Would you like to have easy access to an abundance of fresh vegetables and herbs but still hesitate to start your own garden? We can only encourage you to get started! The benefits of gardening are numerous, and you don’t need large spaces or complicated equipment to maintain a small plot of land or a few potted plants. Growing your own vegetables is a great way to combine business with pleasure, and you will soon be rewarded with the fruits of your efforts.
1. To have access to fresh vegetables with an incomparable taste
As soon as you bite into your first vegetable, you will be convinced! There’s nothing like enjoying freshly picked, sun-ripened food. Growing your own vegetables is a great way to reconnect with the clean flavors of food. Unfortunately, between the transportation of vegetables, time spent in cold storage, and time spent on store shelves, the flavors and texture of store-bought vegetables can sometimes be bland or altered. With gardening, our plates can vary with the harvest, from spinach and lettuce in early summer to peas, then tomatoes and peppers later on.
2. For the pleasure of being able to eat organic easily
We don’t always know where the vegetables we buy come from or what treatments they have undergone. By growing your own greens, vegetables, and herbs, will be a thing of the past. You will be able to control the choice of products and fertilizers used, compatible with organic agriculture.
To find out which types of natural fertilizers and compost to use and the best time to apply them, ask an expert at your nearest garden center. They will be able to advise you on the most suitable products for your vegetable garden. You will appreciate having access to organic vegetables even more if you grow plants on the Dirty Dozen list of the 12 most pesticide-contaminated plants, including spinach, tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries.
3. Because gardening is within everyone’s reach
It is a common misconception that you need a large, sunny yard to have a vegetable garden at home. But a simple windowsill or balcony, with a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, is sufficient. The same is true for the equipment you need to buy. The only thing you should not skimp on is the quality of the soil that is the basis of your culture.
For the rest, you can bring along some very practical tools, such as secateurs, a small rake, or stakes. There are also several types of pots and tubs that allow you to maximize the cultivation of plants in small spaces. You can turn your balcony into an urban jungle! If you don’t know where to start, go to a garden center where you will find everything under one roof, from seeds to accessories to plants. You can also ask a professional for advice.
4. Save money on the grocery bill
The rising cost of groceries is a topic that affects everyone right now. The good news is that growing your own vegetables and herbs can save you a lot of money. Of course, there is a certain cost for accessories and plants, but it will quickly pay for itself, especially if you use the tools over several years. Instead of buying basil, parsley, lettuce, or edible flower plants several times at the grocery store, you can simply harvest your own at home with only the purchase of a bag of seeds or a small plant.
And if the harvest is good, you can also dry or freeze your vegetables and herbs to have them during the winter. Another way to save money is to plant perennial vegetable plants. This type of plant will grow back year after year without having to do anything or pay anything. Perennials available at garden centers include rhubarb, mint, and chives.
5. To have access to a wider variety of vegetables and herbs
Have you noticed that the same varieties of peppers or tomatoes are often found on grocery store shelves? Not to mention the difficulty of finding edible shoots or flowers! It’s a shame when so many varieties of all colors and shapes exist. By growing your vegetables, you can vary your selection to include pear tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, colorful hot peppers such as sangria peppers, or different edible flowers to decorate your plates.
Sound off in the comments section below, and tell us what you want to read next and if you want to read more about gardening.
1 thought on “Top 5 Reasons To Start Gardening”