Garden Helpers are volunteers from the local community who have a passion for growing food at home and sharing that knowledge with others. In addition to personal experience growing vegetables, all Garden Helpers have also received intensive training on organic gardening from Seattle Tilth.

Garden Helpers can give in-person advice about a comprehensive range of topics, from understanding your soil and growing conditions to how to keep your vegetables in good shape. Volunteers can demonstrate effective gardening techniques and work with you throughout the growing season to help you grow your own food.

Vegetables can be grown in a variety of spaces. Garden Helpers will work with the space that you have. A sunny patio can be used for growing a few plants in containers, and a shady backyard can be used for lettuce and other greens. We can also help you if you have a P-Patch.

Garden Helpers is designed to connect new gardeners with community mentors who can provide advice and support. We can provide information to get you started, including recommendations for seeds, plants, and tools, and where to get them. Although we are not able to provide soil or compost, we can provide resources on where you might be able to find them at a reasonable price.

After we talk with you and find out about your gardening situation, we'll work to match you with a volunteer or pair of volunteers who can answer your questions and are available to meet with you at days and times that work for you. If a volunteer is not available when you contact us, we'll keep your name and information and notify you as soon as a Garden Helper becomes available.

To sign up for a mentor, please contact: info@gleanit.org or call 206-762-0604.