Below are resources for community and school gardeners in Guilford County. This is intended to be a starting place for new gardeners or those new to the educational resources N.C. Cooperative Extension has to share.

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Planting Guides & Calendars

• Vegetable Planting Guide for School Gardens in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of North Carolina. Written for youth, this guide features many crops that can be planted or harvested between August - June. Planting and nutrition information is included for each vegetable. And the vegetable drawings are eye-catching (from NC State Extension)!
• Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs Plants established in the middle of the recommended planting dates will do best with lower success rates at both the earlier and later recommended planting dates. The dates on the chart are for planting out in the garden (direct seeding). This guide is available as a website and a downloadable PDF (from NC State Extension).

Seeds

• Starting Plants from Seed A number of plants, particularly vegetables, annuals, and herbs, can be grown from seed. There are several advantages to propagating plants from seed. Seeds are relatively inexpensive, allowing the home gardener to get many plants for the price of a few transplants. This guide is available as a website and a downloadable PDF (from UGA Extension).
• Storing Vegetable and Flower Seeds A garden’s success depends in part on the quality of seeds planted. Ensure good quality seed by planting fresh seed from a reputable seed company. Often, there is seed left over after a crop is planted. If there is enough for the next year, save it. Seed moisture and storage temperature are the most important factors in determining how long seed can be stored. This guide is available as a website and a downloadable PDF (from CSU Extension).

Growing Vegetables

• Vegetable Gardening online resources from NC State Extension, including planting calendars, insect identification, container gardening, and gardening with children.

Young Children, School, and Youth Gardens

• Farm to Childcare NC Farm to Early Care and Education connects local farms with local childcare centers to empower the development of community-based, equitable food systems. Their resource page includes a series of 8 publications that support childcare production gardens (from the N.C. Cooperative Extension Local Food Program).
• School Gardens can be rich, vibrant spaces for young people to deepen their understanding of local foods. Browse resources, ideas, and materials that can support a school garden program (from the N.C. Cooperative Extension Local Food Program).
• Grow For It  The North Carolina 4-H Grow For It program provides resources and opportunities to connect youth and educators to issues in agriculture and natural resources in meaningful ways. This initiative is striving to grow a generation of youth interested in investigating plants, insects, and soils through experiential projects that fosters curiosity and wonder, inspire critical thinking and problem solving, build a positive science self-concept, connecting kids to good food, and nurturing environmental stewards of the land through farm, garden, and nature programming (from NC State Extension).