Watering your garden regularly is perhaps the most important thing you can do to take good care of your garden. It’s also a rewarding activity for your students and a way for them to stay involved with the garden regularly!
Here on our watering page, you will find the tools and guides you need to manage watering at your school as well as watering activities and demonstration videos. Think about the school and community resources you have available to you and apply the following guidance, tools, and strategies to your school and community:
Planning and Recruitment
Engage your school community of teachers, families, and neighbors to share in the work and celebration of your school garden.
- Overview of Watering Your Garden
- Creating Your Watering Schedule
- Weekly Learning Garden Classroom Sign-up
- Example watering schedule for Spring and Summer
- Blank Monthly Watering Calendar
- Come Volunteer in our Learning Garden (English)
- Come Volunteer in our Learning Garden (Spanish)
- Calling All Volunteers (Focused on Summer watering)
Classroom Watering Activities
Engage your students in watering with these kid-friendly watering techniques.
- Create Upcycled Watering Cans to water with up to a full classroom of students at the same time.
- The Little Raincloud Activity creates a tactile watering experience for the youngest members of your community.
Watering Guides
(English and Spanish)
- Watering with a Hose (English Guide)
- Watering with a Hose (Spanish Guide)
- Watering with your Drip Irrigation (English Guide)
- Watering with your Drip Irrigation (Spanish Guide)
Watering Videos
What are the watering needs of my garden, and what tools do I have to water?
- Watering to meet your garden’s needs – Watch this short video created by our friends at Gateway Greening which concisely explains the water needs of your garden.
- Setting up and Using your Drip Irrigation System (IIS) (Hands-off watering)
- Watering with a Hose and Spray Nozzle Video (One adult waters)
- Watering with an Upcycled Watering Can (Engage your classroom in watering)
Your Water Source
Learning Gardens are installed directly adjacent to a potable water source provided by your school. Be sure to use the potable water source provided. To learn more about water safety, take a look at the following pages on safe water sources.
- Watering Safety (This link is page 7 and 8 sampled from this full food safety guide for school and community gardens created through NCSU & A&T Cooperative Extension)
