By Keighla Schmidt, Staff Writer

Things are growing out of people’s control – unemployment rates, budget deficits and personal debt. But, there is one area where things are growing under a watchful and controlling eye.

In area basements and greenhouses more vegetables are being grown this year.

“This is something that people can actively do to control expenses,” said Carina Peterson, co-owner of Cal’s Market and Garden Center. “Everything else is so out of control … money keeps getting spent.”

John Kammer, a Savage resident and gardener, said he thinks the “victory gardens” of the World War II era are akin to a new trend, called “recession gardens.”

“I think more and more people will be gardening as the economy worsens,” Kammer said. “It’s like a victory garden revival.”

Part of what’s helping fertilize high food costs is the high cost of food transportation, Kammer said.Gardening: Carina Peterson, co-owner of Cal's
Market and Garden Center, works in the
greenhouse. Sales are up at the local center.

“I think the economy is a very critical thing right now and food production transportation costs are a big part of the problem,” he said.

Home grown

Curbing some of those high costs are do-it-yourselfers. 

Bryan Peterson, co-owner at Cal’s Market, said seed sales in general have nearly doubled at the local gardening center this year. The trend he’s seen over the past 10 years is that seed sales have gone down as people bought mature plants for “instant gratification,” he said.

Last year at this time, Cal’s had sold $239 in seeds while this year $540 worth of seed packets have been rung up.

Additionally, the types of plants and seeds in demand have made a complete shift. In the past, 60 percent of sales were flowers and 40 percent were foods. This year the categories have shifted to 60 percent food seeds and plants and 40 percent flowers.

This year Emilee Rodriguez plans to expand the amount and variety of vegetable plants in her garden.

Rodriguez said there were a few reasons she’s growing a bigger garden this year: to help offset grocery costs, to have a fresh selection and make a healthy garden. The Burnsville mother of four and nanny added it feels like the right time to start.

“This year I decided to do more food plants because I’ve done more and more every year and this year my youngest is 3 so I have a more energy,” she said. “Plus, it’s a lot cheaper to do more vegetables on your own.”

Rodriguez said she has grown her own herb garden for many years and had a tomato plant.

“We eat a lot of salsa and bruschetta so we use a lot of tomatoes,” she said. “I could definitely see I was saving money.”

Last year she added carrots, peppers and raspberries to her personal selection and this year plans to add six types of lettuce and peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, watermelon, sugar peas and rhubarb.

Rodriguez’s garden this year will be her first venture in planting in the ground as opposed to pots or kitchen gardens.

The lettuce selection makes her excited because not only will she have a cheaper grocery bill, but she’ll also be able to eat right off the lettuce head and not have to watch a whole head wilt in the fridge. Gardening: Emilee Rodriguez checks out
tomato plants at Cal’s Market in an effort to
expand her garden and reduce her grocery bill.

Bryan Peterson said people who are considering starting a vegetable garden for the first time should be anxious, not nervous.

“People shouldn’t be intimidated,” he said. “It’s pretty simple … vegetable gardens are just a little bit of work … vegetable gardens are a lot less fickle than flowers.”

Kammer said a successful garden grows with just a little attention.

“A gardener has got to take an interest in it and be observant of what’s going on with the plants,” he said. “If you plant by the house right where you can see it, you’re more likely to go out there and give it the attention it needs.”

Kammer estimates about 20 minutes a day in the garden is enough time for a big payoff.

The changing trend is not just a local, either, it’s a national trend.

Burpee, a popular seed distributor, has reported vegetable seeds sales across the nation are up by 30 percent.

Kristin Grilli, a spokesperson from Burpee, noted the top-selling veggie seed this year includes green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, lettuce/salad greens, peas, hot and sweet peppers, carrots and sweet corn.

Kammer, who’s been gardening since he was 5 years old, said while getting your garden supplies to full yield may be an investment, it’s one that will eventually pay off, beyond cost considerations.

“A (personal) garden can raise a lot of produce. Tomatoes at the grocery store are about $3 to $4 a pound, you can grow them for less and keep them through the winter,” he said. “I think it’s really a matter of planning and how you’re going to save in the long run.”

Community gardens

And don’t try to use the excuse that you don’t have yard space to plant a garden.

Kammer, who is a member of Glendale United Methodist Church, has been overseeing a community garden on the church campus for the past four years.

“I’ve always liked to garden and we have the space available out here, so we thought it would be a fun thing to have,” he said of the original concept.

And it’s been a hit. The community and the congregation have claimed some of the 50 available plots, but there are still plenty up for grabs, he said.

Kammer also said community gardens are a good place for novices to start gardening.

“I’ve had people come who have never done any gardening before and after we helped them along a little and showed them some tips, their gardens were as good as any other out here,” he said.

The church supplies the water and the supplies to make a “square-foot garden;” a style that maximizes the available space. Gardening: John
Kammer promotes
square-foot gardening
and oversees the
Community Garden at
Glendale United
Methodist Church.

Kammer said the 4-foot-by-4-foot plots are rented out for a $15 water fee to the church and the cost of supplies (like lumber and compost materials,) for about $20.

The idea of square-foot gardening is to plant less in a smaller area and use a good soil mix.

“It’s a good method and you can grow a variety of things and don’t have much of a weed problem because everything is so compact,” he said.

People who want to find out more about the method or get information on obtaining a plot in Glendale’s garden are welcome to attend an informational meeting at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 18 at the church, 13550 Glendale Road, Savage.

Glendale isn’t the only place offering up space for gardening.

Cal’s Market has repurposed some of the land on the south side of the property to be used for community gardens.

Plots about 20-feet-by-20-feet will be available for $40-$50 for the season at Cal’s. Gardeners will have the opportunity to plant their own gardens and will be asked to plant one extra row and donate the harvests to a local food shelf.

The idea is part of a national mission called “Plant a Row for the Hungry,” Carina Peterson said, noting it’s an idea that makes sense right now.

“I think in this economy it would be a great thing to do for people who are in need,” she said.

Carina Peterson said container gardens are also a good way for people without the yard space to have vegetable gardens.

Outside costs

In addition to saving costs there are additional benefits from growing a personal garden.

Bryan Peterson said the flavor of homegrown goods are twice as good.

Rodriguez said not only was the taste better, but she had some control of the freshness and overall care of the garden.

Both Rodriguez and Carina Peterson said they were excited about the opportunity to have and offer organic produce.

“I don’t use any herbicides or pesticides in the garden because we’re going to eat it,” Rodriguez said.

Carina Peterson said Cal’s Market sells not only organic seeds, but also organic products to use as fertilizer or to tackle various pests.

“The whole organic thing just makes me excited,” she said.

Another benefit to personal gardens is a sense of self-sufficiency and accomplishment, according to these gardeners.

 “There’s a really great sense of accomplishment when you plant seeds and see the green start growing,” Carina Peterson said.

Kammer agreed, “there’s a real sense of gratification in growing things yourself.”

Keighla Schmidt can be reached at kschmidt@swpub.com