Natural Resources

4-H Gardening Project

The Colorado 4-H Gardening Project guides youth in learning about plant growth, cultivation, and horticulture through progressive units.

Units 1-3 cover basics such as planting, soil preparation, garden tools, integrated pest management, harvesting, seed varieties, crop rotation, indoor seed starting, herb gardening, pollination, and food industry careers. Unit 4, for members 14-18, focuses on advanced techniques including double cropping, greenhouse use, cultivar trials, intensive gardening, biotechnology, hydroponics, disease and deficiency management, power tool use, pesticide safety, and explores careers in botany and plant research.

County 4-H
Overview & tips
Three youth work together in a raised garden bed, digging in soil and using small tools.

Project Overview

UNIT 1

See them Sprout

Designed for members 8-18 years old.

Inspiring youth to:

  • When, where, and what to plant
  • Types of soils and soil preparation
  • Rows versus hills
  • Cool and warm season vegetables
  • Seed preparation and garden tools
  • Plant parts and how plants are used
  • Integrated pest management
  • When to harvest

UNIT 2

Let’s Get Growing

Designed for members 8-18 years old.

Inspiring youth to:

  • Seed varieties and rotating crops
  • Starting seed indoors
  • Hardening off
  • Plant properties
  • Preventative pest control
  • Specialty harvest
  • Selling the harvest
  • Horticulture careers

UNIT 3

Take Your Pick

Designed for members 8-18 years old.

Inspiring youth to:

  • Broadcast planting and herb gardening
  • Soil structures and seed damage
  • Hybrids and pollination
  • Animal pests and preservation
  • Food industry careers

UNIT 4

Growing Profits

Designed for members 14-18 years old.

Inspiring youth to:

  • Under cropping & double cropping
  • Space saving
  • Greenhouses
  • Cultivar trials
  • Intensive gardening
  • Biotechnology
  • Hydroponics
  • Disease and deficiencies
  • Power tools
  • Pesticide safety
  • Botanist and research careers

Official Project Materials

Materials & Curriculum

Project Aid

e-Record Tip Sheet

Judging/Scoring Resources

Gardening Score Sheet

Judging/Scoring Resources

Judging Gardening and Horticulture

Project Manuals

Gardening Level A: See Them Sprout (Shop 4-H)

Project Manuals

Gardening Level B: Let’s Get Growing (Shop 4-H)

Project Manuals

Gardening Level C: Take Your Pick (Shop 4-H)

Project Manuals

Gardening Level D: Growing Profits (Shop 4-H)

Project Manuals

Gardening Helper’s Guide (Shop 4-H)

Member Resources

Find Your County

Counties play a crucial role in 4-H by providing a platform for young people to learn and grow.

Counties facilitate the delivery of 4-H programs that are of particular interest in their area and qualified, compassionate adult leaders run local clubs to support our youth 4-H members.

To find out if this project is supported locally, contact your local extension office.

CONTACT Your Local Extension Office

Upcoming Events

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Project Tips

4-H members usually complete the Unit 1 book in 2 years and take up to 3 years to complete Units 2, 3, and 4.

See them Sprout:

  • Complete a minimum of four activities each year
    • Year 1: pages 4-21
    • Year 2: pages 22-37
  • Complete pages 43 and 44 in Year 1 and 43 and 45 in Year 2.

Let’s Get Growing:

  • Complete a minimum of four activities each year
    • Year 1: pages 4-21
    • Year 2: pages 22-37
  • Complete pages 45 and 46 in Year 1 and 45 and 47 in Year 2.
gardener planting seeds with his bare hands
a top-down view of numerous small pots containing Moonstones succulents which are neatly arranged in a grid pattern

Take Your Pick:

  • Complete a minimum of four activities each year
    • Year 1: pages 4-21
    • Year 2: pages 22-40
    • Year 3: pages 41-54
  • Complete pages 63 and 64 in Year 1, pages 63 and 65 in Year 2, and pages 63 and 66 in Year 3.

Growing Profits:

  • Complete a minimum of four activities each year
    • Year 1: pages 4-19
    • Year 2: pages 20-39
    • Year 3: pages 40-56
  • Complete pages 65 and 66 in Year 1, pages 65 and 67 in Year 2, and pages 65 and 68 in Year 3.

Exhibiting

  • Exhibit a display board illustrating a topic investigated during the project year.
  • Enter your project in the county fair. Share information learned in talks and displays.

Careers

a young adult checking on green plants

Landscape & Design

Work to provide landscaping and design as well as upkeep and maintenance

two females testing and making scented oils

Research

Create new varieties of plants or enhance traits such as increased production or drought tolerance

a farmer using a phone, while taking notes, a lot of dirt in the table

Therapy

Provide opportunities for engagement to help patients therapeutically utilizing gardening and cultivation

florist holding a bouquet of white roses

Retail

Provide sales of products at different retail levels

Garden shop owner organizing plants

Sales

Provide product support and education to gardeners, businesses, and consumers

a male farmer pointing out something to a female student in a greenhouse setting

Education

Teach others about gardening from small to large scales

the interior of a greenhouse or conservatory filled with a variety of plants and architectural elements, including exposed metal pipes and glass walls. Several framed photographs are displayed on the glass partitions

Regulation

Help prevent unwanted diseases and invasive species going in and out of the United States

a person checking on plants in pots and inspecting leaves

Inspection

Provide inspection services to ensure consumer safety and quality in production