Abstract
School gardens provide rich outdoor learning opportunities for young children. Practical considerations about garden maintenance, in particular, watering, can impeed success. This manuscript chronicles the development of garden maintenance strategies in Sustainability via Active Garden Education (SAGE). SAGE installed raised-bed gardens and provided a complete curriculum focused on increasing children's active time and improving healthy eating habits while fostering garden stewardship. SAGE was implemented by trained research personnel in four early care and education (ECE) facilities in Houston, Texas (SAGE 1, Summer, 2013), one ECE facility in Phoenix, Arizona (SAGE 2, Spring, 2017), and 24 ECE facilities in Phoenix, Arizona (SAGE 3, Autumn 2017- Spring 2020). ECE facilities offered structured education to preschool-aged children (3-5 years) from low-income families (~70% Hispanic/Latino). The SAGE curriculum was implemented weekly or twice weekly in 1-hour, continuous sessions that included songs, games, and interactive learning activities involving garden maintenance, i.e., watering the garden. In SAGE 1, watering was completed once a week with high observed fidelity (92.9%). Exit interviews demonstrated ongoing garden maintenance after the formal implementation of SAGE was over. SAGE 2 was adapted to increase watering to twice a week, every time the curriculum was implemented with high fidelity (93.8%). Additional water usage for watering the garden twice a week incurred $7.23USD annually in 2017. SAGE 3 was completed at 24 ECE facilities. Gardens cost approximately $251USD (in 2018) in supplies and were easy to install. Watering fidelity was again high (91.4%). The most common reason for not watering was rain. Gardens were watered more consistently when teachers were leading the session (94.7%) compared to when SAGE led the session (88.9%; p < .048). The SAGE studies demonstrated that with modest resources, minimal training and a structured curriculum, preschools can achieve regular garden maintenance, offering unparalleled outdoor learning opportunities for teachers and young children alike.