Food gardening is hot now. Is the trend here to stay?

The consumer and trade press have been saying vegetable gardening will be the in thing in 2009. Now we’ve got some numbers to prove it.

Yesterday I sat in on the 5th annual Garden Writers Web Teleconference—The Impact of Home and Community Gardening in America. The session opened with Bruce Butterfield, research director for the National Gardening Association (NGA), who provided some facts and figures that will be of particular interest to garden retailers.

NGA conducted a survey in January asking about 2008 food gardening activities and plans for 2009 activities. Here are some highlights:

• In 2008, 36 million households (31%) had a food garden. In 2009, 43 million households (37%) plan to have a food garden.

• 21% of households will start food gardening in 2009.

• Among households that plan to start a food garden in 2009, 11% intend to start growing herbs; 10% will start growing vegetables in containers; 5% will start a vegetable garden; 4% will start growing fruits or berries.

• 1 in 3 households surveyed were motivated to grow food because of the economy. However, the recession is just one of the many trend-drivers, suggesting the interest in food gardening may continue to increase, even after the economy improves.

Craig Humphries, director of consumer research for Scotts Miracle-Gro Co., has drawn a similar conclusion based on research conducted within his company. Calls to the Scotts Miracle-Gro’s consumer helpline regarding vegetables spiked considerably in 2008. He’s also seen other indicators that point to long-term interest in food gardening.

Consumers are still paying high prices for fresh produce, even though costs in that realm have stabilized a bit over the past year. The ability to raise tasty, fresh produce for a fraction of what you pay in the grocery store still has a lot of appeal. Plus, gardeners can feel secure from E. coli and other food-borne pathogens that have made headlines recently.

You’re also seeing more people looking for home-based activities, Humphries said. He noted that the trend-watcher/futurist Faith Popcorn has seen the emergence of “ubercocooning”—the next iteration of the cocooning phenomenon seen after 9-11.

There’s hope that the increase in vegetable gardening will lead to more interest in community gardening and initiatives to pass along surplus produce to food banks (through programs like Plant a Row for the Hungry).

OK. We’ve laid out a bunch of facts, figures, assumptions and conclusions. Now let’s hear what you’ve got to say. Do you think the resurgence in food gardening is more than a one-year fad? What are you doing to keep the momentum going? Leave us a comment below.

-- Sarah

Comments

[wendy]

It is awesome to me to see the folks getting back in to the soil. Small gardens just to sustain their families or Farm Stands dotted across our great country is actually how we "use to live"...And we should get back to the soil. It is great for the mind and stomach not to mention the pocket book!

[Rose]

I've felt that teaching people about growing food would be in my future and the future is here and now. Growing food is at the heart and soul of humans growing plants. All this fuss about lawns and hedges is frou frou; people want to utilize the land they pay dearly to hold. Flowers soothe the soul and fulfill aesthetic void, but food pays for itself, and you can be sure of the health and vigor of your food source. Its like raising your own children instead of depending on childcare, only in reverse cost wise.