Since 2020, TVCGCoop has been working to grow strength in the Treasure Valley community through community gardens.
Inspired by the Victory Garden era and driven by the challenges of the COVID pandemic, we built a network of over 40 gardens in just two years.
Our mission has been two-fold
To increase food security and cultivate community connections.
By empowering individuals and neighborhoods to grow their own food, we promote sustainability and create a stronger sense of togetherness.
It’s a great time to be in the garden
April brings plenty of planting possibilities. Whether you’re just getting started or continuing the momentum from March, this month offers a solid window for both cool-weather crops and those that need a little extra warmth indoors.
This guide highlights what you can still start from seed, transplant, or begin indoors to enjoy later in the season. And if you’ve been dreaming of flowers, now’s the time to start a whole slew of them!
Share this with a gardening buddy and help spread the spring joy.
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Succession Planting Tip
Try sowing short rows of root veggies like radishes or turnips every couple weeks. It’s a simple way to extend your harvest window without overwhelming your kitchen—or your weeding schedule.
Garden Tours Are Back! Mark Your Calendar:
June 26 Thursday, 7pm: Liberty Street Garden – Global Gardens
July 12 Saturday, 10:45am: Kleiner Park – Meridian Co-op Gardeners
August 14 Thursday 7pm: Discovery Garden – Discovery Meridian
August 16 Saturday, 9am: Surprise Valley Garden
Timing subject to change! Don’t worry, we’ll let you know.
You’ve Started Seeds!
What’s Next?!
For all those wild seed starters out there (and those about to join the masses), it’s good to know where you can plant your righteous seedlings so they can grow into abundant productive plants! So, a Zine was created, to empower gardens of all sizes.
If you stop by the Open Letter Collective vortex of art activities at TreeFort (just after FlatStock as you venture towards the Main Stage), you can pick up a free zine AND a packet of seeds, donated kindly by Snake River Seed Cooperative!
If you’re not going to make it to TreeFort that’s All Good! Just click the button below for a free download of the zine! And if you want to see a video to see how it goes together, click here.
You can also download a Free Seed Tracking chart here!
Click this image for a detailed list of gardens seeking gardeners in 2025!
Garden Stories Blog
You’ve Started Seeds — Now What?
Starting seeds is a powerful act. It’s the spark of intention that connects us to seasons, soil, and sustenance. But once those tiny green shoots break through the soil—then what? This post expands on our zine, offering practical guidance.
Read More
How a High School and Community Garden Partnership Started a Productive Growing Space in Hard-Packed Soil, Using Hügelkultur to Regenerate Soil
Hügelkultur is all about working with nature, not against it. The idea comes from the way forests naturally build their own soil over time. In our first season as the Grow More Good Garden, we grew 250-300 lb of tomatoes, in soil that had been so hard packed, rocky, and weedy, that farmers had decided to let it go fallow for a few years.
We are a public community garden that partners with area schools for in-garden learning experiences.
Read More
Victory Gardens: Both Inspiring & Worth Learning More About
During World War II, Victory Gardens were an incredible act of collective resilience, with an estimated 20 million gardens providing nearly 40% of the country’s fresh produce. That time in our collective history was an incredible example of people working together to share garden space and take care of both households, and communities more broadly. The movement gave people a sense of purpose and connection, reinforcing the lasting truth, that growing food is growing resilience.
Read More
According to the USDA Economic Research Service Nov. 2024 and Civil Eats Sept. 2024
There are many reasons people are considering community gardens.
For many households in our area, food is the second-highest monthly bill.
Demand for food assistance in parts of US has doubled after Covid-19. Food pantries in the U.S. are stretched to the limits. Inflation and a cut in SNAP benefits have led more to seek assistance. According to Feeding America the food insecurity rate in Ada County is 9.1%, or 36,850 food insecure people.
Not everyone has access to space to grow their own food, or the time to cultivate a full garden. Community gardens can be part of filling the gap.
Gardens Can Provide the Following:
Food and Nutrition security, from fresh, nutrient-dense food
Green spaces in the city!
Places to connect with others and find solace!
Feelings of empowerment from growing some of our own food!
Reconnecting with nature and developing an understanding of what all goes into growing good food!
Compassion for who grows the majority of our food!
A place for sharing good ideas, struggles to overcome together, and hopes!
Music-making has also been known to happen in garden spaces!