A Therapeutic Horticulture Summer Program for Teens
Sow 2 Grow is a 3 week summer program for teens, 13 years old through high school seniors.
Hosted by UT Gardens, Sow 2 Grow is a fun, socially engaging summer program that involves a variety of fun gardening activities. The program is held in a natural, safe, environment that uses people-plant connections as a foundation to improve the well-being of the whole person.
Through participating in various plant-based activities, participants will learn a variety of skills including: a better understanding of what is expected of them in gaining employment and in the workplace, how to manage stressful situations using nature, and how to work both independently and as a team!
Sow 2 Grow is for teenagers, 13 years old through high school seniors, who have disabilities.
Sow 2 Grow is a multi-level program designed to prepare teens for employment. To participate in Intermediate Level 2, participants must first participate in the Basics Level 1 program. Participation in both level 1 and 2 is required for entry into the Advanced Level 3.
Example activities include:
- Presentations and activities with professionals from a variety of career fields, including the green industry
- Plant-based activities such as propagating a succulent plant will provide participants with the tools necessary to meet the expectations of performing job tasks correctly and expeditiously, building self-confidence.
- Learning and practicing stress management techniques through spending time in nature, focusing on the sounds of birds, wind, leaves rustling, and the smells of various flowers and trees will give participants a tool to improve their physical and mental well-being.
- Through building a “Memory File” on a daily basis, information about themselves, and using it as a tool to encourage interaction with the other participants in the program will help promote socialization and confidence.
- Students will share what good and bad bugs students found during a scavenger hunt and whether they were beneficial or not for the plants they were on, correlating it with jobs that provide or don’t provide the skills needed toward obtaining their dream job.
Sow 2 Grow Basics (Level 1)
Sow 2 Grow is a therapeutic horticulture vocational work ready skills program for teens (ages 13 through high school seniors). This program utilizes plant-based activities and tasks to prepare teens for employment. Participants will develop a better understanding of what is expected of them in the workplace and will strengthen their social skills, too.
Participants will benefit from the shared experiences and friendships gained during this multi-week program. They will collaborate on projects and activities to accomplish gardening tasks individually and as a team.
This session is for 3 weeks, Tuesday, May 26th-Friday, June 12th. Full day will be 8:30am-3:30pm and Half day will be 8:30am-12:00noon. Registration fees cover the entire three-week session.
Sow 2 Grow Basics (Level 1) is a prerequisite for all future levels.
Schedule:
May 26 – June 12, Monday-Friday
Time: Half Day and Full Day options
- Half Day: 8:30 am- 12:00 pm (no lunch)
- Full Day: 8:30 am- 3:30 pm (lunch break included)
Cost and Registration:
Early Bird Registration: Valid through March 8, 2026
Discount of $30.00 automatically applied at registration
Full Day Program*:
Garden members: $610.00 / Nonmembers: $655.00
Half Day Program*:
Garden members: $385.00 / Nonmembers: $430.00
Deposit of $100.00 required to reserve a spot in our program with full payment made no later than May 1, 2026. Full payments made by March 8, 2026, will receive a $30.00 discount. Payments made after March 8, 2026, will be charged the regular registration fee.
*Note: All program fee rates are the total for the 3-week program.
Sow 2 Grow Intermediate (Level 2)
Sow 2 Grow Intermediate (Level 2) is a 3-week summer program for returning participants who have successfully completed Sow 2 Grow Basics (Level 1). It is an enhancement of what the students learned in the level 1 program. Through fun and socially engaging plant-based activities, students will develop a deeper understanding of job skills and requirements to obtain employment.
Participants will accomplish tasks both independently and as a team to help prepare them for employment, along with strengthening their social skills. Students will also have an opportunity to meet various workforce members of the community to hear about their job and ask questions.
Whereas the basics program is an introduction to workplace environment and expectations, the intermediate level encourages students to dive deeper into this world. Examples include participating in mock interviews and creating detailed resumes. The activities in this program will incorporate the application of essential skills (i.e., clear and enthusiastic communication) to prepare students for the process of seeking employment and participating fully in the workplace. While participating in Sow 2 Grow, students will be immersed in the field of horticulture, preparing them for the green industry and beyond.
Schedule:
June 15 – July 3, Monday through Friday (no session June 19th as UT campus is closed)
Time: Half Day and Full Day options
- Half Day: 8:30 am- 12:00 pm (no lunch)
- Full Day: 8:30 am- 3:30 pm (lunch break included)
Cost and Registration:
Early Bird Registration: Valid through March 8, 2026
Discount of $30.00 automatically applied at registration
Full Day Program*:
Garden members: $610.00 / Nonmembers: $655.00
Half Day Program*:
Garden members: $385.00 / Nonmembers: $430.00
Deposit of $100.00 required to reserve a spot in our program with full payment made no later than May 1, 2026. Full payments made by March 8, 2026, will receive a $30.00 discount. Payments made after March 8, 2026, will be charged the regular registration fee.
*Note: All program fee rates are the total for the 3-week program.
Sow 2 Grow Advanced (Level 3)
Sow 2 Grow Advanced (Level 3) is a 3-week summer program for returning participants who have successfully completed Sow 2 Grow Basics (Level 1) and Intermediate (Level 2). It is an enhancement of what the students learned in the previous programs. Through fun and socially engaging plant-based activities, students will develop a deeper understanding of job skills and requirements to obtain employment.
Participants will accomplish tasks both independently and as a team to help prepare them for employment, along with strengthening their social skills. Students will also have an opportunity to participate in a job shadowing experience.
The basics program was an introduction to the workplace environment and expectations, and the intermediate level encouraged participants to dive deeper into this world. Level 3 takes these experiences even further by matching participants to local professionals for a job shadowing opportunity alongside one of our team members. The activities in this program will incorporate the application of essential skills (i.e., clear and enthusiastic communication) to prepare students for the process of seeking employment and participating fully in the workplace. While participating in Sow 2 Grow, students will be immersed in the field of horticulture, preparing them for the green industry and beyond. Participants in level 3 will leave having a more robust understanding of what their next steps post-graduation may look like and built skills to prepare them for doing so.
Schedule:
June 15 – July 3, Monday through Friday (no session June 19th as UT campus is closed)
Time: Half Day and Full Day options
- Half Day: 8:30 am- 12:00 pm (no lunch)
- Full Day: 8:30 am- 3:30 pm (lunch break included)
Cost and Registration:
Early Bird Registration: Valid through March 8, 2026
Discount of $30.00 automatically applied at registration
Full Day Program*:
Garden members: $610.00 / Nonmembers: $655.00
Half Day Program*:
Garden members: $385.00 / Nonmembers: $430.00
Deposit of $100.00 required to reserve a spot in our program with full payment made no later than May 1, 2026. Full payments made by March 8, 2026, will receive a $30.00 discount. Payments made after March 8, 2026, will be charged the regular registration fee.
*Note: All program fee rates are the total for the 3-week program.
Our program is led by Deb Wolf, Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner.
Deb Wolf, certified Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner, leads the Therapeutic Horticulture Program at UT Gardens, Knoxville, as the program coordinator. Deb holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Psychology from Regis University and a Certificate in Horticultural Therapy from HT Institute affiliated with Colorado State University. In 2010, she volunteered for Community Cultivation in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and eventually worked as their Therapeutic Horticultural Practitioner until moving out East. While at Community Cultivation she helped prepare youth and young adults with disabilities ages 15-25 for work in the real world. Using horticultural therapy, she taught them the social and professional skills they would need to be appropriate and successful in their future jobs. As the Therapeutic Horticulture Program Coordinator at UT Gardens, she oversees and develops therapeutic horticulture programs for residents of various senior facilities in the Knoxville region, develops and implements the Sow 2 Grow program. She supervises a team that includes part-time staff members, interns, and federal work study students to implement the programming. Deb has always loved working with plants and people, so what better way to do both than through therapeutic horticulture?
We asked parents and participants about their experience during Sow 2 Grow. Here’s what they had to say:
“She was in a better mood when in Sow 2 Grow because she loved it so much. She felt good about herself and excited for the day while she was in Sow 2 Grow.”
“The social benefits were amazing…”
What one work skill did you learn while taking part in Sow 2 Grow?
- Talking to other people.
- Working with others. Meeting new friends was her favorite.
- Watering plants and working in the dirt.
- How to dress appropriately for a job.
When asked about changes noticed in participants, one parent said, “Yes! He was more willing to participate and speak up more. Even a coworker noticed by the end that he seemed more communicative and making more eye contact!”
