The TJMS Community Garden 2025 Season is Under Way.

The TJMS Community Garden has been a Plot Against Hunger participant for over a decade, donating produce to AFAC and other local food pantries. The Jefferson Community Garden is the largest school garden in Arlington, and we are taking our community responsibilities seriously. But more than that, we are working to become a hub for joyful community and learning. Have you ever thought of starting your own garden, but you feel a little overwhelmed? Volunteering with our experienced gardeners is a great way to learn more about starting a garden, managing pests and diseases, and how to plan for seasonal harvests. A sunny Saturday morning in the garden is a great family activity, and it's the perfect place to meet friends to socialize while volunteering and getting a bit of fresh air and exercise.

Bring Friends or Family and Join Us in the Garden:

We would love you to join us in the garden. We have regular garden workdays every week from 10 AM to noon Saturday mornings. Not quite ready to start gardening today? Sign up for our newsletter and we'll send you weekly updates about our workday plans, and pictures of what we're doing in the garden.

Stay tuned to our Facebook page for late-breaking schedule updates and weather cancellations.

Garden videos:

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We are planning a hugelkultur mound, and collecting pieces of wood and mulch to get it started. When we think our strawberries after they’re done producing for the year, we will transplant some over to a mound. The. Next year we can compare how they do along the bank of the dry riverbed, in the raised bed, and on a mound.

We are planning a hugelkultur mound, and collectin...

A tour of our sugar snap peas and strawberries, our favorite garden snacks in May.

A tour of our sugar snap peas and strawberries, ou...

A tour of our dry riverbed and surrounding plantings, one way we mange moisture in the garden.

A tour of our dry riverbed and surrounding plantin...

Our native asters and goldenrod. A veritable 🐝 bee hive of activity. #schoolgarden #pollinators #nativeflowers #earlyfall

Our native asters and goldenrod. A veritable 🐝 ...

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What's Happening in the Garden?

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It’s ten days later, and the beans have grown about 4’ and are now growing across the lattice volunteers spent Saturday morning weaving between the horizontal poles. Happy midweek garden update, your garden is GROWING.

It’s ten days later, and the beans have grown about 4’ and are now growing across the lattice volunteers spent Saturday morning weaving between the horizontal poles. Happy midweek garden update, your garden is GROWING.Thanks to our Saturday morning volunteers, who harvested, tied up plants, watered, and weeded with us in the garden. ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago
Given the fierce storms and flooding we’ve been having recently, we decided we didn’t want to risk fighting Mother Nature when the prediction tomorrow is for thunderstorms and gusty wind. So we harvested today and we are cancelling the Wednesday harvesting work night. See you all at Saturday’s volunteer workday at 9-11 instead.

Given the fierce storms and flooding we’ve been having recently, we decided we didn’t want to risk fighting Mother Nature when the prediction tomorrow is for thunderstorms and gusty wind. So we harvested today and we are cancelling the Wednesday harvesting work night. See you all at Saturday’s volunteer workday at 9-11 instead. ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago
Today’s eggplant, tomato, pepper, and chard harvest, along with our ripening tomatoes waiting for donation.Image attachment

Today’s eggplant, tomato, pepper, and chard harvest, along with our ripening tomatoes waiting for donation. ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago

Sometimes for fun we go visit other native pollinator gardens. Have you seen the garden at Lubber Run? It’s gorgeous. ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
With 100% chance of rain predicted at 7pm, we are going to cancel tonight’s volunteer workday. See everyone Saturday morning instead!

With 100% chance of rain predicted at 7pm, we are going to cancel tonight’s volunteer workday. See everyone Saturday morning instead! ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
The weather is keeping us on our toes, so check back in tomorrow for the final word on whether we will have a volunteer workday in the TJMS garden from 7-8:30.Image attachment

The weather is keeping us on our toes, so check back in tomorrow for the final word on whether we will have a volunteer workday in the TJMS garden from 7-8:30. ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
Liatris and zinnias just starting to bloom.

Liatris and zinnias just starting to bloom. ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
Thanks to our Saturday morning volunteers, who harvested, tied up plants, watered, and weeded with us in the garden.

Thanks to our Saturday morning volunteers, who harvested, tied up plants, watered, and weeded with us in the garden. ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
It looks like the weather will be sunny and low eighties for our first Wednesday evening volunteer workday. See you at the TJMS Community garden from 7-8:30 tonight!

It looks like the weather will be sunny and low eighties for our first Wednesday evening volunteer workday. See you at the TJMS Community garden from 7-8:30 tonight! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Our volunteers enjoyed the cooler weather today as we weeded, fertilized, squished squash beetle eggs, and planted cucumber and more okra seeds. We rescued a couple of tiny potatoes a squirrel dug up, found one tiny eggplant that the squirrel dragged out of the garden, and exactly one glorious yellow squash. The blackberries aren’t ready to be picked, yet, but they’re getting closer. ... See MoreSee Less

3 weeks ago
Maypop/passionflower in the native pollinator garden. They’re creeping closer to the sunshine every year, then they’ll really show off.

Maypop/passionflower in the native pollinator garden. They’re creeping closer to the sunshine every year, then they’ll really show off. ... See MoreSee Less

3 weeks ago
See you in the garden this Saturday from 9-11 for our garden volunteer workday.

See you in the garden this Saturday from 9-11 for our garden volunteer workday. ... See MoreSee Less

3 weeks ago
Our midweek harvest of squash, zucchini, eggplant, and basil took us up to a total of 108 pounds so far this season.

Our midweek harvest of squash, zucchini, eggplant, and basil took us up to a total of 108 pounds so far this season. ... See MoreSee Less

3 weeks ago

Peek into our native pollinator garden to see what’s blooming: asters, coneflower, false wild indigo, bee balm, milkweed, and more. ... See MoreSee Less

3 weeks ago
Join us in the TJMS Community garden from 9-11 Saturday, June 21.

Join us in the TJMS Community garden from 9-11 Saturday, June 21. ... See MoreSee Less

4 weeks ago
Troop 557 is the Girl Scout Troop that started the Thomas Jefferson Middle School Garden for their Silver Award project when they were Cadettes.

Troop 557 is the Girl Scout Troop that started the Thomas Jefferson Middle School Garden for their Silver Award project when they were Cadettes.Girl Scouts Troop 557 opening Flag Ceremony at the Congressional Women’s softball game, which pit Republican and Democratic Congresswomen against women in Washington, D.C. Press Corps. The event raised money for young women battling breast cancer. Member of Congress –Donna Edwards (D-MD) –far right greeted Girl Scouts in photo. ... See MoreSee Less

4 weeks ago

Great workday today! With a lot of help from Fleet students and their families, we harvested chard, squash and beets, weeded, transplanted and pinched back basil. ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago
Last garden club of the year we painted rocks to make garden signs, had basil sugar cookies made from last year’s basil compounded into basil butter, and arranged flowers for the 8th grade dance with a combination of purchased and garden flowers.Image attachment

Last garden club of the year we painted rocks to make garden signs, had basil sugar cookies made from last year’s basil compounded into basil butter, and arranged flowers for the 8th grade dance with a combination of purchased and garden flowers. ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago

Comment on Facebook

I need that sugar cookie recipe and the compound butter ratios! Sounds delicious

We’ve got mulch to move, so we will be there until we get rained out. Grab a raincoat and meet us there! ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago
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Join Us in the Garden

Workdays on Saturdays 10AM-noon

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