Gardening basics and growing skills

Expand your growing skills and support your pupils to learn gardening basics with our how-to resources and guides

Activities to get you started

Seed packet jargon
Learning the different terms found on a seed packet, helping you understand how to sow and look after your seedlings
Full article - Learning the different terms found on a seed packet, helping you understand how to sow and look after your seedlings
Direct seed sowing
Use this method to sow seeds in the soil or in raised beds, containers or a polytunnel
Full article - Use this method to sow seeds in the soil or in raised beds, containers or a polytunnel
Container gardening
Containers enable any school to grow herbs and vegetables without needing a garden or allotment
Full article - Containers enable any school to grow herbs and vegetables without needing a garden or allotment

Get the soil ready for planting
Learn how to use tools to prepare the soil ready for sowing seeds and planting
Full article - Learn how to use tools to prepare the soil ready for sowing seeds and planting
Tips on saving seeds
Saving your own seeds is a fun activity for early autumn and is a good way of increasing your seed supply for next year
Full article - Saving your own seeds is a fun activity for early autumn and is a good way of increasing your seed supply for next year
Tool safety
A simple activity to raise awareness of tools, their uses and how to work with them safely
Full article - A simple activity to raise awareness of tools, their uses and how to work with them safely

Explore our curated resource collections, designed to help you on your growing journey.

Keep up to date with the monthly growing activities, garden maintenance and club crafts

Explore our free online training modules for beginner growers

RHS School Gardening Awards
Take part in our free scheme and start collecting certificates and rewards for your school
Full article - Take part in our free scheme and start collecting certificates and rewards for your school
RHS Grow With It
Sign up to RHS Grow With It for year-round support
Full article - Sign up to RHS Grow With It for year-round support
Wild About Gardens
Be a hoverfly hero - how to protect these precious pollinators
Full article - Be a hoverfly hero - how to protect these precious pollinators

It’s free to join our community of schools who are all passionate about making plants an integral part of school life

The RHS is the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow - nurturing a healthier, happier world, one person and one plant at a time.