Vegetable gardens are en vogue

Wednesday, 24 October 2007

A recent wave of sustainability initiatives has got people talking about an old-fashioned pastime: vegetable gardening. The consumer media have given a lot of coverage lately to the eco-friendly aspects of vegetable gardens.

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it is assistant editor, Garden Center Magazine, and contributor to the Open Register and Project: Green Industry blogs.

In the United Kingdom, vegetable gardening is on the rise, thanks to an increasing distaste for factory foods and a desire to limit “food miles.” Citizens are becoming more concerned about the distance food has to travel and the carbon emissions that result from a lengthy shipping process. Fresh vegetables grown in backyards or small parcels of leased land, called allotments, are considered more environmentally friendly.

This spring, The Guardian, a British newspaper, reported a substantial increase in vegetable seed sales. The country’s Horticultural Trades Association showed a 31-percent increase in sales of vegetable seeds and a corresponding 32-percent decrease in sales of flower seeds.

Suttons, a major seed company in the United Kingdom, confirmed this shift. Sales of seed potatoes were up 60 percent over 2006, and the company expected a 30-percent increase in vegetable seeds overall.

Urban vegetable patch

In North America, many activists would like to see people replace lawns with vegetable gardens. The Vancouver Sun reported on the efforts of Ward Teulon, founder of CityFarmBoy, a network of organic backyard farms. Teulon is borrowing land to grow vegetables which he sells in the commercial food market.

He hopes to recruit 15-20 additional volunteers who will give over a portion of their backyards to a vegetable patch. Teulon does the work, and property owners receive some sort of compensation worked out on a case-by-case basis.

In the United States, a book published last year is prompting some gardeners to rip out front lawns and replace them with vegetables.

“Food Not Lawns,” by Heather C. Flores has spurred a movement that neighbors aren’t necessarily welcoming. These renegade gardeners have butted heads with city codes stipulating that trees and grass should be the primary elements in front yards.

Vegetable gardeners contend that edibles make more environmental and economic sense. Irrigation costs are going toward something that can be consumed, rather than simply admired. Front-yard produce also makes eating healthy more affordable and accessible.

Widespread growth?

Will the vegetable gardening craze catch on in the United States? It’s hard to say. The industry hasn’t noticed a marked change in consumer habits so far.

The 2006 National Gardening Survey showed interest in vegetable gardening remains relatively steady. U.S. households growing vegetables ranged from 22 to 25 percent for the past six years. Sales of vegetable seeds decreased in 2006, while vegetable transplants saw a slight increase.

Growing interest in organic products could provide a boost for this segment. From 2004 through 2006, sales of organic food through supermarkets, drug stores and mass merchants increased 38.4 percent, according to consumer research company Mintel International. The company projected that sales of organic foods will increase 71 percent from 2006 through 2011.

Many consumers would gladly choose organic produce over conventional vegetables, but they’re turned off by two things. Prices remain high and out of reach for some budget-conscious consumers. Also, some people are questioning if organics are really eco-friendly, considering they’re often shipped in from long distances. Homegrown veggies seem to address both these problems. Produce can be grown using organic methods, if desired, and shipping is no long an issue.

Organiks, a division of Plug Connection, is one company anticipating increased demand for homegrown organic vegetables. The company sells USDA-certified organic herb and vegetable plugs. The Organiks line includes varieties that grow well in containers -- making vegetable gardening more accessible to urban dwellers.

This year, Organiks products were offered exclusively to members of Garden Centers of America. In 2008, the plants will be sold in other retail outlets including grocery stores, health food stores and farmers markets.

Joe Messer, president of Organiks, said he’s seen “sky high” interest in the plants. They’ve expanded production space to meet increased demand. Herbs have been especially popular.

“It’s just a guess, but I think consumers are enjoying gardening and finding out how easy it is to plant a few herbs around their house to use in cooking,” he said. “The use of herbs in cooking has seen rejuvenation; it makes the meals look and taste fresher.”