Getting Started

Planning • Basic Info • Easy Annuals • Easy Perennials • Fun Ideas

PLANNING

The planning and design of your garden is critical to its future success. Whether you are planting indoors or outdoors, having a plan will help you stay on top of garden maintenance and assure that you don’t get in over your head.

Take a look at our "School Gardens: From Humble to Opulent" PowerPoint to see how some Utah teachers are gardening, inside and out.

Garden Questionnaire

When planning a garden, remember that it takes commitment. Here are some questions to think about before planting. Each question includes a few ideas or suggestions, and for more information click on the green links to see ideas from other websites.

What subjects are you teaching? Can you use the garden to contribute to learning?

Some connections are clear—plant a Three Sisters garden for Native American studies; a Utah Native Plant garden for a low-maintenance fourth-grade science lab; or a salad garden for nutrition lessons.

But also consider more creative ways to use your garden. For example, Pumpkins are a great way to teach economics and mathematics. Literature can come to life when students can make their own sunflower house—just like in this book.

How much time can you dedicate to gardening each week?

Don't forget that the bigger the garden, the more maintenance it takes. Weeding, mulching, seeding, watering, tending... these things can be extremely time consuming. If you are new to outdoor gardening, it is a good idea to start small and expand as you get the hang of it and figure out how much time is needed.

As an alternative to the high maintenance outdoor garden world, consider indoor classroom gardening in containers. Many plants will grow with just the sunlight from your windows, and you can use them to teach many of the same concepts as the outdoor gardens.

Will you have maintenance help from other teachers or parental volunteers?

Gardens can be a fun way to bring people together, and the more helping hands there are in the garden, the easier it is to manage. If your school's administration is hesitant to start a garden project, getting more people involved also shows your commitment and may open their eyes to the usefulness of a school-wide project.

Is there sunny space in your school yard?

There's no way around it—plants need sunlight. However, different plants need different amounts of sunlight each day, and with a little research you can find a plant for nearly any occasion.

Do you have a bright window in your classroom?

Sometimes this is the very best place to start. Growing flowers for Mother’s Day, starting tomato plants for transplanting, or just exploring the miracle of a germinating seed, a sunny window can go a long way.

However, some windows will not put out enough light for you to achieve your garden goals, in which case grow lights can be extremely helpful. Consider building your own GrowLite or purchasing a SpaceLite that includes seeds for special miniature plants.