There are many reasons why people want to use their garden more. Fresh air has so many health benefits and sitting outside can be incredibly relaxing. With the cost of living more expensive finding ways to cut costs has never been more important.
Growing your own vegetables is a great way to reduce costs, get outdoors and improve your health. If you are still not convinced, read on to find out why veggie growing should be your next project.
Better taste and freshness
If you have ever eaten homegrown vegetables then you will already know just how great they taste. Being able to monitor your own crop allows you to pick your vegetables at the peak of their ripeness, making them fresher and tastier.
Homegrown food is also packed full of nutrients. Store-bought produce may have fewer nutrients due to commercial farms picking for shipping rather than freshness.
Healthy eating
Having an abundance of fresh, healthy vegetables outside your backdoor means you can easily include them in your meals. A fresh summer salad is a thing of beauty, and it tastes even better knowing you have grown the ingredients yourself!
Pesticides are commonly used in vegetable growing but by cultivating plants yourself you can control their use. This ensures your food is organic and free from potentially harmful chemicals.
Cost savings
You may be worried about setting up your own vegetable garden. Whilst you will have to spend money to save on your weekly shop, small plants and seeds are relatively inexpensive. A single plant can yield a lot of produce, helping you to feel like it was money well spent.
If you are still nervous, start by choosing plants which are easy to grow. Purchasing tomato seeds or leafy greens will still give you a sense of achievement but won’t test your green thumb too much initially!
Environmental impact
For sustainably-minded families, finding new ways to cut your carbon footprint is great. If you look at the overall journey that your grocery shop does, especially for fresh fruits and veggies, then you would be shocked.
By growing your own food, you can cut down the carbon emissions from transportation, packaging production and chemical pollution. You can also embrace eco-friendly gardening practices such as composting and water conservation.
Mental and physical benefits
For years, health professionals have been encouraging people to spend time outdoors. Whilst going for a hike or wild swim makes some shudder, gardening is an easier way to get yourself out there.
Taking time to nurture plants has been shown to improve mental wellbeing by reducing stress and anxiety. Some proponents will also say it gives you a focus which allows your brain to switch off from other thoughts.
Gardening is also a fantastic way to get your body moving. You will be surprised at how much work weeding, planting and maintaining a garden is!
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