6 Advantages of Having Your Own Garden
Fruits and vegetables are part of a balanced, nutritious diet. One concern that has been raised over recent years is the availability of fresh food. Most of us rely on our local supermarket or natural food stores to supply those needs. Eating healthy is great, but it can be expensive and time-consuming.
If you have a large plot of land or a decent-sized backyard, you may want to start your own garden. There are things like lawn care, pest control, wildlife protection from deerfencing.com and other maintenance items to take care of, but growing your own food can definitely help you live a longer, healthier life.
With that in mind, here are 6 advantages to having your own garden:
1. Chemical-free fruits and vegetables
The produce that you grow in your garden is free of all the pesticides, preservatives and other chemicals that are found in most store-bought foods. If you are concerned about insects or roaming animals eating or harming the foods in your garden, there are a lot of great organic products that you can use without all of those harsh chemicals.
2. Fresh flavor
When you bite into a carrot, tomato or spinach leaf grown from your garden, you get a natural taste. Nothing artificial, and nothing sweetened or processed. While most fruits and vegetables grown in home gardens may not have as long of a shelf life as opposed to the ones in supermarkets, that’s because they are grown naturally. Genetic breeding can often compromise flavor.
3. Superior variety
You can grow almost any kind of fruit or vegetable in your garden. As long as you’re willing to put in the time and effort, the results can be very satisfying. You don’t need to search the local markets for specific produce items or wait for them to be shipped in from other locales. If it’s a specialty item that you can grow in your garden, you don’t have to wait to shop at your grocers only during certain times of the year when they are available, either. You can have that food anytime you want it!
4. Gardening is a good workout
While you may not realize it, all the time spent creating and maintaining your garden really puts your body through some very good, healthy physical activity every day. You’re building muscle and improving your heart health every time you plant crops, water your garden and pick ripe fruits and vegetables. Taking care of a healthy garden also helps you build a strong, lean body at the same time.
5. It’s a family activity
If you have family or friends living with you, they can participate in gardening every day along with you. Helping out can be part of your children’s chores. It’s a great way for children to learn about plants, fruits, vegetables and a lot more. You may have some days where you need a little extra help, so it’s great when friends and family members can pitch in. Gardening can often be a great social connection. You can even host a neighborhood garden party in your backyard.
6. Gardening saves money
While it may be more expensive initially to till your yard for your garden plot, buy seeds and the necessary gardening implements, you’re actually saving money in the long term in terms of food costs. You don’t need to run to the grocery store every week for fresh fruits and vegetables, hoping that they have what you need on hand. You can grow your own produce in whatever quantities you need. This saves money on food and fuel costs that you can put back into your gardening.
These are just a few helpful hints for establishing your home garden. There are more resources online, in books and at your local home improvement retailers and garden centers. Once you’ve started a home garden, you’ll hardly ever have to get produce anywhere else!
