Infrastructure, facilities

• • Greenhouses are permanent indoor-growing spaces. They’re great for growing succulents or starting seedlings year-round, but come with a lot of building regulations.
    • • Grow lights and shelving units are a simple option if you don’t have greenhouse space or way to build one.
  • High tunnels are semi-permanent agricultural structures that provide sheltered space to grow plants throughout the year. Implementation requires a lot of planning, but allows for student involvement during the academic year. Like greenhouses, they allow some control over the growing environment and can extend the growing season into early spring and late fall; this can be beneficial for campuses without a large student presence over the summer.
    • • Low tunnels are good options for smaller spaces, and can be as simple as a few pieces of PVC covered with plastic
  • Raised beds also can provide control over the growing environment, as you get to choose the soil to fill them with and they’re designed to have good drainage. They fit in a small space and are less disruptive to campus grounds then in-ground planting.

Location

• • Gardens are a perfect space to enjoy fresh air, increase physical activity, and foster overall wellness, so it’s important that it’s located somewhere accessible to the majority of students. This is especially important for engagement – if people don’t know where your garden is, they’re less likely to check it out, support it, volunteer, etc.!
  • Water is vital to growing, and it’s easier to make sure you have easy access to it before you get too far in your planning process.
  • When scoping locations, think about possible storage facilities for tools and any harvested materials. Can you put in a tool chest? Is there a nearby cooler you can access if you need it, or can you install one?
  • Consider any type of fencing you might need to protect your crops from critters like rabbits or deer.