How to Plant a Pizza Garden

Nothing beats a hot, homemade pizza topped with fresh produce plucked from the garden. Kids always love rolling out pizza dough and decorating their portions with torn herbs and lashings of tomato sugo.

Growing your ingredients not only ensures freshness, it's also a simple and beautiful way to get your kids learning more about food and seasons.

If you're not sure where to begin and don't have much of a green thumb⏤fear not. The gardening gurus at Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation have put together everything you need to know about how to plant a pizza garden.

//

Plan your pizza garden

A pizza garden doesn't have to be big but it does have to be in a sunny position. You can carve out a round pizza-shaped section in the ground or make your dedication to pizza in circular pots or raised beds. 

Once your growing space is chosen, ensure you have prepared the space with good quality organic soil. Segment the growing space into triangular sections, just like pizza slices!

Now, get the children involved in deciding what toppings to grow. Evidence shows children are more likely to eat veggies when they’ve been involved with growing them, so get ambitious when choosing the plants you decide on growing. Below is a list of seasonally available pizza toppings that suit most growing conditions in Australia:

Summer/Autumn

• Asparagus
• Basil
• Capsicum
• Eggplant
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Pumpkin
• Rocket
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Thyme
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini

Winter/Spring

• Mushroom
• Onion
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Potatos
• Rocket
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Silverbeet
• Spinach
• Sweet potatoes
• Thyme

When planting, you might like to fill each garden wedge with seedlings categorised by plant type or colour. For example, red capsicums and tomatoes can be planted together, or soft herbs like basil and dill can be paired up. Remember to leave enough space between seedlings to allow the plants to reach their mature size.

Once you've finished planting your pizza garden, encourage the kids to make signs for each of the ingredients. Oh, and don't forget to water them. :) 

Pizza success

When your plants are ready to harvest, it's time to start making pizzas! Children can harvest their toppings and help make dinner using what is seasonally available. Keep things simple by selecting just two or three ingredients.

We’ve found children who take part in our Kitchen Garden Program love the following combinations. Some of them might surprise you:

• Ham, tomato & mozzarella
• Mushroom & ricotta
• Potato & rosemary
• Pumpkin & feta
• Red onion, black olive & rosemary
• Thin slices of ham, fresh pear & rocket

Consider different kinds of cheese like parmesan, ricotta, haloumi or feta. Preserves and pastes are great bases when you don’t have a tomato sugo on hand. For example: pesto, tapenade, olives or roasted peppers.

Always finish up with fresh herbs like basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, or thyme. Experiment and let your kids get creative.

Basic pizza dough recipe

This dough quantity is enough for two pizzas. Make a batch in advance as it will need time to rest.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 tbsp instant dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 400 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

Method:

• Activate the dry yeast by placing it with the water and sugar in the small bowl and mixing with the fork. Leave it in a warm place for 5–10 minutes. It will start to look frothy as the yeast ferments the sugar into carbon dioxide. Add the oil to the yeast mixture and mix well. 
• Place the flour and salt into a large bowl. Create a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture into the well. Use your hands to incorporate the yeast mixture into the flour until the dough clings together and feels springy.
• Tip the dough onto a clean, dry, floured workbench and knead for at least 8 minutes until the dough looks smooth.
• Brush the inside of a large bowl with a little of the extra olive oil, then turn the dough into the oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and put it in a draught-free place until the dough has doubled in size (at least 1 hour). This rise is called ‘proving’.
• Tip the dough onto the workbench and knead briefly. Shape it into a ball, return it to the bowl, cover with the tea towel, and leave for at least 20 minutes. While the dough is proving you can head to the pizza garden to gather your toppings.
• Preheat your oven to 220c.
• Once the dough has proved for the second time, divide the dough in half. Scatter some flour on the workbench and roll each piece of dough into a thin pizza base about 25 cm in diameter.
• Sprinkle flour on to the baking trays, then carefully lay the pizza bases on them. Arrange your toppings and place the pizzas in the oven. They will need about 10–15 minutes, depending on your oven. Transfer the cooked pizza to the chopping board, divide it up and enjoy.

//

Keen to learn more about how to plant a pizza garden, or establishing a kitchen garden at your child's school or early childhood? Learn more and download a free recipe booklet from the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation.