ELKHART — Not only are gas prices rising, so is the price of food. That has more people looking to grow their own food at home to save money.

Nancy Hain has been gardening for a long time. So a stop at Martin's Pet & Garden Center Friday morning wasn't unusual. But this year, it was different.

"I'm going to increase my garden because of costs that are going up on food and on gas, so I'm going to expand so I can have more for myself and for my family,” she told WSBT News. “Because it just costs too much too much to go out and buy it now and I know it’s just going to go up and get more expensive."

And Nancy's not alone. Others are hoping their green thumb will keep more green in their wallets.

"I love gardening — it’s good exercise and it cuts a whole lot of costs to food down,” said Deana Lovin of Elkhart. ”With the price of gas to go to the grocery store, if you have your own garden all you have to do is work it."

"We have a very small garden — we put in a few tomatoes, a few peppers, and it’s mostly for fun,” said Barbara Helman of Elkhart. “However, it is less expensive to grow them and to eat them from your garden than it is to go the grocery store."

The store says it has noticed an increase in the number of people who want to start their own garden, or expand the one that they currently have.

"We have seen an increase this year already for interest in vegetable plants and seeds, both,” said Jon Weaver with Martin’s Pet & Garden Center. “A lot of customers buying garden seeds are commenting on the price of groceries, saying they are going to expand their garden.”

Workers at Martin's Pet & Garden Center say the weather has been unseasonably cool lately, and most customers usually wait until the warmer weather to start their gardening.