Time and staff concerns are primary barriers to school gardening success

There's been a rapid increase in the development and use of school gardens in the United States over the past ten years. A number of barriers exist, however, to integrating and sustaining these gardens. This study sought to identify and quantify these barriers.

Researchers used a nationally-disseminated online survey to collect information about the barriers school gardeners face in developing, maintaining, and using school gardens. They limited eligibility for participating in the study to individuals affiliated with an active school garden, were English speakers, and were older than 18 years of age. Ninety-nine eligible school gardeners from 15 states completed the survey. The survey consisted of 29 items – some limited to yes or no responses; some using a Likert scales for responses; and some in the form of open-ended questions. In addition to collecting information about participants' demographics, the survey also collected information about school garden characteristics and barriers related to school gardening success. Participants were also asked to define success and to share ideas about how they would use additional resources if available.

Respondents' definition of school garden success was consistent with what the literature calls for in terms of a “well-integrated school garden” -- that is, “one that is maintained at or near a school, fosters meaningful educational experiences for students, and is valued as part of the school's culture.” Barriers to success identified by the gardeners included time, staff, funding, curriculum, and space. Of these, time was the greatest barrier, which included time for classes to use the garden and time for staff training. Other specific concerns were low engagement within the school community and overall lack of funding. Gardeners indicated that they were not aware of how to obtain more funding.

The researchers identified three aspects of school gardens that could be used to address barriers relating to time and staff: strengthening garden committees, providing professional development, and reaching out to the community.  They also noted the need for better ways to share information about funding opportunities. Follow-up on these and other recommendations offered by the researchers could strengthen existing school gardens as vehicles for promoting the health and well-being of students, schools, and communities.