School Gardens

School gardens provide a unique, hands-on learning environment for students, teachers and community members. They are places where students learn core standards through experiential hands-on learning. A school garden is a great resource for nutrition, science, math, social studies, art lessons, and much more. It not only serves as an educational tool, but also breeds social team-building skills and gives students a sense of ownership and empowerment.

Nutrition Services wants to encourage and support all school and community garden projects. As the number of school gardens continues to grow, we want to standardize the process so developing, implementing and harvesting school gardens is easy for everyone involved. If you are interested in starting a school garden, we have developed a standardized application process that allows you to quickly approve your site with the Facilities Department and have access to resources that can help establish and sustain your garden.

shovel in dirt

Tools and resources

Starting and creating your school garden

Collective School Garden Network, Steps to a School Garden - Resources for each step of managing your school garden. Resources curated by LifeLab in conjunction with the California School Garden Training Program.

Start a School Garden - For anyone looking to begin a gardening program at a school, consider these tips before you get growing.

Kids Gardening, Create & Sustain a Program - Start your program off with a plan to sustain your garden into the future.

LifeLab, School Garden Resources - Create and sustain your school garden

Collective School Garden Network

Planting Your School Garden - An extensive planting guide including, garden installation soil preparation, obtaining plants, sowing seeds, and planting seeds.

Steps to A School Garden - Resources for managing each step of your school garden.

Whole Kids Foundation - School garden resources

School Gardening Guide

Steps to A School Garden - Resources for managing each step of your school garden

Big Green Organization

Planting

Growing

Watering

Harvesting

Funding your school garden

Funding a School Garden Program - Browse from a list of available grant applications to fund your garden projects.

Garden Tower

Does your school have a Garden Tower? This unique vertical garden can grow up to 50 plants and vegetables in 4 square feet! This tower allows you to compost and garden at the same time to provide rich nutrients. It requires minimal upkeep and no weeding. The Garden Tower award winning design rotates for easy accessibility. Check out more resources for your Garden Tower on the Garden Tower Project website.

Garden to Cafeteria program

The Garden to Cafeteria (GTC) program is a unique opportunity for Weld County School District 6 students to grow fresh fruits and vegetables in their school gardens to supplement meals served in the cafeteria. The cafeteria will purchase this produce from the gardens, bringing funding to the garden, and creating a sense of ownership among students, who will see their hand-grown produce nourishing their peers.

Garden to Cafeteria Toolkit

Application

Record Sheet

School Garden Food Safety Checklist

Student Harvest Permission Slip

Interested in volunteering in a school garden?

Additional resources

Can't quite find the help what you're looking for? Ask some dedicated, local professionals, or email farm2school.

Colorado State University Extension