Since 2004, The Growing Connection has built Caja school gardens across Canada and internationally including United States, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Teachers tell us they love their Caja gardens because they:
- Require no weeding and use 80% less water than traditional gardens
- Are simple and easy to use indoors or outdoors
- Can be setup on any flat surface including parking lots, rooftops, and fields
- Produce outstanding growing results, no previous gardening experience required
- Create opportunities for kids to fall in love with eating fresh, tasty, healthy veggies/herbs
- Connect and bring students closer to nature for improved social/emotional health
- Are adaptable to all ages and abilities, and from 5 Cajas to 100+ Cajas
- Are durable and designed for years of consistent, high-quality gardening results
With the Caja (Spanish for “box”), you can start with as little as 25ft2 (2.3m2) for a 6 Caja garden, and enjoy stress-free gardening with great results right from day 1. We’ve gone from garden approval to fully planted gardens in less than a week, and from planting to microgreen harvesting in as short as another 7-10 days.
“The Growing Connection has been instrumental in supporting our dream of creating a school garden. They are passionate, knowledgeable and deeply committed to their clients. Our garden is flourishing and so is our partnership!” – Carmen Oliveira, Burrows Hall Jr. Public School, Toronto
School gardens promote multi-modal learning, with opportunities to stack concurrent learning and educational outcomes at the same time. These include improved physical health (movement and fresh air), improved student nutrition (eating fresh, nutritious produce), interactive hands-on learning, social connections, environmental awareness, connection with nature, and of course, improved academic achievement. Caja gardens create countless positive downstream community and school benefits.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Caja the best school garden teaching & learning tool?
Caja planters have proven, excellent results for teachers, students & facility managers. Caja planters are portable, allowing teachers to start their gardens indoors & to move them outdoors when weather allows. Listen to a teacher rave about his Caja garden on this podcast.
How easy is gardening with the Caja?
The Caja is simple to install & maintain. School gardens coast-to-coast use the Caja, a sub-irrigated planter which allows hands-on school gardening to begin immediately, with high-value learning outcomes in a safe, joyful, cost-effective & results-oriented way.
Do teachers/staff need to put in extra time (evenings & weekends) to tend to the garden?
Caja gardens do not require extra time & care. Teachers using the Caja report that you can “set it & forget it”. The Caja can be left over weekends & school breaks due to its built-in 10L water reservoir. Students can take the Caja home during summer holidays and return them in the fall to continue the learning journey.
Does the Caja school garden require any special hook up, lighting, permits, or soil testing?
The Caja can be used with natural or artificial lighting. Caja set up does not require any special skills, permits, or infrastructure. Soil testing is not required; the organic potting soil can be reused. There are no motors, pumps or filters, thus very low operating costs over the 20+ year lifespan of each Caja.
Are Caja school gardens expensive?
Not at all! Our school garden packages start at $750 CAD (six Caja planters + delivery). We recommend a minimum of 6 Cajas for optimal impact and it is easy to add additional Cajas to your school garden in subsequent years.
What learning outcomes does the Caja garden facilitate for educators and administrators?
Caja school gardens allow teachers to incorporate Science (soils & biology), Technology (information management, online collaboration), Engineering (design & build), & Math (measuring plant growth, spacing plants) & the Arts – drawing & sculpture, story-writing, culinary, etc. Using Caja gardens to grow indigenous plants easily connects to cultural the history & the study of growing regions, zones, & geography. There are endless ways to bring teaching & student creativity to life.
Does the Caja garden deliver communication outcomes for students?
School gardens foster teamwork, collaboration & sharing results, Caja gardens deliver excellent communication outcomes.
What other learning and personal growth outcomes does the Caja garden deliver?
Caja gardens help students learn time management, healthy eating, & responsibility. Organizing a plant sale, students will learn about business/entrepreneurship. The possibilities are endless, and teachers will find their work easier, & students will have fun.
What support is available for teachers using the Caja, in terms of teaching plans, and assessments?
The Growing Connection offers direct horticultural support including classroom workshops, planting demos, and email support. For spring garden setups, we can help with sourcing and supplying seeds and transplants (GTA only), and we can also recommend and suggest connecting with your local garden nursery. For lesson plans, we have partnered with Kids Growing City, who have created the Caja Oasis program with a comprehensive, easy-to-use 11-week set of robust teaching tools for Grades 3-8.
When can I start using the Caja? Do I have to wait until spring?
The Caja can be used indoors all year round. The flexibility in bringing it into the classroom provides many options to showcase gardening lessons and science principles. While many teachers time the gardening lessons with the start of the outdoor growing season, you can grow microgreens year round in a sunny indoor location, or add on LED grow lights to garden even during the cold and dark winter months.
Can I leave the Cajas outside over the winter?
Yes, while we encourage you to bring the Cajas to continue the learning process over the winter months, Cajas are frost-proof and UV-stabilized and can be left as-is over the winter. Many home gardeners will remove any dead leaves and stems and replant in the spring once the soil warms up.
Can I call and talk to you directly about
We’d love to help you get started with your Caja garden. Order online or contact us for additional Caja quantities or customized quotes and estimates and we’ll be in touch to arrange shipping and delivery.
School Garden Benefits
With the Caja, it is simple to incorporate into your existing curriculum – no additional staff or overtime needed. Cajas can be turned into a summer take-home program to extend the learning experience and allow staff and students to enjoy fresh, healthy vegetables and herbs during the summer months.
Caja gardens can be turned into a relaxing and enriching space for all students – to enjoy fresh air and connect with nature.