Start plants from seed and save on the cost of veggie starter plants.

You’ll also find posters and postcards to help spread the word about this valuable benefit! Go to the 3SquaresVT website for more info on where and how to use benefits.

You can use your EBT card (3SquaresVT food benefits) to buy seeds & starter plants.

Seeds & Starts: Tips for getting started: Also, grow what you eat! When planning what to grow, think about what you and your family love to eat and what’s most expensive at the grocery store. Kitchen Garden Planner is a user-friendly tool to help with just this.

Plan out your garden – what, where, and when – to maximize your growing space.

Put in your zip code or City, State and it will give you info for your specific region. Visit the Almanac to find out when it’s best to begin growing certain fruits & veggies.

Find out which plants grow best in your region before you begin gardening.

Good soil is a key ingredient to producing safe, healthy and great tasting veggies throughout the season!

If you’ve never done a heavy metals test on your garden plot, request one this year. No matter where you’re gardening, you always want to make sure that the soil is not only good quality, but safe for growing food. There is a small charge, but it’s worth it.

Connect with UVM extension and get a soil testdone for your garden.

We’ve gathered tips and strategies that can benefit you during your growing season, to make gardening a lot more fun with fewer worries. But there’s more you can do to reduce the costs even further. Growing your own veggies is a great way to cut costs on your food budget.

Mother earth garden planner