Climate Action
Gen Z is Digging Gardening
August 3, 2025
August 3rd is National Watermelon Day, and many people will be enjoying the juicy summer fruit from the harvests of their home gardens. While it may seem convenient to buy produce at your local grocery store, growing food at home has many benefits that have been overlooked by consumers in the past. Gardening is typically considered a hobby for the elderly and retired since it requires time and dedication. However, new trends show that Gen Z is beginning to recognize the benefits of gardening, and it has become more popular among young people in recent years.
Famously regarded as the generation of the digital age, it may come as a surprise that screen-hooked teens and young adults are electing to put down devices and pick up a shovel. Many are even combining their nature-loving and virtual sides by taking to social media to share their gardens and inspire others to start growing food at home. By turning to gardening, Gen Z can join older generations in promoting sustainability and cultivating cheaper and healthier food options.
How are Young People Raking in the Gardening Revival?
Gen Z, the generation born between approximately 1997-2012, is increasing the time and money they dedicate to the soil. In fact, in 2024 over 60% of Gen Z consumers said they spent more money on gardening than they did in 2023, and half of them said they devoted 50% more time cultivating plants compared to the previous year. Additionally, 83% of young people between the ages of 18 and 34 describe the activity as ‘cool’, embracing the once passé pastime as a lifestyle choice.
There are several reasons why people opt for growing their own food over buying produce in grocery stores. Gardeners say that among other benefits, the pastime improves their mental health and diet, reduces food waste, and is more economical.
Changing the Game
Not only are young people choosing to plant their own gardens, but they’re also adapting and changing traditional gardening methods to fit an evolving world. While many Gen Z and Millennials don’t own homes with spaces for large garden beds, they have adjusted by creating small-space gardens, including balcony, windowsill, and kitchen gardens, for growing vegetables and herbs without requiring large plots or expensive tools and irrigation systems.
In addition to small-space gardens, pollinator gardens are another recent trend. These spaces combine different varieties of native plants that attract bees and other pollinators to promote healthy habitats. Gen Z has popularized this horticulture method in an effort to embrace environmental activism and strengthen our ecosystems.
Gen Z is also taking interest in gardening as more than just a hobby. A study revealed that enrollment in undergraduate horticulture programs has increased at the two-year and four-year levels. By studying and making a career out of plant cultivation, people can improve their own health and wellbeing as well as encourage wildlife diversity and sustainable agriculture, all of which are pressing issues for younger generations.
Why Gen Z is Getting the Green Thumb
During World War I, people took up gardening as a survival mechanism when food was scarce and expensive. The National War Garden Commission encouraged Americans to plant and store their own fruits and vegetables so that more food was available for their allies. These gardens were named “victory gardens”, and they resulted in the cultivation of 3 million new garden plots in 1917.
While the 21st century resurgence is not as dramatic, the concept of a victory garden has been revived by younger generations on social media. On average, people who invest $70 into a home garden can get a total return on investment of $600, meaning it could save them 8.5 times the amount of money they put into it. With food prices rising 2.9 percent in the last year and young people experiencing increasing financial instability, many are choosing to grow their produce at home to save money.
Another reason gardening is becoming a popular activity for young people is the growing awareness of the negative health impacts of plastic in food. Plastic packaging can cause toxic chemicals linked to severe issues like cancer and endocrine disruption to leach into the food products we consume. Because of this knowledge, young people are increasingly choosing to grow food at home to avoid unnecessary plastic consumption. Eco-friendly swaps for common garden supplies can help create a sustainable garden that keeps our bodies and ecosystems plastic free.
Additionally, younger generations recognize that spending time in nature is linked to improved mental health, and gardening is a great way to connect with the natural world. Working the soil has a positive impact on well-being and quality of life, and young people looking to better their mental health see many benefits from it.
Gardening is no longer just a hobby for retired people looking to fill their time. Gen Z has grown more passionate about planting their own food and flowers in recent years. Because of numerous benefits to health, sustainability, and financial security, younger generations are adopting and innovating the gardening pastime.
This National Watermelon Day, start a garden to harvest your own fruit and sow the seeds of a better future. If you want to learn more about how you can start planting for the planet, visit our Climate Education page and read our composting and gardening advocacy packets.
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