Discover the Joy of Gardening with the Henderson County 4-H Mini Gardening Program!

Are you ready to dig into the world of gardening and cultivate your green thumb? Henderson County 4-H is offering a Mini Gardening Program, open to youth ages 8-18. This program offers hands-on experience growing your own garden right in your backyard!

Starting in June, participants will receive a supply kit to get them started in gardening, including beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, and zucchini to plant in their garden! Twice throughout the summer 4-H volunteers will visit participants' gardens to provide advice and encouragement! During the program, participants will also maintain a garden journal, which includes gardening activities! The program will end with a celebration of making pickles and awards based on garden evaluations and journals. It's a great chance for participants to be recognized for their hard work and dedication!

The timeline for the program:

• May 18 - 31 - Garden bed Preparation
• June 1 - 4:00 - 5:00 Orientation & Planting Week!
  • Participants will receive guidance on successful gardening practices, along with seeds and seedlings for their gardens to plant that week.
  • Participants will plant their seedlings provided by 4-H.
• Monday, June 22 - Garden Visit
  • 4-H volunteers and program leaders will visit gardens to assess progress and offer support.
• Monday, July 13 - Garden Visit
  • 4-H volunteers and program leaders will visit gardens to assess progress and offer support.
• Monday, August 3, 3:00 - 5:30 – Gardening Celebration!
  • A culmination of the program, participants will come and make pickles (along with other treats) and enjoy a final celebration of their achievements with awards!

Participation in the program requires a registration fee of $20, payable by cash or check to NCCE. This fee will be returned to the participant upon completion of their garden journal!

4-H will provide participants with seeds, seedling plants, trowels, watering can, and a garden journal – everything needed to kickstart a successful gardening journey! Participants must have a 10×12 foot garden space and attend the orientation on June 1, from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Henderson County Center.

Questions to ask yourself for garden preparation

• Where will my (10ft x 12ft) garden fit?
• Will it be in ground or raised beds?
• Is the ground here level and well-drained?
• Does this space get six or more hours of sun a day?
• Are there trees, large shrubs, buildings, or fences shadowing part of the space?
• Is this spot close to a water source? If not, how will I water my garden?
• Does this area have good soil? Get a soil test from the Extension Office to find out!

Garden sites will need to be prepared by the first week of June, 2026. Consider the above questions. Upon registration, you will receive more information on garden preparation!