School Gardens/First steps

Home	First steps	School Garden library	Web resources	Show cases	Conceptual background

Why should we have a School Garden?

What are the steps to plan and set-up the garden?

1. Set the aims
2. Get support
3. Decide which classes
4. Decide what to grow
5. Find a garden site
6. Prepare the site
7. Make an action plan
8. Put plan to practise
9. Gardening methods

What can children learn in the garden?

9.	Gardening methods and ways of preparing, processing and promoting foods harvested form the garden

For advice on how to grow things in your School Garden seek information from:

	experienced local gardeners and farmers;
	extension personnel from the Ministry of Agriculture; and
	facilitators of farmer's field schools.

The way you set-up the garden beds, seed, plant, tender and harvest will all depend on natural conditions. For example, the soil type and the local rainfall will determine:

School garden in Honduras: teacher explaining how to plant radish seeds.

	whether to use raised or sunken beds;
	how much compost to use; and
	which plants you can grow and in which season.

Although gardening methods can differ between different locations, a few principles can be recommended for most gardens:

1.	Set-up permanent garden beds that have well-defined borders, with paths in between. Permanent beds are easier to tend and will prevent children from accidentally stepping on plants or compacting the soil. They should not be wider than one meter, so that children can easily reach the beds' centre without stepping into them.
2.	Plan and follow a recommended crop rotation, involving different plant families. This will keep the soil healthy and prevent many plant diseases.
3.	If you encounter problems with plant diseases or pests, try to avoid the use of toxic chemicals. Seek advice from knowledgeable locals about methods of integrated pest management. If spraying becomes unavoidable, an appropriately trained adult should handle the chemicals with the proper equipment and protection.

For more information see"Part 8: How do we grow things?" of the FAO manual "Setting up and running a School Garden - a manual for teachers, parents and communities".

See also the Horticultural Notes and the Food Factsheets.

Back to the top