Gardening’s popularity among American households is at an all-time high. Household spend on gardening increased from $400 (already the highest in decades) to a whopping $503 annually in 2019, driven almost entirely by people aged 23-38. “The under 40 set now occupies 29% of all gardening households. It’s a strong sign that they’re finally ‘in,'” says Garden Research industry analyst Ian Baldwin.

But it’s not like it used to be. Gardens look different—they’re smaller and low-maintenance. For some people, it’s a fruit tree and an herb garden (hello, cocktail garden!), for others, it’s raised beds to encourage kids to get their hands dirty. Homeowners are longing to connect to their produce in a hyper local way, but they do’t want to give up their weekends for their zucchini.