Plantwell

10/10/2026

What if your students could watch a seed become a salad, without any soil? 🌱

In our 1-hour interactive Hydroponics 101 workshop, that's where we begin. We talk about how plants grow in water, then gather around the system and follow the journey together: the water, the nutrients, the lighting and environment.

Along the way, students learn:

💧 How pH and EC keep the water balanced

☀️ Which plants thrive and how their environment shapes them

🔧 How to spot and fix common problems

And then the best part 🤗

The students get to be hands on with planting and germinating seeds. All materials are included, and everything is age-appropriate for the students.

And for schools who want the learning to keep growing, we have custom Grow labs suited for your space.

🌿 Classroom Grow Lab: one system for your classroom

🌿 School Grow Lab: three systems to share across your school

🌿 Initiative Grow Lab: five or more systems for a school-wide or institutional project

If you'd like to bring this to your school, send us a message. We'd love to grow something with you. 💚

10/09/2026

Every great classroom garden starts with a first step,

✅ Apply before your project begins. TD FEF can't fund projects already underway.

✅ If your project involves planting, gardens, or changes to schoand for funding, that step is timing. 🌱

The TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) supports school projects that pair age-appropriate learning with a hands-on component, like a workshop or a growing project. Most grants fall between $2,000 and $8,000, and requests are based on need.

Applications go to a regional advisory board, so the meeting dates matter.

Dates and deadlines for submission

📅 Winter deadline: December 15, 2026 (board meets March 2027, notified in April)

📅 Summer deadline: June 15, 2027 (board meets September 2027, notified in October)

We've put together a guide to walk you through the first step. If you'd like a copy, or want a hand figuring out where to start, comment GRANTS and will send it your way. 💬

10/07/2026

How to germinate seeds in rockwool.

Every grow starts with one tiny seed and a little rockwool cube. In this short video, we walk through how to get seeds germinating: adjusting the pH, soaking the cubes, placing the seeds in the cube, and keeping everything moist and warm. Watch it through, save this video and try it with your class!

We'd love to see how yours sprout!

Grow well, Live well, Plantwell 🌱

10/05/2026

Have you ever wondered what it would look like to grow a plant without any soil?

That's hydroponics: plants growing in water instead of dirt. We add the right amount nutrients to keep the plants healthy and thriving. No soil and no mess, you can watch the roots grow right in front of you.

For a classroom, that's powerful. Students can watch the whole life of a plant up close, and they can run real experiments such as changing the nutrients and see how the plants respond.

It fits right into science, math, and sustainability lessons, and it works in a classroom, a school, even in a library.

If you're curious about hydroponics save this post for your next science discussion.

Grow well, Live well, Plantwell 🌱

06/05/2026

05/13/2026

Watching children connect with growing in their own way is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do 🌱

From hand drawn garden plans to measuring plant growth with building blocks, these moments are about so much more than just growing food.

They’re about curiosity, creativity, patience, and confidence. Giving kids a chance to experience something real with their own hands.

In fact, all of these beautiful moments come from the students at Joseph Gibbons Public School. It’s incredible to see how they interact no matter their age. Some are fascinated by the roots, some love planting seeds, and others proudly track every new leaf that appears. 🥬

These small moments create lasting connections to nature, sustainability, and the understanding of where food comes from.

At Plantwell, we believe growing should be accessible, engaging, and inspiring for everyone. Through our educational programs and growing systems, we’re proud to support classrooms, families, and communities by helping create hands-on learning experiences that spark exploration, problem solving, and environmental awareness.

Grow well, Live well, Plantwell 💚

05/05/2026

This past April, there was an undeniable energy in the air as we joined educators, students, community members, and trustees at Alexander Public School to celebrate the ribbon-cutting of the HDSB Environmental Leadership Learning Centre, a space dedicated to advancing environmental and global citizenship.

More than a traditional classroom, this space creates opportunities for hands-on learning that build critical thinking, adaptability, empathy and problem solving for students alike.

We’re incredibly grateful to be part of such a meaningful initiative bringing hydroponics into the mix empowering students to explore sustainable food growing and inspiring a brighter future 💡

Here’s to what’s ahead! 🌱

Grow well, Live well, Plantwell 💚

04/23/2026

"Happy Earth Day! 🌎

Every small action makes a big difference.

• Plant a tree
• Clean up litter in your community
• Connect with the Earth around us

From the oceans to the forests, from deserts to mountains

Our planet provides us with everything 🙏

We are so lucky to call this place our home 💚

It's our responsibility to preserve our planet for generations to come.

Grow well, Live well, Plantwell 🌱

04/22/2026

Over the past couple of years, students and teachers, led by the STEM department at Elsie MacGill Secondary School hdsb, came together with a vision: to create an outdoor green space, not just for their school, but for their entire community.

Plantwell has been honored to collaborate with the amazing students and teachers elsiemacgillhdsb, watching these young leaders transform an idea into something real, something tangible, something that will feed and inspire for years to come.

This is what happens when we invest in youth. This is what happens when we show them they can. 💚