(WKBN) – A popular gardening program in Ohio offered through OSU Extension (OSU) and the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is expanding.

OSU and ODA are kicking off their third year of the Ohio Victory Gardens and expanding to 17 additional counties for a total of 42, up from 25 last year.

Thousands of free seed kits will be available so everyone can get to planting. The kits contain lettuce, carrot, cucumber and a sunflower mix.

Over 3,000 master gardeners help with the program in the state by providing gardening advice, helping with community gardens and promoting local food production.

Seeds will be available to pick up starting April 25 at OSU Extension county offices and new this year, ODA Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Specific days and times for each office are available on the Ohio Victory Gardens website, as well as planting resources and information.

All Victory Gardens participants will be eligible to win a free starter gardening toolkit by completing a short online survey to enter.

Victory Gardens were started in World War I as an answer to food shortages.