People Are Updating This WWII-Era Practice To Try And Save Money On Groceries Under Trump

During World War II, Americans planted "victory gardens" where they grew food in backyard gardens, rooftop plots, public lands, and basically anywhere else that plants can grow. These efforts yielded between 8 to 10 million tons of food by the end of the war.

Now, with President Trump's tariffs threatening to drive stubbornly high food prices even higher, some Americans are looking into ways to update victory gardens — now also known as "resistance gardens" — for the 21st century.

Since spring is almost here, right now is a great time to start planting seeds for your summer harvest. And if you have no idea how to even begin, Kendall Brown (@kendallybrown) has been going viral on TikTok for sharing her low-cost tips for starting a resistance garden of your own.

In one video, Kendall shared how she avoids overpaying for gardening supplies because they can be much more costly than you might expect. First, she recommends starting all of your plants from seeds instead of buying plants that have already started growing. "It is important to note that the window for when you can start seeds and have them ready to be transplanted in time is very quickly closing. So if you decide to go that route, you need to get your seeds purchased ASAP and get them started ASAP."

She also shared a favorite resource for getting free seeds: the non-profit organization Free Heirloom Seeds. Kendall explained, "They operate on a suggested donation basis. I want to say this year, the suggested donation is $10 for every 15 packets of seeds that you request. So that figures out to $1.50 a packet, which is way cheaper than I have been able to find in any store."

Next, instead of buying seed starter trays, she suggests, "Call your local greenhouse and ask them if they have any plug trays that they will be discarding, that they would be willing to either give you or sell you for very cheap. I go to my local greenhouse every year and get these plug trays. There's 128 spots in each one, and I pay them $1 per tray."

She also offered a tip for renters who may not have outdoor space to start a garden. Instead of buying grow bags and other containers, Kendall says she often uses reusable shopping bags like the ones from Ikea. "I will literally just take an Ikea bag, poke some holes in the bottom of it so that it does have drainage, and then just dump dirt in the bag. And it works just as well as a grow bag. It works just as well as an expensive flower pot."

And in another video, she shared some advice when it comes to choosing your crops. She explains, "You need to sit down and think through not only what vegetables that you love, but the other people in your household, particularly your children. You know them best, and kids tend to be the pickier eaters. So, what vegetables can you realistically get them to eat? Those are the vegetables that you should focus on growing."

Additionally, understanding what will grow well in your space is also really helpful. If you're starting a container garden, Kendall says you can find "container varieties" of the plants you want that will grow best in your space. Similarly, certain veggies that grow on vines, like squash and pumpkins, can take up a lot of space, so plan accordingly when you select your crops.

Kendall also suggests looking into which fruits and vegetables you eat that are most often imported from Mexico. These foods are likely to go up in price more than other domestic crops. You might be thinking "avocados, duh," but she says that's not your best bet if you're just starting your garden. "It takes a long time for a young avocado tree to grow to the point of bearing fruit." Instead, she suggests planting things like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, bell peppers, and strawberries that can bear fruit in a single growing season.

And in the comments, people shared even more low-cost ideas and gardening tips:

Like checking out your local library to see if they have seeds. Many libraries also have tools you can check out that can really come in handy if you're building garden beds.

And since eggs are so expensive now, you might as well re-use cardboard egg cartons as seed trays.

There are also some common things you might be throwing away that could be used as plant food to help your veggies grow up big and strong.

And never underestimate the power of community! Having a gardening pal can help you better understand how to make plants thrive in your local climate.

Are you thinking about planting a resistance garden? Or are you an experienced gardener with some great tips to share? Let's talk about it all in the comments.

For more tips on starting your garden, follow Kendall on TikTok.