Why did you start gardening?

[DiJon]

While browsing some garden and food blogs, I came upon some statistics about how many new veg gardeners there are. The timing of the uptick from 34% of us households growing veg in 2009 to 54% in 2010 coincides almost directly with the fall of Lehman Brothers, kinda interesting. I can say that the economy was definitely the reason I got interested in gardening, but not to save money. Work as a farm hand seemed to be the only non-service job I could get when I graduated in 2009, I thought it was a fall back, but it became my leading passion in life. What got everyone here into growing their own?

[Contrary Housewife]

There's always been a vegetable garden in my life. My mom grew up on a farm, and my dad's parents were children of the Depression and WW2, they always had a garden. Wherever we lived , when it was possible we had a garden too. As an adult it's been the same way for me, even if it was just a few tomatoes on my apartment patio.

[sunshine]

Have always planted "something" -- even when I lived in an upstairs apartment in college, I planted containers full of salad stuff. It just tastes better when you grow it your self.

As I got older, I worried about the additives and their effects on my children, so I grew my own to avoid many herbicides, pesticides, extra sugar, salt, preservatives in prepackaged foods.

Now - I garden to honor my ancestors, remember the old ways and teach them to next generations. . . and save money in the process

[chowder]

I started years ago,mainly to grow food for our large family.I have always loved large flower beds packed tight with plants but buying the plants were out of reach in price.I then got a cheap homemade GH 22 years ago and started growing all my plants from seed.Everything progressed from there and now it is my passion.
This is year round for me as I overwinter plants,and nurse cuttings in the house all winter.

[leighcat]

I garden because it is challenging and rewarding. I love watching a pot of soil and a seed grow into something I can eat. So far I only have some cherry tomatoes, dill, pineapple and a luffa plant. I just don't have the resourses to make my yard into a garden right now. I need a truck to move the wood that I need.

[alaska_tiger_36]

Gardening is in my blood too. My parents were born during the depression and their parents were farmers. My parents had a huge garden to feed us. Then when I had my kids having a garden just seemed like what I was supposed to do to help provide for my family. Now that my kids are grown and out on their own I have a garden for fun and it is cheap therapy! There is little better than playing in the dirt after a stressful day at work.

[Durgan]

From a child a garden was a joy on the old homestead mostly for root crops. This was a necessity. But usually where I lived as an adult a garden was not possible for various reasons, since I sold my soul to be like everybody else and raise a family.

Now my motivation is the space is available, and over the last few years my concern is the lousy commercial processed food sold in all supermarkets. Example: Glued Meat and Pink Slime- do a Google. I eat little meat mostly for social occasions.

I am retired and have time, and this year I will probably grow all my food requirements along with pick your own. Preservation by pressure canning, dehydrating, and cold room storage.

Growing is only half the process. How to store the excess for long term storage in palatable form, and use in the off season is equally important.

My efforts are all here in my Journal. durgan.org | Garden Journal Started 2011

[Ponderer]

It is in my blood from my parents. There is something so soul nurturing to it that I have not been able to replicate in any other activity. I do not do it for the money saving aspect though that certainly is a nice result. For me it just nurtures my soul.

[frugalwarrior2]

Grew up gardening.
grandma dad me. Not DH's family.

[Libby]

There's always been a garden in my life and my parents that were into it.

Now I'm trying to get into it b/c its something to do with dad, a frugal form of entertainment with physical rewards that are healthy for you to boot. Plus who doesn't like going out the backdoor to grab a tomato or two for dinner w/o having to get dressed and drive to the grocery store?

[frugalfranny]

What got everyone here into growing their own?

Quite simply........TASTE!!

From a farming family and for many years didn't garden, but just got tired of the CRAPPY TASTE of things in the groc. store.

The additional benefit was that is saved money too......and then got into canning because I wanted that "taste" year round. And I know what is in my food.

[Starlight9803]

Quite simply........TASTE!!

From a farming family and for many years didn't garden, but just got tired of the CRAPPY TASTE of things in the groc. store.

This is me! My family gardened on and off growing up, but the main reason I started my own was to have a tomato I could actually eat. I just cannot stomach those things they pass off as tomatoes at the grocery store. Nothing beats one straight out of the garden and warm from the sun! I know grow much more, and that is to help out with the grocery expense.

[bg]

I've always lived in a concrete jungle and wanted a little bit of greenery in my life. I began growing to see how successful I would be as I wasn't sure if I knew how to grow anything. What I've grown to date hasn't put a huge dent in our grocery budget, but it has been helpful. And the surprise has been how therapeutic I find puttering around my little garden to be.

Now I have access to a tiny bit of dirt, but the soil is very damaged and we've slowly been nourishing it back to health...and we're growing garlic, cilantro, tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes.

[pat in east texas]

I have loved gardening ever since I was 6 years old and my dad had a victory garden. I had a small corner to grow radishes and carrots. I was so proud of my little harvest. Now, many years later, I still have the same feeling of pride in my ability to feed my family by growing some of our food.

[known2him5]

No grocery stores close. . . and what is there, is too expensive. . . gardening is just a way of life here. . . EVERYONE plants a garden of some sort.