CuriositiesFEB 15, 2023

30 Times People Attempted To Grow Their Own Food, But The Results Were Hilariously Disappointing

Mindaugas Balčiauskas and Liucija Adomaite

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In times of the worldwide pandemic, many people turned to urban gardening, which, in times of crisis, became something that promotes fun, well-being, and environmental protection. People started buying plants in bulk while millennials saw it as a way to deal with their mental health and find some inner piece.

Some people didn’t just stop with plants. Growing something nutritious and tasty became another trend with more and more backyards and balconies turned into little lands for harvesting.

Tomatoes, peppers, apples… nothing seemed impossible. Until you actually started growing them. Turns out, the reality of what you harvest does not always meet the expectations that you planted and when it doesn't, it most likely ends up on this corner of Reddit known as “Mighty Harvest.”

Below we wrapped up some of the funniest gardening and harvesting fails!

#1 I Saved Watermelon Seeds From Last Year And Grew My Own Watermelons!

sannoji30

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548points

#2 My Corn (1) Is Doing Great

StasKalbas

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501points

#3 Very Large Harvest. Very Small Dog

doooleynoted

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499points

If you have noticed more and more young people getting into gardening recently, you’re not the only one. In fact, savvy millennials who want to know where the food on their plate is coming from have set a new ‘grow your own’ trend.

In Ireland, for example, a study that looked into the trend of buying herbs, fruit and vegetables for planting found that the market boomed to €19 million in 2019. Meanwhile, the horticultural market in Ireland is worth €795m according to the 2018 figures, compared to €729m in 2016 and €516m in 2011.

#4 My Pear Tree, One Yearly Perfect Pear, No Leaves And 4 Feet Tall. My Mom Made Sure To Send Me A Picture Because I’m Not Home This Fall

AGlueR

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466points

#5 With These Peppers, I Shall Spice A Thousand Dishes!

inkless-pen

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461points

#6 My Mighty Pineapple (Apple For Scale. I Was Out Of Bananas)

BagelIsAcousticDonut

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430points

The same tendency is observed in other countries around the globe. The 2021 National Gardening Association study showed that the Covid pandemic created 18.3 million new gardeners in the US, most of whom are millennials. Results found that gardening activities raised significantly at every garden experience level.

Experts believe that the millennial love for gardening is tied to movements of self-care and wellness. Since many young people don’t have access to an outdoor space as the majority of working millennials live in urban spaces, bringing plants, fruits and veggies inside seems like an appealing solution.

#7 Would Anyone Like Some Lemon Water?

eezzomiller

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416points

#8 Just In Time For Halloween, The Tiniest Jack O’lantern

oak7479

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382points

#9 Three And A Half Months Delivered This Beast Just In Time For Our Village’s Annual Easter Feast

mozzaf1ato

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375points

But if you've ever tried indoor gardening yourself, you know it’s not as easy as it looks. The harvest comes down to the tiniest details–from sun to humidity and just the right amount of shade. So it’s best to start from growing something simple, like herbs.

The experts at MiracleGro remind gardening aficionados to harvest often to encourage bushy growth. For herbs like mint, basil, cilantro, and dill, snip a few inches from the top of each stem, cutting right above a set of leaves. You can also harvest full stems from the outside of the plant by cutting a half-inch above the plant’s base.

Meanwhile, for herbs like oregano, parsley, sage, and thyme, choose long stems with few leaves. Snip chives at the base of the plant, about an inch above the soil. With sage and mint, you can also skip the cutting and simply pinch off individual leaves.