Skill Level
Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced
Learner Outcomes
- Explore what foods you like to eat.
- Develop basic understanding of plant needs and discover what can realistically be grown in your region.
- Practice designing a food garden using life-size plant footprints in groups.
- Develop a collective group design for the garden.
Life Skills
Decision making, problem solving, critical thinking, learning to learn, planning/organizing, wise use of resources, communications, cooperation, social skills, conflict resolution, accepting differences, sharing, marketing/useful skills, teamwork, contribution to group
Materials
- A piece of paper that says “I love it” and a piece of paper that says “Not my favorite”
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Example plant footprints. Plant footprint squares of various sizes, made from poster board or cardboard: 3”x 3,” 4”x 4,” 6”x 6,” 12”x 12,” 36”x36”
•You will need multiple squares of the smaller sizes; for the larger sizes (“12 x 12” and “36 x 36”) you only need a few of each.
•It is helpful to write the names of the plants that correspond to each size on the footprints. See Common Crop Chart and example photos. - Sample Planting Maps handout
- Common Crop Chart handout
- Garden Puzzles handout
- Measuring tape
- String, yarn, or twine to mark out garden space
Space
Open area with ground or table space for youth to move around and to layout plant footprint garden designs
Introduction
In this activity, youth will explore foods they enjoy eating and foods that can be grown in their garden spaces. A garden is anywhere in which you intentionally cultivate plants. This can be a backyard garden, indoor kitchen scrap garden, house plant garden, sprouts garden, microgreen garden, vegetable garden, herb garden, and more. For any type of garden, planning can help us to achieve our hoped-for results.
Youth will learn different factors that can be considered when planning a garden including plant spacing and timing. There are so many things to consider when planning a garden! A few basics to consider—when to plant (keeping in mind season and climate), where to plant (keeping in mind sunlight and water availability), personal taste, and aesthetics.
Plants grow better and are healthier when they have enough space. Different vegetable plants vary in height. Make sure to space taller plants behind shorter plants, so they don’t block the sun.
Often left out of garden plans is how we (the gardeners) can access the space. Including paths within the garden and around borders for access is important to ensure that we do not walk on the plants; in addition, having space to work ensures a more pleasing garden atmosphere, meaning that we are more likely to go there.
Plant timing can play a role in how much food you are able to grow in your space. We can grow more vegetables in the same space by doing succession planting. This strategy involves planting cool-season (spring and fall) plants and warm-season (summer) plants in the same space, and requires knowledge of harvest times so the plants you have in your plot can change as you go from spring to summer to fall.
This activity has youth practicing designing their food garden using life-size plant footprints. It can be overwhelming for first time gardeners to plan their garden. Plant footprints help youth visualize how much space is needed for mature vegetable plants and plan out a garden plot in a way that feels ‘real’ and tangible.
When planning with your group, keep it simple! It is better to have a positive experience growing a small successful garden than to create a larger garden that gets neglected and reinforces the notion that “gardening is too much work.” There truly is no one right way to plan a space, beyond the basics offered above. Focus on what the people and plants need and make a plan to meet those needs. Throughout this process, we encourage group reflection.
Note to facilitators: This activity contains new concepts for some. Remember you do not have to facilitate this this alone. Guidance from a neighbor with a passion for gardening or a Master Gardener Volunteer with experience working with youth could be helpful and offer new perspective.
Vocabulary
Garden: any space you intentionally cultivate plants
Succession planting: refers to a few planting methods that allow for more crops to grow within time and space
Plant footprint: the amount of space a mature plant will take up in the garden
Before the Activity
- Brainstorm a list of plants that can be grown in your garden space. Think of space, climate, and time restraints, as well as plants that may be easier for beginners. Have this list in mind as the group designs their food garden.
- Hang a paper that says “I love it” and a paper that says “Not my favorite” on opposite sides of the meeting space.
Activity
Opening Questions
- Ask the group, who has planted something before? What went well? What would you have done differently?
- What are some things you think about when planning? What do plants need?
If you have already planted microgreens together, connect to what you have previously discussed.
Experience
- The first thing to think about when planning a garden: what plants you want to grow! Think about the harvest, and what plants we like and will eat. Get a feel for the group’s taste buds. Ask the group what they like to eat, list food items on a board or paper.
- Make a taste spectrum for fruits and vegetables that can grow in your area. On one side of a line (real or imaginary), hang a paper that says “I love it” and hang a paper that says “Not my favorite” on the other side. Call out different vegetables (ex. broccoli, carrots, lettuce, radish, etc.), have youth stand where they feel about eating the vegetable.
- After thinking about what you like to eat (or think you like to eat), the next things to think about is what can be grown and what is realistic and cost-effective for your garden space. If you are planting an indoor garden, tomatoes may be challenging due to pollination and space needs. You cannot grow oranges outdoors in New York. Emphasize to the group that we will focus on what we can grow in the space that we have.
- Make an outline of a garden space, use tape, twine, sticks, or whatever you have on hand to mark out the boundaries of a garden space. Ask the group, what are some things to think about when planning a garden (i.e. what, where, when). Things to think about when planning— when to plant (keeping in mind season and climate), where to plant (keeping in mind sunlight and water availability), personal taste, aesthetics, and the workability/access of the space. Remember you want to plant taller plants on the north side of the garden, so they don’t shade the shorter plants. During the discussion, explain concepts using the plant footprints to represent plants. Pass around example planting maps and Common Crop Chart.
- Break into groups of 3-4 youth to practice planning a garden space using “garden puzzle” scenarios. Assign each group a different scenario. Use the scenarios in Garden Puzzles handout or come up with other realistic scenarios that best fit the space you have. Remind them, there is not one right way to plan to a garden and they do not have to include all of the plants suggested in the scenario in their design. Think of what the people and plants need to thrive. Groups can plan their gardens using plant footprints or drawing paper.
- First, have the group mark out garden boundaries (use tape, twine, sticks, or whatever you have on hand).
- As the facilitator, walk around to groups and check in on their progress. Encourage participants to continually step back and reflect. Do we have too much of one thing?
- Have groups plan their garden for 10-15 minutes and then have each group present their designs to the larger group.
- After groups present their designs, ask what do they like about the design? What plants did they put in specific spaces and why? Focus on specific plants and the design as a whole. Ask what is the season in which they would plant?
- Once each group has presented, discuss what their actual garden will look like (space and time allotted). Come up with a theme for the garden and have the group create a collective design.
Reflection Questions (choose a few that work best for your group)
- How did it feel to plan out our garden? Did you have any thoughts or feelings that you did not expect? How did it feel to work in groups?
- In what other areas of your life, do you make plans similar to what we did today (ex. planning meals, school, job, etc.)? How can planning help achieve your goals?
- If you had to teach someone how to plant a garden, where would you start? How would you do it?
Variations
- Use the scenarios provided or come up with scenarios that best meet your group’s needs. If you need more scenarios, consider changing the size of the garden (e.g. “pizza garden” in 4’ x 8; bed becomes “mini pizza garden” in 4’ x 4’ bed). If your garden will be in an indoor space, consider having a scenario using container gardens. You can make plant footprints represented by planting trays, containers, or pots. See example below:
•Vegetable Confetti! – You want to grow broccoli, kale, radish, and sunflower microgreens on a 4’ x 6’ table for a microgreens party in 2 months. When do we plant each vegetable/herb, and where does it go? - For a more advanced group, emphasize the importance of timing when planting. Explain the differences between cool-season (spring and fall) and warm-season plants (summer). If the garden is outside, the group can grow more vegetables in the same space by doing succession sowing and having plans for spring, summer and fall gardens. Ask the group to design a spring and summer planting plan for the garden.
- Seed to Salad: Designing quilt block salad gardens
Extensions
- Play around with different garden shapes in garden design (ex. circles or whatever your group can imagine). Explore permaculture design which often uses “keyholes” which can maximize garden bed space and minimize path space for those with limited space.
- Choose something from the list of crops that most youth do not like (or think they do not like) and prepare it two different ways. For example, you might conduct a taste test with Brussels sprouts, and try them boiled, as well as roasted with a little garlic and olive oil (and a grating of fresh parmesan cheese, if young people eat dairy) to discover the difference.
Learn More
- Contact your local Cooperative Extension office for garden and plant related questions: Cornell Cooperative Extension Offices (NY State) and USDA Land-Grant University Website Directory
- How does your garden grow? National Agriculture in the Classroom (lesson plan)
- Vegetable and Herb Gardening in Containers Cornell Garden-Based Learning
Acknowledgements
This activity was adapted from the NYS Seed to Supper curriculum* Cornell Garden-Based Learning activity “Design a Garden Using Plant Footprints.”
References: Chapter 1 – Planning Your Garden
* NYS Seed to Supper curriculum was adapted with permission from Seed to Supper joint program of Oregon Food Bank and Oregon State University Extension Service. Any courses based upon these materials, are to be offered equitably and free of charge.