Starting a Schoolyard Garden

January 11, 2022

We started our school garden in 2014.

In the fall of 2015, our goal was to grow vegetables in garden beds. We did it!

Schoolyard gardens are an excellent way for kids to get outdoors and explore their natural environment while learning about food, plants, nutrition and more. With just a few supplies, some plants, and a bit of guidance, you can create an engaging garden that will bring immense educational value to your students.

Assess the Space & Design your Garden

Make sure to take a good look at the layout, size and orientation of your school’s schoolyard before deciding on a garden design. For example, does the space have ample sunlight or shade? Is it exposed to high wind levels? You can use these considerations to decide how and where you want to design your garden. Are you thinking of a traditional rectangular vegetable patch, with benches and herbal pathways, or even something more creative with different layers and shapes? Let your imagination run wild as you plan out your schoolyard garden.

Plan What to Purchase

To Get started, keep it simple. We started with six raised beds that we created with cinderblocks. We determined how big each bed would be and then calculated how many cinderblocks we needed. We dug away the grass. We used several layers of cardboard and newspaper which is also great weed barrier. Then fill each bed with good soil. We mix raised bed soil with organic compost soil mix to each bed. We use Mel’s Mix and have had great results. Mel’s Mix (I did not come up with this) 1 part compost, 1 part peat moss or coco coir, 1 part vermiculite. We have deer in our area that would eat all our vegetables, so we needed to build a fence. We asked a local fence company and they donated their time. We asked families and had the wood and metal fence panels donated. We needed few tools to get started. We purchased hand and larger shovels ,gloves (class sets), watering cans, hose and sprayers. Now you are ready to plant. At first, we went to our local nurseries and bought seedling plants that were in season. After our first season, we started adding seeds and sowing plants indoors before planting, etc. Eventually, you can start adding different things… sundials, scales to weigh harvests, benches, smaller planters for flowers, etc.

Educate Students in Proper Gardening Practices

While it’s important to get your students excited about gardening, it is just as essential to teach them proper gardening techniques. Educate them on when and how often to water, which plants are best for the area, and how to care for their crops. Teach them sustainable techniques such as cover cropping, companion planting and composting. Encourage them to be ingenious problem solvers, and let them suggest new plant selections or irrigation systems if they’re feeling inspired. Give your students the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in creating a thriving garden!

Ready to Start A School Garden Club?

Here is a FREE Garden Club Flyer in our TpT store to help get you started.

We also have many other STEM, Gardening Ideas to do with kids. Check our entire TpT Store to get even more ideas on incorportating gardening into the classroom!