Most mornings before work, I run out to the patio to check on the tiny fruit beginning to form on my "improved Meyer lemon," the first citrus tree I've ever grown.

Then I swing by to look at the five tomato plants, Swiss chard, lettuce and basil occupying a small raised bed behind the garage.

Fellow gardeners will understand this behavior, especially in April, which is the hopeful month for many of us. (July and August are the season of weeds, heat and occasional surrender.)

They'll also understand the trend documented in Debbie Arrington's front-page story today: Produce gardening is on the rise across our region and elsewhere in the United States.

Experts on the topic and people in the business offer varying explanations: the bad economy, which motivates people to grow food; increasing interest in locally grown and homegrown food; changing lifestyles in general, providing time and support for home gardening.

Whatever the reasons, the numbers show the surge is real.

Here in the Central Valley, gardening has long been a top pastime and agriculture part of our economic foundation.

For many, gardening is a hobby and a source of joy. For some, it's yardwork and it's a chore.

And for a growing number of serious gardeners, growing vegetables, herbs, flowers or fruit provides income or sustenance.

The Bee has covered gardening in various ways for decades, and our weekly Home & Garden section has expanded its menu of print and online features.

Arrington, a veteran journalist, took over in October as our lead garden writer. A seasoned gardener, she is certified by the American Rose Society as a consulting rosarian.

Each week in Home & Garden, readers find stories and advice from a variety of experts, including master gardeners in our region. Arrington writes stories, a column called "Seeds" and a weekly checklist, among other features.

Online, Arrington draws on her network of sources to answer questions for the "In the Garden" Q&A.

Early this year, Arrington and her editors invited readers to become Bee gardeners. Dozens responded.

In the coming weeks, you'll read about their gardens in Home & Garden and in our garden forums at www.sacbee.com/forums.

We'll get a chance to compare gardens in different parts of the region. Gardeners will be able to share experiences and advice directly, talking back and forth on the forums, and we'll show results with Bee and reader photographs.

Arrington also is running a series on drought-tolerant plants, drawing on a list of 100 from the University of California, Davis, arboretum.

Amid our drought, many gardeners welcome practical guidance on plants and methods that minimize water waste. Whether you're a native Northern Californian or a newcomer like me, there's always more to learn.

We wish all of this season's gardeners good results, especially those who are working toward their first harvest.

You might have missed it, but a Bee editorial last weekend mentioned a number of recent news stories about things going right and invited reader tips on good news.

We're inspired by Brian Williams' similar move on NBC's "Nightly News" but also because we hear the same theme from readers that Williams heard from his viewers – tell us about good things happening in our world, not just bad news.

You can share suggestions in several ways. Call or e-mail me; use our form for letters to the editor by going to sacbee.com/sendletter; or send U.S. mail to P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852.

Reach The Bee's editor, Melanie Sill, at (916) 321-1002.