DUG has launched the 2025 Grow a Garden program, with a few welcomed changes.
The Grow a Garden program is DUG’s largest food access program, serving over 14,000 Denverites in 2024 who received over 29,000 seedlings and 3,300,000 seeds! This program aims to increase access to fresh & healthy food in metro Denver by lowering the barrier to entry for gardening through:
- low-cost (or free) seeds & seedlings and
- free & accessible education
The themed garden kits feature the popular Salsa and Pizza Garden Kits, but also include a new kit with an assortment of peppers and herbs ideal for making a hearty dinner – the Stir Fry Garden Kit.
All themed kits include an assortment of seedlings and seed packets sourced locally and organic when possible. The curated kits were assembled to ensure they grow well together and that they grow well in our semi-arid high plains Colorado climate with a shorter growing season and sporadic summer frosts. Plus, to make the kits accessible to as many Denverites as possible, participants can order their kits on a pay-what-you-can scale, including $0.
Additionally, participants receive an educational booklet, the Organic Growing Guide, which provides extensive educational resources and tips for gardening in Colorado – from seed-starting to putting the garden to bed. This guide is offered in both English and Spanish, includes access to DUG’s digital resource library, and includes additional community resources Colorado gardeners are free to access. Participants are also subscribed to DUG’s newsletter, which provides weekly information about workshops & trainings, gardening education, events, and more.
These kits run out fast (usually by the end of March) so we recommend ordering yours NOW. If you aren’t able to get the kit you want, we have reserved a limited number of garden kits for walk-up orders at all distribution sites.
NEW: Stir Fry Garden Kit
Our newest kit, the Stir Fry Garden Kit, features an assortment of vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers designed to make a delicious stir-fry dish. The seeds and seedlings within this kit, like all of our garden kits, grow well together and thrive in our Front Range climate.
This garden kit includes the following:
- Seedlings: Zinnia, Thai Basil, Eggplant, Thai Pepper, and Shishito Pepper
- Seed Packets: Napa Cabbage, Bok Choy, Snow Pea, Carrot, and Broccoli
Recipients of all Grow a Garden kits will also receive a bilingual resource, Organic Growing Guide, which offers extensive educational resources (and access to digital counterparts and supplementary resources) to support their growing journey throughout Colorado’s growing season. This guide also includes a recommended planting map for each garden kit to make growing even easier!
Explore all garden kits and their contents by visiting the Grow a Garden page
