Like most of you, I love spring—and not just because it allows me to enjoy the outdoors. I am also excited because it marks the start of gardening season! With all the environmental and economic troubles we're facing, gardening is on the rise. Growing your own food on your own land is local food at its best. And it's inexpensive to boot! While healthy food does cost more at the store, growing your own fruits and vegetables can save you tons of money over the course of one season. All you need are some seeds, some dirt and a little water and you can grow your own food!

I am just beginning to plan my new garden and I can't wait to get my hands in the dirt. I've been daydreaming about my garden plans and all the fresh, delicious bounty my little plot will yield in the coming months.

This has led me to wonder: Do you grow any of your own food?

This will be the third year that I grown some of my own food. I had to teach myself how to garden since no one in my family showed me the ropes when I was a kid, and I admit that it seemed so overwhelming when I first started out. My house sits on one tiny lot (just one-tenth of an acre), and a large portion of my land is shaded by five trees. To say my gardening space is limited would be an understatement. But I have not let it stop me. Gardening connects us with the earth, the seasons and the weather. It gets us active and outdoors so we can soak up some vitamin D and burn calories. But most importantly to me, it minimizes our impact on the environment and allows us to save money while still eating fresh, delicious and healthy food. Even if all you have is a porch, windowsill or small balcony, you can still garden!


My first year gardening (seedlings pictured above), I cleared a one-foot-wide space down one side of my house and planted four tomato plants, six bell pepper plants, and one strawberry plant. The second year, I squeezed in two more tomato plants (I'm still eating the homemade sauce I made from them last summer!), additional pepper plants and added several large pots to the adjacent sidewalk (on the side of my house) to plant carrots, green beans, and snap peas. This year, I hope to expand my garden even further. Since space is limited and my backyard is completely shaded by trees, I may have to dig up the front yard and replace some of my decorative landscaping (bushes, flowers, etc.) with edibles so I can yield more food. It might be a little unconventional, but it could also serve as an example or inspiration to other homeowners that they, too, can use what land they have to grown their own food.

If you are interested in growing your own food, don't let a lack of experience or space limit you. SparkPeople's Guide to Backyard Gardening covers all the basics, including tips for container gardening and solutions for people in urban settings. You will also receive great tips on our various gardening SparkTeams, which you can find at the link above.

So, do you grow any of your own food? If so, what do your garden plans look like this year? If not, do you hope to start gardening someday?