Beat the financial downturn by turning the lawn into a kitchen garden

The New Year is upon us at last and offers gardeners the chance for a fresh start and the opportunity to approach life with a renewed vigour safe in the knowledge that the spring will soon enliven their garden once again.

With household bills higher than they have been for years it may be prudent for gardeners to turn their lawns into kitchen gardens, according to DIY Networks Maureen Gilmer.

The expert was writing for Tristatehomewshow.com and advises that gardens can be used for so much more than aesthetic purposes.

"Gardens have always been vitally important during these hard times," she said.

"They fed southerners during the Civil War, sustained Britain during the Great War, became essential during the Great Depression and were finally labelled Victory Gardens in World War II.

"Now, when were faced with the economic strain of a never-ending war and a financial meltdown with echoes of the Great Depression, there are compelling reasons why home gardens make sense."

An excellent addition to any kitchen garden is a greenhouse, as controlling the temperature allows gardeners to experiment with growing more exotic food.

According to Louisiana website thenewsstar.com, January is the ideal time to sit down and plan what to do with the garden for the rest of the year.