School Garden Gateway — Check your seed packs and time to start seeds indoors 🌱🥬

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WINTER 2026

Upcoming Events

Container Gardening Workshop

Saturday, February 21st, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Get Tickets

D.C. Teachers Night @ U.S. Botanic Garden

Thursday, February 26th, 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Rooting D.C. @ Eastern Senior HS

Saturday, March 8th, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Spring into School Gardening

Saturday, March 21st, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

*ECP Cohort at 10:00 AM*

Flowering 5K, Lahr Symposium & Native Plant Sale, Coffee Pop-Ups and more

FONA Spring Events

XAVIER'S GARDEN TIP

What Do I Need to Do Now?

If you want to start seeds indoors to get a jumpstart on your spring garden, read tips to get ready now by checking your seed packs, procuring proper seed starting soil, and watering appropriately.

Need more hands-on training? Mark your calendar for Spring into School Gardening March 21st at 11:30 AM for direct seed sowing and transplanting of cool-weather crops.

-Xavier Bure, Garden Manager

Learn How to Prepare for Spring Growing

CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS

Exploring Nature Journaling

Are your students curious about what’s happening in the garden when nothing seems to be growing in it? Are they noticing the bare branches, snow mounds, or light signs of animals around the playground?

Winter is the perfect time to slow down and reflect - just like nature does! Nature journaling invites students to observe closely, ask questions, and record what they see.

Try this activity as a calming practice using just paper, pencil, and markers. Begin with small prompts like “I notice…”, “I wonder…”, or “This reminds me of…” to ignite their curiosity and then let them explore!

-Mykaela Brevard, Program Coordinator

NATURE JOURNALING FROM THE LAWRENCE

EDUCATOR COACHING PROGRAM SY 2025-26
Mid-Year Highlights

Read on to see all the ways our five Educator Coaching program schools have been growing more life through their school garden since the Fall.

-Allie Arnold, School Garden Program Manager

MID-YEAR ECP HIGHLIGHTS

RESOURCES

Coast of Maine Soil Donations for Schools

Fill out a request form for pickup at local Ace Hardware. Coast of Maine is an organic soil company offering high-quality potting soil, seed starter, compost, and more.

Printable Valentine’s Day Cards for Garden Lovers

KidsGardening designed Valentine’s Day cards to help share your love. More Veggie Valentines from FoodCorps.

DUG Urban Growing Courses

Learn everything you need to know to successfully grow food in DC from the DC Urban Gardener Network in four online courses throughout the 2026 growing season.

Each course is eight online classes long and will include online lectures and cooperative learning experiences. The timing of each class topic coincides with when the knowledge is needed in the growing season. If you can’t make the class times there will be an option to receive class recordings.

Course 1 – Planning and Building Urban Gardens, Feb 3 to Mar 24, 2026. All classes meet online on Tuesdays 6:00 - 8:00 pm.

In-School Plant Education Services by Arborist Sam Nelson

Former Casey Trees Arborist Sam Nelson is available to collaborate on tree walks, class visits, and plant connections for your students to learn more about the natural world around them. Sam has led walks and workshops at the Washington Youth Garden and we highly recommend him. Email him at treestoriesllc@gmail.com to bring his depth of knowledge on trees and plants to your students.

-Mariyah Whitley & Max Skoglund

School Garden Support Organization Network Email Listserv

Learn about webinars, trainings, resources, and knowledge shares on garden education from practitioners across the country.

An example of an amazing opportunity I learned about from this listserv is this national seed exchange program where you can sign up to send letters and seeds from your classroom or after school garden club to another classroom or club across the country! (This year’s deadline is March 17th).

JOIN SGSO NETWORK EMAIL LISTSERV

Come see us next time you're at the National Arboretum!

The Arboretum is open every day from 8 AM - 5 PM except December 25th.

Check Our Website for Full Details >

Washington Youth Garden is the one-acre education garden of Friends of the National Arboretum. By supporting FONA, you support staff connecting thousands of students each year to food, the land, and each other.

BECOME A FONA MEMBER BY DONATING ANY AMOUNT

FONA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization with the mission to celebrate the science, beauty, and community impact of the U.S. National Arboretum through education, engagement, and access to nature.

Since its inception, FONA has helped support the Washington Youth Garden, Capitol Columns, Flowering Tree Walk, horticultural and research internships, restoration of Springhouse Run, and much more.

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