REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio – It’s diggin’ in the dirt season! The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and Ohio State University Extension are kicking off the Victory Garden 2022 program, now in its third year. It continues to grow. This year’s packets contain seeds for early lettuce, carrots, cucumbers and sunflowers.

Last year, the Knox County Extension office offered the popular program for the first time. This year, the first grade and pre-school teachers who received the seed packets are calling to ask if they are available again because the kids enjoyed the gardening project so much last year.

“Last year, we gave away 300 seed packets,” said Sabrina Schirtzinger, Knox County Extension educator. “People loved it. We did a drive-through. We taught them how to plant their seeds and how to grow the plants and take care of them throughout the season. We did a drawing where they could put their name in to win some gardening supplies to help them.”

People commented all season long about how many carrots or cucumbers they got and how much they enjoyed it, Shirtzinger said. The program kicked off at the ODA Reynoldsburg campus a few weeks ago, when folks planted their seeds in a rolling planter because of the bad weather.

“Our teams assembled packets to go to 42 counties this year,” said Dorothy Pelanda, ODA director. “Individuals who live in those counties can drive up to their extension office or their soil and water district office and receive a beautiful packet of seeds.

“We always plant one packet as a sample, and the weather has been less than cooperative,” Pelanda said. “So, our communications department bought a beautiful rolling planter, and we planted that last week right here at the campus. Everyone is enjoying watching the lettuce, the carrots and the cucumbers begin to grow. It is a source of daily conversation for all who enter the Bromfield Building.”

The Victory Garden program has grown from distributing 3,000 free seed kits in six counties in 2020 to distributing more than 20,000 kits in 42 counties across the state in 2022. Pelanda hopes to expand the program more next year.

Putting that many seed packets together is no small task. Volunteers from the Master Gardeners Program and ODA assembled the packets.

“The exciting thing is families in urban communities can grow these seeds in pots on their back porch, in a used tire, any containers, use your imagination to use what you have to grow these wonderful vegetables,” Pelanda said.

Pelanda, a gardener herself, said she hopes the program promotes conversations between families about gardens, maybe a secret to growing tomatoes, or a story about a winner at the county fair.

New this year is a photo contest. Gardeners are encouraged to send a photo of their Victory Gardens to ODA’s Department of Communications. Six entries will receive a beginner’s tool kit for gardening.

OSU Extension was thrilled to once again be a part of the program, said Jackie Kirby Wilkins, associate dean in OSU’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, and Extension director.

“We are thrilled to help many of the citizens we reach become enthusiastic growers of their own food,” Wilkins said.

Victory Gardens got their start during World War I as an answer to a severe food shortage. People were encouraged to find any usable space, plop in some seeds, and contribute homegrown fruits, vegetables and herbs to the effort. The idea was wildly successful, growing an army of amateur gardeners and serving to boost morale and patriotism.

The program website offers information on where and when gardeners can pick up seed packets, details on the photo contest, general gardening tips, information about pollinators, what gardeners can do with extra produce, and more. For information visit u.osu.edu and type “Victory Gardens” in the search bar.