From North to South, and coast to coast, tomatoes are consistently the most popular vegetable in American gardens. But for most gardeners, just any old tomato won't do.

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By Kathy LaLiberte

When I started growing vegetables back in the mid-1970s, I learned everything I knew from reading books by Helen and Scott Nearing, Dick Raymond and J.I. Rodale. I didn't know many other people who gardened, so I just followed the directions. I made a compost pile, hauled buckets of manure from a local farm and used organic fertilizer. My garden thrived and I was hooked. After more than 25 years, I still garden organically.

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The grow-your-own movement is stronger than its been in about 60 years, judging by the way vegetable seeds, onion sets, and seed potatoes are flying off the racks as novice gardeners prepare to grow some of their own food for the first time. Their interest goes beyond vegetables, however. At our Vermont stores — and I suspect across the nation — the demand for fruit plants is up sharply, too. Some fruits are easy to grow and integrate into the landscape and can even be grown in containers. Strawberries and blueberries are especially suitable for home production and first-time gardeners.

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