Plants & Kids
Lancaster County 4-H Horticulture Club
A club for those 4-H youth interested in growing flowers and vegetables. Club members have the opportunity to participate in club meetings, field trips, community service projects and creating exhibits for the county fair.
Get Involved Form
2026 4-H Special Gardening Project
Each year, 4-H families have the opportunity to participate in a special garden project.
The 2026 Special Garden Project is Alumia Vanilla Cream Marigold. This marigold produces creamy, yellow flowers on compact plants. This variety not only has a unique color, but it also has a very long bloom time.
In March and April, call the Extension office at 402‑441‑7180 to sign up. Seed packets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The seed packages are sponsored by Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County and one seed packet per project, per family. Seeds will be mailed after April 30.
Special Garden Project
2025 4-H Special Agronomy Project
4-H families have the opportunity to participate in the special agronomy project this year.
The Special Agronomy Project is sunflower. There are two types of sunflower production in Nebraska — the first type is grown for oil production, and the second type is grown for human food consumption, referred to as confectionery seeds. A portion of the oil seed production is used in the bird seed industry. Sunflowers are grown throughout the state of Nebraska, with the greatest concentration in western Nebraska. The variety we will be growing is a high oleic hybrid. Its oil profile combined with a nice black seed color ensures multiple market options.
The sign-up to receive seeds for the 2025 special agronomy project is closed.
Special Agronomy Project
Garden Fun Activities
Alphabet Gardening, Start an Avocado From Seed, Bean Tower, Colorful Carnations, Coloring Eggs - Natural Dyes, Composting, Flower and Vegetable Word Search, Fruit Garland for Birds, Garden Poetry, Gardening Book List for Children, Garden Scavenger Hunt, Gourd Birdhouses, Leaf Rubbings, Make a Seed Tape, Miniature Gardens, Nature Journaling, Pinecone Bird Feeder, Pizza Garden, Potpourri: Make Your Own, Salsa Garden, Scarecrow, Seed Saving, Starting Seeds Indoors, Vegetable Garden Word Search, Zoo Garden Plant List
Check Out These Web Sites!
Fun, activity ideas to do with your family, classroom or 4-H club - from University of Illinois Extension. Perfect inside learning/fun for winter!
Gardening Activities with Kids, University of Illinois Extension
Gardening with Kids, University of Illinois Extension
Keep Your Kids Safe From Poisonous Plants!
Plant Safety
Featured Activity: Alphabet Gardening
Mary Jane Frogge, Nebraska Extension Associate
Use the list below to plant a garden using every letter of the alphabet:
A = Aster, Allium, Alyssum
B = baby's breath, bachelor's button, balloon flower, Begonia
C = carnation, Celosia, Coleus
D = Dahlia, daffodil, daisy, Dianthus, dusty miller
E = everlasting winged (Ammobium alata), Euphorbia
F = flax, forget-me-not, four o'clock
G = geranium, grape hyacinth
H = Hellebore, Hibiscus, honesty (Lunaria annua)
I = iceplant, Impatiens, Indian grass, Iris,
J = joe pye-weed, Johnny jump-up
K = kale, Knautia
L = Liatris, lily, Lobelia
M = marigold, mint, morning glory
N = Nasturtium, Narcissus
O = Ocimum (basil), Oregano
P = pansy, parsley, pea, Petunia
Q = quaking grass (Briza media), Queen Anne's lace
R = red hot poker, rosemary, rose, rose moss
S = sage, Salvia, Sedum, snapdragon, sunflower
T = thistle, thyme, Torenia, tuberose, tulip
U = Ursinia, Uvularia
V = Valerian, Verbena, veronica, viola, violet
W = wax begonia, wishbone flower (Torenia fournieri)
X = xeranthemum, Xiphium iris (Iris xiphium)
Y = yarrow, yellow cosmos, yucca
Z = zebra grass, zinnia
Garden activity for children, kids and youth.
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School Gardening Resources
Greenhouse Manual: An Introductory Guide for Educators - United States Botanical Gardens
School Gardening Resources - Helpful resources for school gardeners from Illinois Extension.
Utilizing the School Garden - Illinois Extension
