$35,000 match = Your donation is doubled!

Your support today helps us increase healthy food access

Gardener Resources

Broccoli bolting? Exasperated with asparagus? 

Let-tuce share our favorite growing resources with you!

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Monthly updates on our collective impact, community events, and seasonal gardening advice.

Gardening Advice from the Experts

Tips and Tricks from Colorado State University Extension, guides for your garden all year long.

SPRING

SUMMER

FALL

WINTER

Our partnership with CSU Extension Grow & Give 

Spring

Whether you're looking for Garden Planning ideas, How to Start from Seeds, or What to Grow for Donation this season, you'll find it here🌱 

Stressed tomatoes

*NEW!* Is Your Garden Getting Enough Water When It Needs It Most?

Drought restrictions and summer heat can silently tank your harvest. Here's how to make every drop count in your vegetable garden.
Seedling trays filled with young plants being hardened off.

Planning Your Seed Starting: Transplants vs. Direct Seeding

Master seed starting this spring—know what to plant indoors, outdoors, or both.
A photo of radishes in a garden

Eight easy plants to grow for donation

(Hint: they're not tomatoes!)
Post image

Are These Garden Mistakes Killing Your Harvest?

From soil to spacing to sunlight, here's what to fix this season.
a photo of rows of vegetables in a large garden

Planning Your 2026 Vegetable Garden

Crop Selection, Seed Starting, and Maintenance
Post image

How to Start a Vegetable Garden

Beginner-friendly tips on planning, planting, soil, watering, and layout
a square foot garden

Choosing the Best Garden Layout

Maximize yields with smart planning
Tomatoes

The Top 5 most requested veggies to grow for donation

And how to grow them!
Post image

Specialty Crops for Donation

A Guide to Growing Unique Greens, Fruits, and Herbs
a photo of a garden laid out in rows

Planning the Garden Layout

Lay out your garden for success
Post image

Edible Landscaping 101

Maximize Small Spaces by Blending Ornamental Design with Delicious, Homegrown Food
A photo of asparagus growing in a garden

Spring Planting Guide

What to plant in early spring
a photo of seed packets organized in boxes

All you need to start from seed

The gear you'll need to get growing!
a photo of seed packets in a garden laid out in a heart shape

Seed Starting 101

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

Expert advice: Root Crops

Late start? 6 root crops for early summer
a garden plant marker

Easy Herbs for the Home Garden

Add herbs to increase your impact!
a photo of vegetables growing vertically on a wall

Growing UP

Try a vertical garden to boost your harvest this year
A photograph of seed sprouts

Small space vegetable gardens 101

No yard? No problem!
Young seedlings in raised garden beds with fresh soil.

What to Plant in Early Spring

Time to plant perennials!

Summer

We're in the thick of it now! Expert advice on keeping your garden hydrated and shaded, addressing pests and other problems, and of course getting those TOMATOES to grow🍅 

A photo of tomatoes

*HOT!* Mastering Tomato Gardening

Essential Tips for Planting, Support, Fertilization, and Harvesting
a colorful mix of tomatoes freshly harvest for donation

Expert advice: Best Tomato Varieties for Home Gardens

Varieties that are perfect to grow for yourself or for donation ...or both!
tomatoes with blossom end rot

Tomato Problems 101

Diagnose and solve your tomato challenges for a bountiful harvest
Post image

Expert advice: Harvesting 101

Must-know harvesting tips for the vegetable garden
peas growing along a chain link fence

Midsummer Planting

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

Quick Guide: Succession Planting

Time your garden harvest for an extended season
Lettuce starting to bolt

What to plant in July

A second chance for cool season crops
a photo of a garden with a shade structure

Shade for the Summer Garden

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

Watering 101

Watering, succession planting, planning the Fall garden
a photo of a tomato plant with straw mulch

Mulch Madness

Choosing the best mulch to elevate your garden game
Herbicide damage possible herbicide damage on homeowner tomato horiz crop

Trouble in the Summer Garden

Solving common summertime garden problems
A gardener holding a dandelion weed

Top 6 Vegetable Garden Weeds

Worst weeds and how to stop them
a gardener cradling a head of cabbage

Organic Pest Control

Keep your garden healthy while minimizing chemicals

Fall

Temperatures are dropping - top tips on harvesting for donation, protecting your garden from frost, one last shot at fall planting, and more🌽

Post image

Raised beds 101

Discover the pros and cons of raised bed gardening, and what to consider when planning your raised bed vegetable garden
Beans 2

Harvesting for Donation

Golden rules for harvesting your summer bounty
a basket of organically grown vegetables

*NEW!* Organic Vegetable Gardening

Expert advice on growing organically
a photo of various berries

Fall Planting

The best berries to plant now
A photo collage of three types of compost systems

*Popular!* Composting 101

Getting started with composting
a photo of home-made compost bins

Choosing a Compost System

Digging Deeper On Compost for a Thriving Garden
A photo of a cold frame used for growing in cooler temperatures

Extending the Season

How to keep your garden growing as the weather cools
a garden cleaned up and ready for winter rest

Putting the Garden to Bed

Expert clean up and compost tips to get your garden rested this fall season!
a photo of a half tomato and bags of saved seeds

Seed Saving 101

Expert Tips for Harvesting and Storing Your Favorite Garden Seeds

Winter

Cozy up with your Seed Catalogs, learn about Plant Hardiness Zones, Essential Gardening Tools, and more! Or move your garden indoors with Hydroponics🥬 

a photo of vegetables with seed packets

Selecting Seeds

How to read seed packets for your best garden season yet!
Post image

Hydroponics Part 2

What’s going wrong and how do you fix it?
a large hydroponic bed

Hydroponics 101

Keep gardening all year long with hydroponics!
a small hand saw

Expert Advice: Essential Gardening Tools

Must-have tools for the home garden.
Post image

*NEW!* The Science of Gardening Success

Use science to boost your yields and grow with confidence
A selection of seed catalogs

So many seeds!

Go beyond the garden center with seed catalogs
Photo of a gardener sharpening a shovel

Tool Care 101

Prep your gardening gear
New bed

Soil Made Simple

Great gardens start with great soil
Schematic of huegelkultur mound construction adapted by andrew mack from beba and andrae 2 sm

Gardening Facts vs Myths

A closer look at the latest gardening trends
Nasturtiums as companion plants

Diversity in the Garden

Beneficial insects and companion planting

Gardening for the Community

Home gardeners supporting their communities

a grey apron with a Fresh Food Connect design on it

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!
Girls zuchinni bbvvi

What is Fresh Food Connect?
Carfulloveggies z2c40

Where can I drop off food donations near me?
The giving garden of blue cross blue shield minnesota

Planning a Giving Garden

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

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."
Requested items u6bhu

What type of produce should I grow and donate?
Heather 2024 06 07 122108 500x

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."
A photo of Fresh garden produce

Top 5 Reasons to Donate Garden Produce
Community garden

VIDEO: Setting up a Community Garden Sharing Program

Jamie

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."
Cover collage

Sowing Justice: connecting food systems and food justice

5 books for 2024 + 1 extra for the gardeners
a photo of homegrown produce being distributed in Denver

Community Spotlight: Denver

An update on our impact in Denver, CO
Sd ffac logo crop 1

Community Spotlight: San Diego

Learn about our new San Diego Fresh Food Access Collaborative!
A photo of the staff and board

Board Announcement

Announcing Board Leadership Transition and New Members
a photo of a cooler full of donated produce

Fresh Food Connect Operator Spotlight: Healthy Day Partners
Img 6124 6qpzl

Gift Ideas for the Gardener With Everything
Grow&givebed

Partner Spotlight: New Roots CO

Fostering food resilience in the Eagle River Valley of Colorado
Img 4742 bscdq

Community Gardens: Grow With Neighbors

A Season of Sharing

Follow Fresh Food Connect Gardener McKenna in her first season Gardening for Hunger Relief

Mckenna

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."
Img 2654 500x

McKenna's Plant List

See what McKenna's Growing to Give
Img 8620

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."
an early garden harvest of greens

McKenna's story (July)

"For one family, even a small amount can make a big impact."
Carrot donation story 600x252

McKenna's story (August)

"It was fun getting to talk with folks about how they might use these unique carrots"
Transformation 600x300

McKenna's story (September)

Individual donations of homegrown produce together make a difference
a smiling woman with a brick-colored hat and sunglasses

McKenna's story (October)

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

Printable Donation Tags

Thank you for Sharing Your Bounty! Produce tags help our hunger relief programs and clients know what you're donating, and provide freshness information. Simply print, fill out, and attach to your donation!

A photo of carrots ready for donation

*NEW* Giving Garden Sign

Gardeners are loving our new "Giving Garden" sign💚
Our 8x11" outdoor-friendly metal sign recognizes the impact gardeners like you are making in your own communities.

COMMUNITY GARDENS
Perfect for hanging at your garden's entry gate, or near your garden's dedicated giving plot. Available free to community gardens donating through the Fresh Food Connect app.

Interested in started a giving program at your garden? Our Community Garden Giving Kit has all the info you need to get started.

INDIVIDUAL GARDENERS
Thank you for supporting your community!

We're sending signs to gardeners who make 5 or more produce donations through the app this season! Once you've made at least 5, send us a note and we'll rush your sign out to you!

Haven't started harvesting yet? The sign is also available as a "thank you" gift when you sign up to make a monthly recurring gift of $20 or more to Fresh Food Connect. 

Giving Garden Sign

Subscribe for Gardening Tips and Impact Updates

Stay up to date on the collective impact that individual gardeners are having on hunger relief, as well as expert gardening advice🌱 

Error. Your form has not been submittedEmoji
This is what the server says:
There must be an @ at the beginning.
I will retry
Reply
we donate sign

Take the Pledge --- Get the Guide

From what to grow, to your best tomato harvest yet, it's yours when you Pledge to Share a portion of your harvest for Hunger Relief 

Popup image