You can bring home more fresh fruits and vegetables with Double Up Food Bucks at participating farmers markets, farm stands, and grocery stores, but did you know you can also earn and spend Double Up on seedlings, seeds, and other food producing plants? It’s a great way to combine the fruits and veggies you purchase through the program with what you can grow at home.  

Home gardening can be a fruitful hobby and a budget-friendly way to enjoy even more fruits and veggies. While it takes patience and a bit of up-front investment, the benefits of growing your own produce are plentiful. In fact, the USDA estimates that for every $1 dollar spent on seeds, soil, and fertilizer, home gardeners can grow an average of $25 worth of produce. 

If you’re unsure how to start a home garden or are short on space, here are tips to help you make the most of Michigan’s growing season.  

Tips to Get Started with a Home Garden 

• Find Space for Your Plants: Even small areas like balconies, windowsills, or community garden plots can become a garden. Here are a few more tips for making your seeds and seedlings grow
• Choose Suitable Crops: Opt for easy-to-grow crops that are hearty and high-producing, like lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, squashes, and strawberries. Make sure you have enough space for the fruits and veggies you want to grow
• Start with Seedlings: Many Double Up partners, including farmers markets, sell food-producing plants. Most seedlings take a minimum of two weeks to germinate, so use your Double Up to bring home some plants and get a head start on the growing season
• Utilize Free Resources: Take advantage of community gardening programs, seed swaps, or local agricultural extension services for free or low-cost gardening supplies and advice.
   

3 Types of Easy Home Gardens 

• Container Gardens: No yard? No problem! Consider growing your own veggies in containers that fit your space. Check out this helpful article from SNAP4CT and this article from MasterClass on windowsill gardens and explore the surprising variety of vessels you can use to grow plants.  
• Square Foot Gardens: This gardening method uses less space, water, and work than traditional row gardening. With a little planning and a raised bed, you can grid out a high-functioning garden that makes it easy to space and rotate crops

• Keyhole Gardens: This newer trend of home gardening includes smaller raised beds arranged in a keyhole design with an area for compost and water in the center. Read more about how to arrange this in your space and use your food waste as fertilizer.  

Embracing the Home Garden Harvest 

Home gardening can be a rewarding and sustainable way to have fruits and veggies on hand. Start small, embrace the process, and reap the rewards of gardening with Double Up! 

Bring Food-producing Plants Home with Double Up 

Visit your local farmers market that partners with Double Up Food Bucks to find seedlings near you!