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Gentle breezes. Sunlight. Bird songs. I can actually see the ground peaking out under the snow. And did I mention – the return of daylight saving time? Spring is almost here.

All winter I’ve been thinking about gardening. I want to grow edible things, and I’m not the only one. A survey of over 100 million U.S. households revealed that spending for vegetables and fruits now surpasses spending for lawns, trees, shrubs – and even flowers. The same survey unearthed the following trends among gardeners:

* 53 percent grow vegetables in their gardens 
* 90 percent plan to eat the produce fresh 
* 66 percent will share with friends 
* 36 percent will can or preserve produce 
* 24 percent will donate food to others

Another survey, this one by the National Gardening Association, looked at the main reasons people grow gardens:

* 58 percent desire better tasting food 
* 54 percent want to save money on food bills 
* 51 percent want better quality food 
* 48 percent want to grow food they know is safe