The Surprising Reason Most School Gardens Fail

A school garden can be a powerful teaching tool, offering students hands-on, experiential learning that connects to a wide variety of subjects. But many teachers unknowingly make the biggest mistake right at the start. And it has nothing to do with what they grow, how they grow it, or even where the garden is located. The mistake lies in when they grow it. And I am not talking about their planting timing in relation to the seasons (although that's important too). I'm talking about their timing in relation to the school schedule and class time.

The single biggest mistake teachers make when starting a school garden is trying to grow it outside class time.

I’ve seen this time and time again. Teachers are excited at first about the idea of starting a garden but quickly become overwhelmed. Why? Because growing a garden outside class time turns into a massive project that requires coordination, time, and energy—resources that teachers already struggle to manage.

Why Growing Outside Class Time Fails

When you grow a school garden outside of class time, you’re setting yourself up for frustration. Suddenly, this exciting project becomes an additional responsibility on top of your already overflowing plate. Organizing after-school planting events, coordinating with community members, and ensuring daily garden maintenance quickly becomes too much. Even with the best intentions, gardens that aren’t managed during class time often fall apart, simply because teachers can’t maintain them.

Not only is this exhausting, but it doesn’t foster the sense of ownership and responsibility that a garden should instill in students. When students aren’t involved in growing the garden during class, they don’t feel connected to it. They see the garden as extra work, not an opportunity for hands-on learning.

The Solution: Grow During Class Time

Here’s the good news: You can grow a school garden during class time, and you should! A school garden is an educational tool, and it should be treated as such. Instead of thinking of it as another project to add to your plate, think of it as a way to enhance what you’re already teaching. The garden becomes an opportunity to integrate lessons on science, math, language arts, social studies, teamwork, and even art.

Growing a garden during class time can help you cover topics like the water cycle, plant life, ecosystems, food literacy, and even social justice issues surrounding food. The garden becomes a living classroom, making subjects come to life in a tangible, engaging way.

Connect It to Your Curriculum

To make this work, the key is to connect the garden to your curriculum. Use the garden as a teaching tool to help students understand the subjects they’re already learning. For example, the process of designing and maintaining a garden involves significant math skills, from measuring garden beds to calculating how much water is needed for each plant. In science, students can learn about plant life cycles, the role of sunlight, and biodiversity. The possibilities are endless!

And the best part? This approach deepens student engagement, making learning more enjoyable for them and teaching easier for you. Plus, you get to enjoy the fruits (or vegetables!) of your labor, like fresh greens from your school garden!

Ready to Learn More?

If you’re convinced that growing a garden during class time is the way to go, but you’re not sure how to start, don’t worry. In Episode 19 of the School Gardens with Ease podcast, I dive into more details on this topic, offering practical tips to help you connect your garden to your curriculum. Tune in for actionable steps and ideas to make your school garden a success!