Archive for January 14th, 2010

Study Shows an Increase in Vegetable Gardeners

The number of home gardeners is on the rise. Households growing plants jumped 19% from 2008-2009 to 43 million households, according to the 2009 Impact of Home and Community Gardening In America study that was conducted by Harris Interactive for the National Gardening Association. At first glance, one might expect people to cite the recession as a motivating factor for their decision to garden. While a third said the recession affected their interest in gardening, another third said it had no impact whatsoever. In fact, the chief motivating factor of cultivating home-grown vegetables is “for better-tasting food.”

So just who are all these new gardeners? “The demographics of today’s food gardening households include a broad cross-section of the U.S. population. There are few other outdoor activities where virtually every demographic group is so well represented, no matter what their age, education, income, marital status, household size, gender, or regional location,” concludes the NGA report.

The food gardening experience is enjoyed primarily by women (54%), those ages 45+ (68%), college students (43%) and married couples with no children at home (67%). The gardeners are pretty evenly spread across the South, Midwest, West and Northeast. Those making $35,000 – $49,999 in household income are the most common gardening group (24%), although many who make over $75,000 (22%), under $35,000 (21%) and between $50,000 and $74,999 (16%) are also represented.

To get started, most households spent about $70 on seeds, garden supplies and gardening tools. The study of home gardeners found that the average, well-maintained 600-square-foot garden yielded 300 pounds of produce worth $600 in market value, which saved households $530 a year. The ten most popular vegetables grown included the following: tomatoes (86%), cucumbers (47%), sweet peppers (46%), beans (39%), carrots (34%), summer squash (32%), onions (32%), hot peppers (31%), lettuce (28%), and peas (24%). A number of people also grew corn, radishes, potatoes, salad greens, pumpkins, watermelons, spinach, broccoli, melons, cabbage, beets, winter squash, asparagus, collards, cauliflower, celery, Brussels sprouts, leeks, kale, parsnips, Chinese cabbage and rutabagas.

The National Gardening Association wondered, “Just what type of food gardens do Americans have?” Are they big sprawling acres of produce or are they little windowsill boxes of herbs? The study found that half of all home gardeners grow food in containers, as well as growing food in the ground. The overwhelming majority of households (91%) grow food at their own home, while another 2 million grow at a friend, relative or neighbor’s house, and another 1 million grow in a community garden. The average garden size was about 600 square-feet, although 57% had gardens of 100 square-feet or less. The National Gardening Association invites all these new growers to visit their website at www.garden.org to learn gardening information, receive gardening advice and gain valuable home vegetable gardening tips.

Eating healthfully doesn’t have to be expensive when you plant a vegetable garden. From container vegetable gardening to edible landscaping, you’ll find the information you need at the Vegetable Garden Site.

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January 14 2010 | Gardening | No Comments »