Getting Started
Here are resources for garden planning, including information on size, location, raised beds, plants to include in an edible garden, tools, sheds, and fencing.
University of Georgia Publications
These university publications were written specifically for school and community gardens.
- Garden Fencing
- Garden Sheds
- Raised Beds vs. In-Ground Gardens
- Raised Garden Bed Dimensions
- School Gardens: Planning an Edible Garden
- Siting a Garden
- Stocking the Toolshed: Hand Tools
Steps in Starting a School Garden is a great resource for those considering a school garden or for schools wanting to start a sustainable garden program.
The Georgia School Garden Calendar goes through each month of the year giving gardeners ideas on what to plant, how to tie the garden to the curriculum, and administrative support actions. This publication is specific to Georgia and our ecosystem.
Additional Resources
Although organizations providing these resources are based in different parts of the country, the information is widely adaptable to most regions of the U.S.
- Back-to-School (Gardens) Shopping List
- Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia Teaching Resources
- Community Garden Guide - Vegetable Garden Planning and Development (pdf)
This guide includes amounts of vegetables to plant based on estimated use per person, from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. - Food Safety and School Gardens (pdf)
- Guide to Gardening at Home
- University of Florida's School Garden Getting Started Guide
- Georgia Organics Farm to School Resources