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Planning a school garden can be a lot of fun. It is a great place to
learn-by-doing. Teachers, parents and students should help to plan the
garden. The following are some things to think about as you plan your
school garden.
Choose a Site. Of course you want a site with sun, good soil and drainage and probably most important of all, close to water. If your site is on school grounds there are probably outside faucets available. Have your school janitor check to make sure they are working. If your school does not have any green space, you may choose a site
on a nearby vacant lot. You may have to check with your local city official
to get permission to garden on the lot. Finding water can be a problem
for a vacant lot garden. Many towns will allow you to access a nearby
fire hydrant for water. Check with your local fire department. Involve everybody as you make decisions about the garden. Choose what flowers and vegetables to plant and where they will be planted. Remember, this is "your" garden. Don’t get overwhelmed with things
to do in the garden. Take breaks between activities. Make sure you know what you are to do in the garden and the time required for each garden visit. Visit your garden at least one-to-two times a week to care for your plants. Grow veggies and flowers you like. Look through garden catalogs and cut out favorite vegetables and flowers. Start with crops that mature quickly such
as: lettuce, radishes, sunflowers, spinach, bush beans and zucchini. If your school doesn’t have space
outdoors, green onions, radishes, lettuce and herbs can be grown in
a sunny window in plastic pots or a heavy duty ziploc-quart or gallon
freezer bag. Everybody should have their own space in the garden. A 4 x 4 foot area is a nice size to begin with or at least have a space for your classroom. Don’t let adults do everything for you in the garden. Direct the kids without doing. You can do most garden tasks with gentle guidance from adults. Do it yourself!
Create a journal of your gardening experience. A journal could contain a map of the garden; what seeds were planted; what the weather was; pictures of what flowers were grown; who visited the garden; bees, bugs, birds & butterflies that were seen in the garden; and photos of the vegetables that were harvested. Vandalism can be a problem. It can be very discouraging to grow nice ripe, red, juicy tomatoes and then have them disappear overnight. Here are some tips to help reduce vandalism:
BooksSunset Best Kids Garden Book by the Sunset Editors, Sunset Publishing Corporation, Menlo Park, California Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots by Sharon Lovejoy, Workman Publishing, New York Grown Your Own Pizza - Gardening Plants & Recipes for Kids by Constance Hardesty, Fulcrum Kids, Golden, Colorado Better Homes & Gardens - Junior Garden Book by Felder Rushing, Meredith Books, Des Moines, Iowa Learn and Play In the Garden - Games, Crafts & Activities for Children by Meg Herd, Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. The Victory Garden Kids’ Book by Marjorie Waters, The Globe Pequot Press, Old Saybrook, Connecticut Gardening with Children by Beth Richardson, The Taunton Press Internet SitesGreat Plant Escape The Adventures of Herman the Worm Kinder Garden Kids Garden Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden at MSU
National Gardening Association Kids Gardening Youth Garden Grants Seeds of Change Garden
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