Gardener Resources

*NEW!* Edible Landscaping 101

Maximize Small Spaces by Blending Ornamental Design with Delicious, Homegrown Food

*NEW!* How to Start a Vegetable Garden

Beginner-friendly tips on planning, planting, soil, watering, and layout

*NEW!* Specialty Crops for Donation

A Guide to Growing Unique Greens, Fruits, and Herbs

Choosing the Best Garden Layout

Maximize yields with smart planning

Planning the Garden Layout

Lay out your garden for success

Planning Your 2025 Vegetable Garden

Crop Selection, Seed Starting, and Maintenance

The Top 5 most requested veggies to grow for donation

And how to grow them!

Eight easy plants to grow for donation

(Hint: they're not tomatoes!)

Spring Planting Guide

What to plant in early spring

All you need to start from seed

The gear you'll need to get growing!

Seed Starting 101

What to plant and when, whether you're starting indoors or out

Expert advice: Root Crops

Late start? 6 root crops for early summer

Easy Herbs for the Home Garden

Add herbs to increase your impact!

Growing UP

Try a vertical garden to boost your harvest this year

Small space vegetable gardens 101

No yard? No problem!

*HOT!* Mastering Tomato Gardening

Essential Tips for Planting, Support, Fertilization, and Harvesting

*NEW!* Midsummer Planting

The best cool and warm season crops to plant in the heat

Tomato Problems 101

Diagnose and solve your tomato challenges for a bountiful harvest

Quick Guide: Succession Planting

Time your garden harvest for an extended season

What to plant in July

A second chance for cool season crops

Shade for the Summer Garden

Beat the heat with expert advice on creating shade for your summer garden

Watering 101

Watering, succession planting, planning the Fall garden

Mulch Madness

Choosing the best mulch to elevate your garden game

Trouble in the Summer Garden

Solving common summertime garden problems

Top 6 Vegetable Garden Weeds

Worst weeds and how to stop them

Organic Pest Control

Keep your garden healthy while minimizing chemicals

Harvesting for Donation

Golden rules for harvesting your summer bounty

Fall Planting

The best berries to plant now

*Popular!* Composting 101

Getting started with composting

Choosing a Compost System

Digging Deeper On Compost for a Thriving Garden

Extending the Season

How to keep your garden growing as the weather cools

Putting the Garden to Bed

Expert clean up and compost tips to get your garden rested this fall season!

Seed Saving 101

Expert Tips for Harvesting and Storing Your Favorite Garden Seeds

Hydroponics 101

Keep gardening all year long with hydroponics!

Expert Advice: Essential Gardening Tools

Must-have tools for the home garden.

*NEW!* The Science of Gardening Success

Use science to boost your yields and grow with confidence

So many seeds!

Go beyond the garden center with seed catalogs

Tool Care 101

Prep your gardening gear

Soil Made Simple

Great gardens start with great soil

Gardening Facts vs Myths

A closer look at the latest gardening trends

Diversity in the Garden

Beneficial insects and companion planting

10 Must-Have Gifts for the Giving Gardener

Looking for the perfect gift for the gardener in your life? Our staff and Giving G.N.O.M.E.s have the answer!

What is Fresh Food Connect?

Where can I drop off food donations near me?

Planning a Giving Garden

Planning to share? Here's how to decide what to plant

G.N.O.M.E. chat: Colleen C.

"I love donating through Fresh Food Connect because I know my food donations are supporting my local nonprofits and feeding my neighbors."

What type of produce should I grow and donate?

G.N.O.M.E. chat: Heather & Terrance, Denver, Col.

"Donating our produce is a natural solution to eliminating food waste and helping to combat food insecurity."

Top 5 Reasons to Donate Garden Produce

VIDEO: Setting up a Community Garden Sharing Program

G.N.O.M.E. chat: Jamie M, Philadelphia, Penn.

"The first fresh fruit of spring is my absolute favorite and I want everyone to be able to experience that."

Sowing Justice: connecting food systems and food justice

5 books for 2024 + 1 extra for the gardeners

Community Spotlight: Denver

An update on our impact in Denver, CO

Community Spotlight: San Diego

Learn about our new San Diego Fresh Food Access Collaborative!

Board Announcement

Announcing Board Leadership Transition and New Members

Fresh Food Connect Operator Spotlight: Healthy Day Partners

Gift Ideas for the Gardener With Everything

Partner Spotlight: New Roots CO

Fostering food resilience in the Eagle River Valley of Colorado

Community Gardens: Grow With Neighbors

G.N.O.M.E. chat: McKenna R.

"I am fortunate enough to have the time and resources to be able to grow a little more than I need for my family."

McKenna's Plant List

See what McKenna's Growing to Give

Meet McKenna (June)

"I am eager to donate produce this way to ensure the community can access healthy, fresh, locally grown food, no matter what their income."

McKenna's story (July)

"For one family, even a small amount can make a big impact."

McKenna's story (August)

"It was fun getting to talk with folks about how they might use these unique carrots"

McKenna's story (September)

Individual donations of homegrown produce together make a difference

McKenna's story (October)

"We are not aiming to get our produce into a supermarket, but into the hands of a community member"