Can victory gardens help us fight rising food costs?

Between April 2000 and April 2008, the cost of a gallon of unleaded regular gas skyrocketed from $1.50 to $3.44 [source: Bureau of Labor Statistics]. As fuel prices increase, a chain reaction occurs that affects consumers in more ways than just at the pump.

Gallery of Vegetables

For example, food prices are on the rise. Higher gas prices mean more expensive food production and transportation. Additionally, corn and soybeans are increasingly used to create alternative fuels, which further drives up the cost of food products containing these two vegetables. As a result, grocery bills today are significantly higher than they were a few years ago. A dozen eggs now costs double what it did in 2000, and ground beef isn’t far behind [source: Bureau of Labor Statistics]. The same price hikes are visible in the produce section as well, with iceberg lettuce rising from 65 cents to 90 cents, and Red Delicious apples seeing the same increase [source: Bureau of Labor Statistics].

From spring 2007 to spring 2008, the average cost of goods we purchase increased by 3.9 percent [source: Bureau of Labor Statistics]. While this may seem like a small figure, food takes up a significant portion of our spending. On average, food accounts for about 13 percent of total expenses in the U.S. [source: Bureau of Labor Statistics]. If you're focused on skyrocketing gas prices, consider this: Americans actually spend about 10 percent more on food than on fuel [source: Bureau of Labor Statistics].

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To combat rising food prices, some Americans are revisiting the idea of victory gardens, a concept from World War II. During the war, the government introduced food rationing to ensure supplies for the troops. To encourage citizens to grow their own food and help supplement the rations, the Department of Agriculture launched the "Food Fights for Freedom" campaign. Private lawns turned into victory gardens became a symbol of patriotic support for the war effort. The initiative also led to the establishment of the first community gardens in public spaces. By 1943, 20 million households had planted victory gardens, providing over 40 percent of the nation's produce [source: Bentley]. Even the White House had its own victory garden growing beans and carrots [source: Davis].

Although the U.S. is currently involved in a war, some Americans are turning to victory gardens today for economic reasons, not patriotic ones. Continue reading to find out if this approach can make a difference in food expenses.

How much can you save by growing your own garden?

Starting a garden in your yard isn't free, but it’s still much cheaper than buying produce from the store. For example, growing tomatoes — the most popular vegetable to grow — costs roughly $15 for four plants. A row of these plants yields about 60 pounds (27 kilograms) [source: Iowa State University]. The retail price for tomatoes is $1.77 per pound, while growing them yourself costs only about 25 cents per pound.

You’ll save even more by growing bell peppers. For a $12 investment in six plants, you can harvest up to 120 pounds (54 kilograms) of peppers [source: Iowa State University]. This brings the price down from $2.37 per pound in stores to just 10 cents. Broccoli, another easy-to-grow vegetable, costs less than a third of the retail price, dropping from $1.37 per pound to around 50 cents per pound when grown at home.

With the right tools and space, you can grow all the vegetables you need in your own backyard. As we’ve seen with tomatoes, growing your own food provides substantial savings. However, you would need to adopt a vegetarian diet to completely avoid rising food prices, as many people’s grocery bills include more than just fruits and vegetables. While home-grown veggies save money, dairy is the food group most affected by rising fuel costs. The USDA projects a percent to 4.5 percent increase in fruits and vegetables, but dairy prices may rise by as much as 6 percent, and eggs could increase by 10 percent [source: USDA].

In addition to rising food prices, many people have turned to growing their own produce due to concerns over quality control and the environment. Although the exact number of vegetable gardeners in the United States is unknown, gardening organizations and stores have consistently noted an uptick in activity over the last few years.

A survey conducted by the National Gardening Association revealed that vegetable gardeners increased their spending by 22 percent between 2006 and 2007 [source: Gustin]. The Garden Writers Association also reported a shift in spending priorities, with more people allocating lawn care funds to vegetable gardening — which moved up from fourth to second place on the list this year [source: Marks and Johnson].

As urban landscapes have evolved since the early days of victory gardens, so have the ways in which people are saving money and growing their own produce. Learn about modern victory gardening techniques on the next page.

Gardening Methods

Instead of spending money on a few grocery store trips for vegetables, beginners can create their own high-yield gardens. One gardening website estimates that starting a garden costs around $225 [source: Veggie Gardening Tips]. However, this includes tiller rental and certain tools you might not actually need. To lower costs, start from seeds or choose smaller plants if buying seedlings.

If you're short on time or space, there are many alternatives available. Community gardening has become increasingly popular, with around 10,000 gardens operating across the U.S. [source: Urban Gardening Help]. These gardens transform public spaces like fields near schools or within neighborhoods into shared plots. Community gardens are a great option for beginners, as you can get guidance from other gardeners. For more details, check out How to Start a Community Garden.

If you live in an apartment or lack a large yard, container gardening is an excellent option. As the name suggests, you can grow a variety of fruits and vegetables in almost any sizable container, like a trash can, wash bin, or bucket. For example, in a 15-gallon pot, you could grow two broccoli, one cucumber, one melon, one snap bean, and one lima bean plant [source: Rosen]. Alternatively, use several pots to expand your variety. Container gardening is also perfect for themed crops. For a pizza garden, combine roma tomato, bell pepper, and oregano in a single container [source: Rosen]. To dive deeper into container gardening, check out What is container gardening?.

You can even take your gardening indoors if needed. Citrus plants can grow surprisingly well indoors, especially in bright areas. Since most varieties are large and can overwhelm a room, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden suggests choosing dwarf varieties. Popular indoor citrus fruits like mandarin oranges and Meyer lemons tend to thrive indoors [source: Brooklyn Botanic Garden]. Herbs such as basil, cilantro, and sage are also easy and flavorful options for indoor gardening.