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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.

January 14 2010 | Gardening | No Comments »

Getting Started With Herb Gardening

Herbs can be a beautiful addition to your garden. They don’t just look good, they also smell wonderful. As well, they’re very functional, not only for the flavor they impart during cooking but also for their ability to address certain health problems. There are so many different kinds of herbs to choose from. Basil and oregano are a couple of the species that are well suited to cooking. Some herbs, such as lavender and chamomile, are also useful for their health benefits. Herb gardening really depends on your personal preferences.

In general, herbs are easy to maintain and will thrive without a lot of effort on your part. Among the many kinds of herbs, you’re sure to find at least one that will suit whatever location you have in mind for it. They’re perfect for a border around your flowers, nestled in a rock garden or adding variety to a container garden.

Plus, they have so many uses. You can grow them outside in the summer and inside in the cold months. While the summertime is when you’ll plant them outdoors, you can also grow them indoors in a sunny location all through the year. Some people move their indoor plants outside in the warm weather to improve their yield. Others like to get a head start on their outdoor herb garden by starting seeds inside in late winter. Before you do this, though, make sure that the herbs you choose can be transplanted without doing them any harm.

You can plant herbs in most sunny locations outside. They’ll grow equally well in a tiny corner of the property or in your veggie patch. You can plant them like vegetables in straight rows, or arrange them artistically to add beauty to your property.

Before you start planting, watch the intended location over a couple of days to be certain that it gets the right amount of sun. You also need to make sure that you don’t plant in a swampy location of the yard. And keep in mind that if you plan on using your herbs for cooking, locating them near to the house will make it easier to step outdoors and snip off what you need.

Just be careful because some herbs aren’t suitable for certain climates. But the majority will flourish under generally acceptable conditions. However, if you’re uncertain about whether specific herbs are suitable for your area, check with your local nursery.

There are any number of different herbs, so it won’t be hard to find one that suits the location you have in mind. That makes it so easy to enjoy their fresh flavor and aroma year round.

June 09 2009 | Gardening | No Comments »