Co-Curricular: Seed Starting and Spring Gardening

A look inside the Spring 2022-23 Seed Starting and Spring Gardening co-curricular: 

“My favorite part of the spring semester is walking up to the Miller Academic Center from the Lot A and seeing the signs of plant life emerging from the soil on metal shelves under ultraviolet light.” - Linda Canavan, staff sponsor.

Description: Do you enjoy getting your hands dirty and spending time in the sun? Then this co-curricular would be for you! Participants this spring were able to start seeds, grow cold-tolerant veggies, and build the soil as they work to make the Olin Garden thrive year- round. The group started seeds indoors for some late-spring planting. Some plants that were started in spring, like tomatoes, should be in full swing when students return in the fall. Oliners planted and harvested fast-growing spring veggies such as radishes and took care of the 1-year-old asparagus plants. In late spring, the co-curricular starts summer crops like popcorn and beans and continues to work to build the soil through adding compost and growing nitrogen-fixing cover crops.

A student wearing a dark blue Olin sweatshirt bends over some plants with a seed packet.

Diana Garcia '25 attends to some potted plants during a Spring 2022-23 co-curricular session, preparing them for late-spring planting. Photo by Mira Chew '26.

"One of my favorite parts of the co-curricular is that it allows me to get messy with dirt. I love being able to run my hands through the soil.” - Diana Garcia '25, student participant.

Staff/Faculty Sponsor(s): Emily Tow & Linda Canavan


Co-Curriculars at Olin are opportunities to explore non-credit activities combining fun and intellectual awareness, they are typically scheduled for a limited time (e.g., on semester), are led by staff or faculty members or by a student working in concert with faculty/staff member, and are funded by Student Affairs and Resources.

They differ from curricular offerings in that they are not graded and attendance is not strictly enforced. They differ from extra-curricular activities in that they have an intellectual component, faculty/staff leadership and limited lifespan.

Students can register for co-curricular offerings during the class registration process.

View the Spring 2022-23 Co-Curricular offerings

A student with a blue flannel shirt holds a small plant.

A student participant in the Spring 2022-23 Seed Starting and Spring Gardening Co-Curricular holds a small vegetable plant during a session. Photo by Mira Chew '26.