How to Plan a K-12 Grow Calendar for Your Flex Farm
Updated
To build a K-12 grow calendar, count the weeks between each school break. Then fit a crop into each stretch by the time it needs from seed to harvest.
Scheduling crop cycles helps to set a pace for your hydroponics programming through the school year. A crop cycle calendar can tell you when to plant seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest produce. This strategy enables you to schedule farm maintenance activities throughout the school year.
This plan will help to bridge gaps and shine light on opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration within your district. For example, if you are growing produce for your Food Service department, you will be able to communicate to them when they should expect a harvest of fresh greens for the salad bar.
Take a look at your school calendar.
Count each multi-week stretch between each scheduled break.
- How many weeks between the first week of school and Fall Break?
- How many weeks between the end of Winter Break and Spring Break?
- How many weeks between the end of Spring Break and the start of Summer?
The stretches between these breaks will be an opportunity to schedule a crop. Here is a list of Fork Farms' recommended crops and about how long each takes to reach harvest:
- Lettuce - 4 weeks (see Lettuce & Other Leafy Greens Grow Guide)
- Arugula, Beet Greens - 3 weeks
- Bok choy, Kale, Tatsoi, Spring Raab, Collard Greens, Swiss Chard - 4 weeks*
- Herbs - 6-8 weeks after transplanting (see Herb Grow Guide)*
- Edible flowers - 45-75 days from seed to first flowers (see Edible Flowers Grow Guide)*
- Mini tomatoes - about 50-55 days to ripe fruit (see Mini Tomatoes)*
- Mini cucumbers - about 50-55 days to ripe fruit (see Mini Cucumbers)*
- Mini peppers - about 75-90 days to ripe fruit (see Mini Peppers)*
* = can stay in the Flex Farm/Flex Acre longer; see each crop's grow guide for how long.
How do I plan for long weekends and breaks?
Long weekends and school breaks fit into your calendar with some preparation. A Flex Farm should not be left without a check for more than 5 to 6 days. For what to do before and after a break, and whether to keep growing over a long break, see How to Temporarily Shut Down your Flex Farm for School Holidays.
Here is an example for a 1-month crop cycle:
