For over 30 years, the Harris County Master Gardeners are proud to have supported the Cylinder Gardening program through both financial and Master Gardener volunteer service hours. The Cylinder Gardening program began in 1986 under the leadership of  Master Gardener Glen Graves, the Men’s Garden Club of Houston, the Harris County Master Gardener Association and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Harris County. The program began small but has grown over the years to the point where we serve as many as 6000 children in a semester.

Participants learn to grow vegetables from seed to harvest in one semester using bottomless cylinders (1/2 of a 4 or 5 gallon bucket) as small, individual gardens for growing vegetables. This works especially well in areas with poor soil that normally need extensive amendments and labor to support an actively producing garden.

The program is great for school age children and can be used in classrooms, after-school programs, home schools or with other groups and clubs. A curriculum written at the 3rd grade level along with most materials needed for the project are provided

For more information about participating in the Cylinder Gardening program, registration forms and contact information, visit Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Cylinder Gardening.