January 13 through March 31, 2026. Register by January 10
Hamilton County Master Gardeners and Hamilton County 4-H present Tennessee Smart Yards for Teens!
Students in grades 8th through 12th will learn:
- Selecting plants to suit their yard
- Managing soils to promote plant root growth
- Managing yard pests
- Making rain gauges
- Making bird houses – service project for Chattanooga Bluebird Society!
- Testing storm water runoff and reducing it in your yard
- Identifying and eradicating invasive plants
- Testing soil and soil compaction
- Irrigating your plants and lawn efficiently
- Composting and vermicomposting
- Choosing and using fertilizers – best practices
- Identifying keystone native plants for wildlife that will work in your yard
The TN Smart Yards program is available to all yard types – from downtown dwellers with balcony gardens to rural homeowners with acreage! Program leaders are the Master Gardeners of Hamilton County’s Smart Yards team members. Smart Yards for Teens is a new program, offering the popular adult TN Smart Yards program to teens for the first time! Each meeting will include fun, hands-on group activities and discussions in a friendly atmosphere. This is a great way for teens with an interest in horticulture, plant science, environmental science, or wildlife habitats to enjoy working and learning with other teens with similar interests.
How to Register for Smart Yards for Teens:
$25 fee (pays for Smart Yards yardsign upon certification at the end of the course) can be paid online at https://tiny.utk.edu/Hamilton4HPay or at the Extension office (6183 Adamson Circle in Chattanooga. Next door to the Hamilton County Tag & Title office) by cash, check, or credit card.
This program is offered through Hamilton County 4-H. Join 4-H online here and fill out the 4-H Activity Acceptance form here – this form can be emailed to HamiltonCounty4H@tennessee.edu and is current for one year.
Scan the QR code above to register online
Program Dates – all meetings are 6:00-7:30 p.m.:
The UT-TSU Extension Hamilton County Office is located at 6183 Adamson Circle in Chattanooga. Parking and building entrance are in back of the building.
- January 13, 2026 – Extension Office
- January 27, 2026 – Extension Office
- February 10, 2026 – Extension Office
- February 24, 2026 – Extension Office
- March 10, 2026 – Extension Office
- March 24, 2026 – Extension Office
- March 31, 2026 – rain garden at Red Bank Community Center (3653 Tom Weathers Dr., Red Bank)