Create a Successful Garden
School Garden Checklist
Whether you're looking for a new way to capture your students' interest as the weather breaks or you simply need to add some life to your classroom or school, planting a school garden will do the trick.
School gardens offer opportunities for fun and physical activity while serving as an important educational tool to help students understand how healthy food is produced.
Site Selection
Finding the best location for your garden project will require some investigation. Use these questions to guide your thinking:
- Is the soil contaminated with lead or other heavy metals?
- Is the site exposed to sunlight at least 6 hours a day?
- Is the area big enough to allow for future growth?
- Is the site protected from vandals, rodents or other potential threats?
- Is there a nearby and dependable water source?
- Is the site easy and safe for both students and teachers to access?
Parking lots, courtyards, rooftops, greenhouses, and schoolyards can all be potential sites. If space is very limited, consider gardening in containers.
Soil Health
Soil is the foundation on which gardens are built. Good soil is an essential ingredient in a healthy school garden. It's important to collect soil samples to identify the soil quality of the proposed garden site.
Have your soil tested for pH, nutrients, and lead contamination. If your site is contaminated, the simplest solution may be to find another site or try container gardening with different soil. Contact your nearest Cooperative Extension office to learn how to take a soil sample.
Designing for Students
Engage the entire school community in the design of the garden. The school grounds can be:
Plant Palette
Have older students survey younger students about what plants to grow. Choose a palette of plants that are safe (no poisonous fruits, large thorns or weak limbs), healthy (resistant to disease or pests), low maintenance, and suitable to your climate.
You can select plants based on a theme, such as a storybook or science lesson, to connect with what is being taught in the classroom.
Build and Use the Garden
Encourage students to share their ideas and include them in the building and planting of the garden - get their hands in the soil every step of the way. Their participation will instill a sense of ownership, pride, and responsibility among students.
Use the garden to connect students to the source of their food. Plant herbs, fruits, and vegetables that are easy to grow, pick, and cook.
Information provided courtesy of USDA's People's Garden Initiative. For more gardening resources visit: www.usda.gov/peoplesgarden