Fruit or Vegetable Garden

An on-site fruit or vegetable garden provides convenient access to fresh fruits and vegetables, expanded opportunities for regular physical activity, and increased social interaction among occupants.

Key Terms

• A Fruit or Vegetable Garden is an on-site plot where fruits and vegetables are cultivated.

For full strategy and documentation requirements, please refer to the digital scorecard made available on the Fitwel Platform.

Strategy Insights

• Seedlings or plants that are not sprouted are accepted for this strategy for both Design and Built Pathways. 
• An indoor fruit or vegetable garden or vertical garden is acceptable, assuming that it meets the size and operational requirements of the strategy. 
• Demand should be based on the total number of occupants who have access to the garden; this could be all building occupants, which may be greater than the regular occupant count. 
• The number of occupants should be rounded to the nearest 500; ​​the numbers represent maximums as in 10 seedlings provide for 500 occupants maximum. For example, if the project has 1400 occupants, 30 seedlings must be provided to qualify.
• Our maximum size requirement refers to the maximum required; projects may plant more if desired. 

For application with in Senior Housing projects:

• If a fruit or vegetable garden is located off site, it must be within ¼-mile (400 meter) walking route of the main building entrance.
• The garden must also include portable planters that can be brought to the user, or height adjustable planter boxes that can accommodate users in wheelchairs or with mobility issues.

Documentation Guidance 

• Please note that 'a minimum of 32 square feet or 3 square meters' is in addition to the requirement of 'a minimum of 1 square foot or .09 square meters per occupant.' If >32 occupants have access, the garden shown must be > 32 sq ft when using size requirements to meet demand.