Whoever said money doesn’t grow on trees obviously hadn’t figured out what millions of Americans have lately. Once just a hobby for most, home gardening has turned into a way for families to fight the rising cost of groceries and the deepening recession.
Seed companies have seen the largest spike in sales in thirty years as families look to their gardens to save money. The world’s largest seed company, W. Atlee Burpee, has even introduced the “Money Garden,” which includes bean, tomato, red pepper, lettuce, carrot, and snap pea seeds in a $10 value bundle (regularly $20). They claim that under the right conditions, the seeds can produce $650 worth of vegetables. That’s a lot of green!
It’s no wonder that the National Gardening Association projects that the number of home vegetable gardens will grow by 40 percent this year. Add the financial incentive to the health benefits of organically grown fruits and vegetables and the desire to reduce your carbon footprint, and you have a whole new definition of “green thumb!”
Don’t have a huge yard for growing? Check out Linda Miller’s article on Change Starts at Home in the Environmental section, “Create Your Own Urban Edible Garden,” for the perfect solution! Or, get together with neighbors and divide up your “Money Garden” bundle and let everyone reap the rewards of a community effort.
Here are some online seed companies, but you can also find a great selection at your local hardware store:
