With summer sun comes the heat, flip-flops, tank tops, convertibles and so many other things we love. The days are longer, and chances are you are finding a lot more energy to do the things you like as compared to those short days and long cold nights of winter.

Yet, amid all this fun in the sun, may I suggest gardening? Whether you have only a little space or an entire yard at your disposal, gardening can liven up your life. And whether you are the flower type, food type or would rather try your hand at both, nothing can beat the experience.

It is rewarding and fruitful — pardon the pun, I couldn’t resist — whether you are growing fruits, vegetables or flowers. Gardening has helped many individuals and families cut their grocery bills and eat healthier, all while spending time together outdoors.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that “busy lives can benefit from food that’s nutritious, yet easy to eat on the go, like fresh fruits and vegetables.” Not only could you grow your own supply, but you also get some exercise when you garden.

Of course, there are also obvious benefits to growing your own garden, such as having a fresh supply of fruits and vegetables.

The Organic Trade Association states that organic practice “protects the health of people and the planet by reducing the overall exposure to toxic chemicals from synthetic pesticides that can end up in the ground, air, water and food supply, and that are associated with health consequences, from asthma to cancer.”

They also write in their Consumer Report that in “side-by-side tests of organic, green-labeled and conventional unlabeled produce found that organic foods had consistently minimal or nonexistent pesticide residue.”

But you’re a student on a budget. Or maybe you think you don’t have a green thumb.

Well, good news: With so many gardening experts out there, it’s almost impossible to go wrong. And it is just as easy to diagnose your problems online so you can implement a solution.

What better time to start growing your own food than in the face of rising prices?

You don’t even need a lot of space. A few pots will do, or large bowls, as long as they have drainage. Then fill them with soil, plant your seeds or buy started plants, and watch them grow.

During the spring semester I was amazed by my roommate, who started growing bean sprouts from beans she bought at the grocery store. She was growing them in bowls, old plastic containers, and pop bottles – we didn’t have a lot of choices at the time.

Sure, I had to put up with bean sprouts in the closets because they needed dark conditions, but it was a cool experience and it was exciting to watch them get bigger. We ate them after they’d grown, and knowing that they were chemical free was an even tastier satisfaction.

Herbs, especially, do fine in pots. Put them in a sunny location and just remember to water them, and when it starts to get cold in the fall they will do fine inside in an east-, west- or south-facing window.

Even Michelle Obama has been breaking White House ground to prepare the first garden since Franklin Roosevelt lived there. During those years of World War II, they were known as ‘Victory Gardens’ and were all the rage, allowing families to be self-reliant while governments around the world promoted and advertised their use.

Now the trend is re-emerging as families hit hard by the recession try to stretch their incomes. There is no doubt about it: Going to the store for groceries is expensive and those dollars add up quickly.

In February, USA Today quoted Bruce Butterfield of the National Gardening Association as saying, “As the economy goes down, food gardening goes up. We haven’t seen this kind of spike in 30 years.”

His organization also estimated that residential yards growing vegetables should increase close to 40 percent this year as compared to a couple years ago. 

The ISU Faculty of Extension has Web links that are a wealth of knowledge for novice and experienced gardeners alike, including “Tips for Selecting Quality Plants, Seeds and Bare Roots” and a “Plant & Insect Diagnostic Clinic.” It’s good stuff that is not only useful but specific to our climate.

And, as advertised by the CDC, fruits and vegetables are “great sources of many vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases.”

If that’s not enough incentive to grow your own fruits and veggies, the American Dietetic Association provides a few more:

“Vegetables provide essential nutrients and most are low in fat. They are an important source of potassium, magnesium, dietary fiber, folate and vitamins A and C.”  The ADA adds that “vegetables are also naturally lower in calories than other foods and therefore important in weight management.”

Whatever your reasoning, gardening is a fantastic way to liven up your summer.

While all your hard work doesn’t pay off until you finally get to settle down and eat your harvest, you’ll certainly enjoy the anticipation of waiting for that moment as your plants grow.

– Erin Mastre is a graduate student in landscape architecture from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada