Bumper crop of food gardens across US

More than a third of Americans, including First Lady Michelle Obama, are working the hoe at home, keen to grow their own tomatoes, cucumbers and beans.

According to the National Gardening Association (NGA), home vegetable gardens are sprouting across the United States, with 37 percent of homes tending a patch - up sharply from 19 percent a year ago.

"I want to make sure that our family, as well as the staff and all the people who come to the White House and eat our food, get access to really fresh vegetables and fruits," the First Lady said last week as she broke ground on the White House lawn.