Homegrown for the Win

Today’s “victory gardens” are about the triumph of self reliance

Portrait by Paul Stebner

Over the last decade, scores of suburban and urban dwellers have taken to small-space gardening — in backyards, on patios — with much zeal. This ninja-level stealth planting hasn’t been seen in the U.S. since World War II, when patriotic families grew backyard gardens to contribute to the war effort. Though their planting and harvesting were required, and the work of these modern gardeners’ work is comparatively optional, the satisfaction of eating homegrown food remains profoundly appealing.

The concept of the victory garden actually began in the first World War, when Europe suffered massive food shortages and strict rationing became the norm. In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson encouraged Americans to grow food in their own backyard plots to stave off similar deficits.

A couple decades later, victory gardens blossomed again, and hugely so — during WWII, some 20 million of them cropped up in backyards, schoolyards, public parks, and on apartment-building rooftops. Similar to buying war bonds, growing some fruit and vegetables was something virtually anyone could do. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and seed companies published instructional pamphlets on growing edible gardens; eventually, this collective yield accounted for nearly half of the country’s food. And nothing harvested went to waste — Americans feverishly canned and preserved their bounty. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, ever the socially conscious example setter, even planted a victory garden on the White House grounds. 

Raised beds are an efficient way to grow veggies on tight acreage. 

Fast forward to the second decade of the 2000s, and edible personal gardening was again popular, as evidenced by First Lady Michelle Obama’s White House organic garden. “I find that more and more people are wanting to eat whole foods, know where their food actually comes from, and live in a more self-sustaining way,” declares gardener/farmer Ruth Gonzalez, a past board member of the Organic Growers School and an administrator at the 40-years-established Reems Creek Nursery in Weaverville. 

Gonzalez observes that recent historical challenges fueled the surge in contemporary small-space gardens across Western North Carolina, just as the war did nearly 80 years ago. “The upsurge in edible gardening seems directly related to the recent economic downturn,” she says. “I noticed in about 2006 that customers were becoming more interested in growing their own food. When the Recession hit full on, people actually expressed concern over whether they would need another way to access food besides the grocery store.”

Even after the financial crisis eased, the concept of the modern victory garden continued to flourish. Today’s global concerns include crop failure from catastrophic weather extremes (with resulting price hikes) and the revelation of unsavory corporate-farming practices. Taking control of one’s food source becomes the triumphant goal.

And it doesn’t have to be hard. Newbies who come to Gonzalez with questions about small-plot home gardening are frequently mistaken about how much space, or level of skill, they need to make it work. “Creating a serviceable backyard garden is neither difficult nor complicated,” says Gonzalez. “You just need good soil.” Experts can enlighten beginners about compost, fertilizer, pest management, and other issues. The only other needed basic for most veggies is full sun, though she notes that “lettuces, greens, and spinach can thrive in part sun.”

As for what constitutes sufficient space, Gonzalez says one can get plenty of food from a very modest plot. “People are often surprised at how much you can grow in a 4’ by 8’ plot or raised bed, or even containers on your balcony,” she says. “You just have to plan well. If you have a small space, don’t plant pumpkins. Go for easy-to-grow things like tomatoes, squash, and peppers.” After these heat-loving crops are done, she reminds gardeners to plant things that do well in cool weather, including collards, kale, and broccoli. 

In WWII, families pulled together to help the troops. Today, the intergenerational aspect of home gardening helps plant a legacy of self sufficiency. “When a child pulls a carrot from the ground,” says Gonzalez, “an important and lasting impression is made.”

One tip for urban dwellers is to place the garden close to the front door. Convenient access makes maintenance easier, and those who can pick salad fixings after work for that night’s dinner, on their way from the car to the kitchen — as Gonzalez has done for years — are more likely to stick with it. “There’s nothing better,” she says.

Ruth Gonzalez, Reems Creek Nursery, 76 Monticello Road, Weaverville. For more information about growing a modern victory garden, see reemscreek.com (828-645-3937), organicgrowerschool.org, or contact your local agricultural-extension agent with gardening or farming questions (ces.ncsu.edu).

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