HIRING HELP

One local service, A Backyard Farm, charges about $300 to $400 to install a raised garden bed, including organic soil and vegetable plants of your choice. Weekly organic maintenance services start at $35. www.abackyardfarm.com.

Another service, Backyard Harvest, charges a flat fee of $1,025 to $1,295 per season to install, plant, maintain and harvest an 80- to 120-foot organic vegetable garden. Garden-coaching services, at $30 an hour, also are available. www.pricoldclimate.org.

DOING IT YOURSELF

A $70 investment in home food gardening can deliver a $600 return on investment, according to the National Gardening Association.