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Illustration by Donna Atwood: Watering can, gloves and garden tools
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The Youth Garden: Create and manage effective programs
Active learning in the garden
Evaluating your program
Garden design and development
Management techniques
Nutrition in the garden
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Getting started

 
Overhead view of a spiral herb garden created with rocks and dirt
This small "instant" herb garden was designed as a spiraling circle to make it easier to manage. The plants are accessible and have good drainage.
 

Create an "instant" garden!
An "instant" garden is an easy way to get your youth gardening project started because it won't matter what your existing soil is like. Instead, this method uses the technique of sheet mulching to build soil and provide an immediate planting environment without the need of extensive digging or rototilling.Ý

Sheet mulching is patterned after nature's way of layering to decompose organic matter and create soil. Using sheet mulching allows you to recycle many materials (see list at right) that are readily available in most communities at little to no cost.Ý

 
 
Materials needed
to build an "instant" garden
of 10 square feet or less
  
 
  Trowel illustration by Donna Atwood 1/4 Ton rocks (4"-10" in size), approximately, or other edging material  
Trowel illustration by Donna Atwood 1/4 yard horse manure or compost
Trowel illustration by Donna Atwood Cardboard or newspaper layered to about 1/4' thick (or thicker if there are a lot of weeds and grass in the area)
Trowel illustration by Donna Atwood Access to water
Trowel illustration by Donna Atwood Seeds and/or transplants
Trowel illustration by Donna Atwood 1/3 bale straw (optional)
 
Designs for "instant" gardens
Circles, spirals, and keyholes are good designs for your instant garden.Ý These are easy shapes to build and to maintain because you can stand at any point on the outside of the circle and reach the middle.

In addition, directing students to sit in a circle around a garden is an easy way to organize and guide a project in the garden.

Remember keep your first attempt small.Ý A four foot diameter circle is a good start. You can always add more gardens later on. For instance, several circle gardens along a pathway is a great design for a larger garden
Overhead view of a central pathway connecting six smaller gardens on either side
A pathway can visually tie together several smaller gardens while providing easy access.
For more detailed information on sheet mulching see "Alternative Soil Preparation" from Chapter 9 of the book Success with School Gardens (a downloadable PDF file).

Make your "instant" garden work for you
Document your garden project from the very beginning. You can make this a student project. One teacher asked students to draw pictures of the garden each month throughout the year. Another group of students kept written journals. Whatever format you use, this documentation will help you remember what worked in the garden and what did not.

Remember to use the resources in your community. Find creative ways to connectÝ people with your garden.ÝInterested, positive people are the bestÝ nutrient to add to keep your garden growing!
 
 
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Website © 2002 The University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cooperative Extension.
Illustrations © Donna Atwood Designs, Inc. All rights reserved.

Page last updated on July 18, 2002.
 

 


Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, James A. Christenson, Director, Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Arizona.

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Any listing of commercial sites does not imply endorsement. These sites are presented for their educational content and relevance to youth gardening.

Information on how material on this site was reviewed and selected can be obtained by contacting the Arizona 4-H Youth Gardening program.

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