Why You Shouldn’t Rush to Close Your School Garden This Fall

Every fall, you can see it happening everywhere: gardens being cleared out, beds stripped bare, soil exposed, and the growing season officially “closed.” For many teachers managing school gardens, this feels like the natural next step once cooler weather arrives.

But here’s the truth: closing your school garden too early not only creates unnecessary work, it also robs your students and your garden of valuable opportunities.

In this blog post, I’ll walk you through why leaving your school garden to rest naturally through fall and winter can be one of the best teaching and gardening decisions you make this year.

🌿 Fall Is Still a Season of Growth and Learning

When we think of gardening, we often picture the abundance of summer. But many crops and flowers continue to thrive well into fall — and letting them stay gives your students a chance to witness the full rhythm of the seasons.

• Kale, parsley, and Swiss chard often stay productive right up until snowfall.

• Nasturtiums and marigolds keep blooming into fall and then produce seeds for next year.

• Lettuce, radishes, and spinach can still be planted for a quick cool-season harvest, even in cooler climates like Ontario.

By keeping the garden alive, you allow students to see plants finish their life cycle, go to seed, and prepare for renewal — lessons in resilience and change that connect directly to the natural world.

🐝 Why Clearing Too Soon Harms Pollinators and Soil

One of the most overlooked aspects of fall cleanup is its impact on biodiversity.

• Pollinators and beneficial insects need shelter during the colder months. Dead stems, fallen leaves, and plant debris provide critical winter homes. Clear these away, and you unintentionally evict your garden helpers.

• Soil health declines when left bare. Roots, stems, and mulch-like leaves protect the soil, help it retain life, and feed microorganisms as they decompose. Without them, soil becomes depleted and needs more fertilizer in spring.

Leaving your garden “messy” over winter doesn’t mean neglect — it means giving your garden’s ecosystem the support it needs to thrive again in spring.

👩‍🏫 The Educational Value of a Natural Winter Garden

For students, a school garden that isn’t “put to bed” offers unique learning opportunities. Instead of seeing an artificially tidy space, they witness the real processes of nature: slowing down, transformation, decomposition, and renewal.

Here are just a few ways your class can engage with a fall-to-winter garden:

• Observe how plants change color and structure as temperatures drop.

• Collect seeds from late-blooming flowers and bolted vegetables.

• Notice the activity of insects preparing for winter.

• Discuss the cycles of life and how they connect to other subjects like science, literature, and even art.

This seasonal transition makes the garden a living classroom long after the summer harvest is over.

⚠️ The One Exception: Safety

Of course, safety matters when children are around. Some plants, like giant sunflower stalks, leave behind sharp, rigid stems that could be hazardous during winter play. In these cases, it’s best to remove anything that poses a risk.

But aside from true safety concerns, most plant material can be left where it is until spring.

🌎 A Permaculture-Inspired Approach

As a permaculture designer, I’ve learned to model my gardens after natural systems. Ask yourself: Does a forest need humans to tidy it up each fall? Of course not. The natural litter of leaves, stems, and fallen branches provides everything the ecosystem needs to rest, regenerate, and flourish in the next growing season.

Your school garden can function kind of the same way. No, natural forests don't need to be replanted. And yes, annual vegetable gardens do! And for that they need to be cleared to make room for replanting. But remember, this doesn't need to happen this fall, this winter, or even early next spring. By mimicking nature instead of fighting it, you reduce your workload while creating a healthier, more biodiverse environment. Wait as close to replanting a garden as possible, before you clear it out.

🌱 Why Waiting Until Spring Pays Off

Clearing your garden just before planting in spring — rather than in fall — has multiple benefits:

• Stronger biodiversity: Overwintering insects and pollinators stay put.

• Healthier soil: Protected and enriched by decomposing organic matter.

• Less stress: No fall cleanup task when you’re already busy settling in with a new class.

• More learning opportunities: Students see the natural ebb and flow of the seasons.

In short: waiting doesn’t just save time, it enhances both the educational and ecological value of your garden.

✨ The Big Takeaway

Don’t feel pressured to close your school garden the moment fall arrives. Instead, see this season as an extension of your teaching and your gardening. Allow your plants to finish their cycles, let the soil rest under natural cover, and give your students the chance to experience the beauty of change.

Then, when spring arrives, your garden will be healthier, your workload lighter, and your students will have learned lessons that go far beyond gardening.

🎧 Want to explore this idea in more depth?
Listen to Episode 62 of School Gardens with Ease  for my full conversation on closing (or not closing) your school garden for the winter.