37 Percent of Gardeners Plan to Expand, as the Deepening Recession Mirrors Growth in Gardening By: Curtis Ophoven 4/21/2010 - 79 Comments Share Tweet A new study shows more and more Americans are growing vegetable gardens. The number of gardeners has increased each year, beginning in 2007.  A recent survey by the Garden Writers of America also shows an increase in young people (under 40) starting to garden. The survey of 1,000 people nationwide found that 38 percent of Americans had a vegetable garden in 2009.  Of those planning to a garden in 2010, 37 percent plan to expand. The increase in gardening seems to mirror the deepening recession. If the recession was ending, as the media and the President likes to tell us, then why we people expanding their gardening? Why are people planning to expand their gardens to help grow more of their own food, if the economy is recovering?  Because it's not. As you know, I started a business last year called ‘Garden Planters’ because I saw this trend coming and it has been a very good investment decision.  As the recession deepens and inflation becomes a major problem, we may see the number of people gardening move from 38 percent to 50-60 percent. My Garden Expansion Like 37 percent of you, I also expanded my garden this year. But I didn’t have enough room in my yard, so I expanded my garden into my parent’s back yard. I added 20x10 = 200 square feet to my garden.  Two years ago I wrote about my garden and calculated the value of each square foot, which came to just under $8. That means that my garden expansion this year is worth about 200x8 = $1,600 dollars, a nice replacement to my wage and profit sharing freeze at my job. It you are looking for a way to reduce your food expense, consider expanding your garden. Related Articles How Much is a Garden Worth? Businesses I’ve Tried and What I’ve Learned - Part 6: Garden Planters Indian Style Living How To Make Money Farming In a Global Recession Don’t Let the Recession Teach you about Money   Subscribe via RSS Copyright © 2013 PennyJobs.com. All rights reserved. << FREE >> Weekly Newsletter... Signup today and start receiving our free weekly newsletter! Reader Comments Comment 1 Curt Says: on Monday, April 26, 2010 6:47:01 AM Food inflation jumps to 26 year high! "The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) today released their Producer Price Index (PPI) report for March 2010 and the latest numbers are shocking. Food prices for the month rose by 2.4%, its sixth consecutive monthly increase and the largest jump in over 26 years. NIA believes that a major breakout in food inflation could be imminent, similar to what is currently being experienced in India." http://www.marketskeptics.com/2010/04/us-food-inflation-spiraling-out-of.html Comment 2 Eric Says: on Thursday, April 29, 2010 1:27:32 PM Great points! The value of growing our own vegetables is starting to catch on and go mainstream. This is one trend that I am proud of; lots of people doing something relatively easy for themselves instead of paying someone else to do it for them. Keep up the good work, Eric Comment 3 2million Says: on Thursday, May 13, 2010 5:34:42 PM I like the idea of capitalizing on the gardening trend. My wife and I too planted a garden for the 1st time last year. We has some success, but this year's tomato crop was wiped out rather early when my wife accidently through the seedling tray away :-). Comment 4 Pauline Says: on Tuesday, June 01, 2010 11:32:36 AM Thanks for this blog and post! Are you gtracer on the Redfin forums? If so, I've admired your thinking and honesty in the forums. 2010 is an interesting year. I started a blog and vegetables this season. I will say that for 2 people working full time, and 2 year old in tow, planting took more work than simply buying the veggies at Safeway. I happen to enjoy gardening, aka WEEDING, but with the cost of soil, seedlings, supplies, it's been more work than I would like. If I can manage to get a few tomatoes or peppers this year, I'll be happy. Main incentive for starting a vegetable garden is time and principles of waste management. Buying veggies when I need it takes time and despite buying on sale, it is only produce that inevitably goes to waste. Like everything else, I hope the payoff will be better in the future-- soil easier to till, and plants I like will grow and overcrowd the weeds to make weeding easier in the summer/autumn months. 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Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times The decline of cheap oil is inspiring an increasing number of North Americans to achieve some measure of backyard food self-sufficiency. In hard times, the family can be greatly helped by growing a highly productive food garden, requiring little cash outlay or watering. This book shows any family with access to 3-5,000 sq. ft. of garden land can halve their food costs. The Vegetable Gardener's Bible Ed's system is based on W-O-R-D: Wide rows, Organic methods, Raised beds, Deep soil. With deep, raised beds, vegetable roots have more room to grow and expand. In traditional narrow-row beds, over half the soil is compacted into walkways while a garden with wide, deep, raised beds, plants get to use most of the soil. In Ed's plan, growing space gets about three-quarters of the garden plot and only about a quarter is used for the walkway. Ed takes a look at the individual growing, harvesting, and best varieties of a large number of both common and more exotic vegetables and herbs. How To Manage Your Money People often try managing their money apart from God's plan. Bad plan. Until people have an attitude change about money, it will continue to control and confuse them. How to Manage Your Money is an excellent tool to get readers on track toward a liberated financial life. The Coming Economic Earth Quake Larry Burkett explains how the financial troubles in America started back in the 1930s. Larry explains the economics of huge goverment and public deficits and how it leads to hyper-inflation. We may be headed for another great depression.