Over the past several years, homes in Cinniapolis here and there have adopted home gardens. The trend began with the onset of the pandemic coinciding with prime growing season in Cinniapolis. As the days, weeks, months, and now years have passed, there are more green garden roofs than ever when walking through local neighborhoods.

During a stroll through Reunion, one might see tomatoes, strawberries, or even cucumbers in various phases of growth atop roofs. Step into a backyard in Centralis and greeting visitors is what looks like a scaled-down replica of a large scale farm, a 4×6 plot of corn in this corner, a 2×3 plot of potatoes near the porch. These personal family farms vary in scale. But, residents are lining up for supplies and seeds in record numbers.

Debut Saturday, founder of Saturday Gardens, happily said he is working around the clock to fulfill customer demand in time for this June. “We are rushing through orders with our suppliers, manufacturing more product than ever, and filling orders as fast as possible,” said Mr. Saturday. “Customers have been fortunately patient while we forge ahead. They know they’re getting quality product from a reputable organization. Plus, when you look around town, you can see the popularity of home gardens everywhere.”

Saturday Gardens began as a modest urban gardening nutrient supply company with a goal to increase the amount of gardens in urban spaces that lacked conducive habitat for gardening. It has since become the premiere distributor of home-gardening supplies, in addition to still providing its proprietary blend of nutrients to home gardeners and local restaurants.

Reba Smith, Reunion resident, said she started her home garden with carrots in 2021 and now she plans to grow blueberries, carrots, peas, onions, and zucchini this Summer. “You just can’t beat it. Get out in the fresh air to work the garden. You get to interact with the soil and earth. Not to mention, it is far more rewarding to grow your own veggies and fruits, if you can,” said Ms. Smith

Thick Pickins General Manager, Shaquille Aston, confirmed two trends for the Chorus, “Well, first and foremost, our home gardening business is growing year after year,” said Mr. Aston, confirming the rapid growth of home gardening. “Tools, supplies, soil, seeds, we are having challenges keeping all those items in stock. But, we’ve re-allocated some of our budget from fresh produce department into the home gardening treasure chest to offset most of those challenges,” he said. “While we maintain our produce is the freshest, most nutritious in Cinniapolis, consumers are increasingly shifting away from purchasing produce in favor of growing their own veggies and fruits. As a result, our organization is holding less of a supply to reduce our exposure to food waste.”

The growth of home gardens has also led to increase in theft, according to public records. Cinniapolis Safety Department (CSD) reported a 244% increase in garden-related crimes in 2024, with trespassing and theft being the most common offenses. CSD CEO, Rhonda Dixon, seemed to downplay the crime increase, “The percentages are alarming, yes. But, the actual number of incidents is quite low compared to other crimes in the city. That’s no excuse because there should be zero crimes, anywhere, anytime. My department is solely focused on just that, developing communities and resources to deter a criminal lifestyle,” said Ms. Dixon.

Crime is not the only deterrent to home gardens, according to a shrinking minority who refuse to take part in this trend. Karen Jefferson, denounced the trend, “Sure, it looks nice. But, there are bugs everywhere now. Rodent squirrels descend upon our town every Summer now. My family can’t even enjoy a meal in our backyard now because of all the animals looking for food. We had to run inside away from the vermin. We are supposed to live in a civilized residential city, not the jungle,” she said.

Regardless of where citizens stand on home gardening trend, it’s well and alive in 2025. Some think they look brown and dirty, but most agree they are refined and pretty. Whether you are a home gardener or not, we think all can say, it’s beneficial that folks have a hobby.