pot, it travels in a box or a bag with a saucer, and it spends the fortnight at one home and the fortnight at the other. A plant that has been moved will sulk for a few days. Keep it out of direct sun for the first day after the move, and water it before the journey, not after.

A third option is a shared plant that stays at one home and is looked after by whoever is there. The child telephones or sends a photograph. This keeps the routine simple and avoids the risk of a plant left in a car.

Whichever you choose, write the watering day on a card and stick it near the pot. A child who can read the card can do the job alone.

05 The few jobs that survive a fortnightly week

A fortnightly week means the plant is on its own for long stretches. Only a few jobs fit that rhythm.

Watering is the first. In cool weather, a pot of mint or chives can go a week without water. In summer, it cannot. If the plant will be alone, move it out of direct sun, group it with other pots, and stand it in a shallow tray of water for the first day. Do not leave it standing in water for a week, as roots rot.

Turning is the second. A quarter turn each time the child visits keeps a windowsill plant growing straight instead of leaning to the glass. It takes five seconds and a child can do it.

Feeding is the third, and the least frequent. A liquid feed once a month in spring and summer is enough for a pot of mint or a tomato. More than that is not better.

Cutting is the fourth. Mint and chives need cutting to keep growing. A child can take a few leaves each visit and put them in a glass. This is the job that makes the plant useful rather than decorative.

Checking is the last. Look under the leaves for greenfly, look at the saucer for water, and look at the soil for dryness. A child can do this in a minute and report back. If a plant dies, that is part of it. A pot that lives in two homes will sometimes fail, and the next one starts the same way, with a bag of compost and a name on a strip of tape.