Gardening is not only a hobby that you do in your leisure time but it has health and environmental advantages. The fresh supply of vegetables for your kitchen is not a dream.
You can grow your vegetable garden for fresh produce. Due to your vegetable garden, there is no need to go outside and buy vegetables.
Most people think that when plenty of vegetables, fruits, and other edible items are available in the supermarket then why get yourself into trouble growing your vegetable garden?
The vegetables you buy from the supermarket seem to be healthy but in reality, they are nutritious at a lower price than homegrown vegetables.
New research says that modern agriculture methods stripped most of the new years from the soil. Establishing your vegetable garden is not a big task if you want to eat nutritious food.
In this article, we are going to discuss with you why vegetable gardening is important, then we will tell you the benefits of a vegetable garden. Lastly, we will share some tips with you about starting a vegetable garden.
Why Is Vegetable Gardening Important?
It’s a great idea that you have your vegetable garden. You have complete control over the use of chemicals in the homegrown food.
Commercially grown vegetables and fruits have traces of inorganic fertilizers that contain chemicals. When you grow vegetables under your supervision then you never use chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
For amending soil you can use organic materials such as compost and well-aged manure. Whenever you need to, you will go to the vegetable garden and pick the desired fresh vegetable.
On the other hand, the vegetables and fruits that you bought from the store were picked several days or weeks before being sold.
Importance Of Gardening For The Environment
The incentive of vegetable gardens is more than producing food. By growing your edible items at home you will join the food revolution and perform your part against the climatic changes that occur due to industrial growth.
Vegetables you buy from the supermarket are transported by burning fuel which also affects the climate. Gardens also provide habitat to different insects that are beneficial for plants as they play an important role in pollination.
Importance Of Gardening For Society
As you know, physical activity improves your mental health. Spending time in your vegetable garden refreshes your mood and releases your anxiety.
It will also boost your creativity and you will start thinking in a new way. Patients with anxiety, depression, and stress are advised to start getting interested in gardening to recover.
The behavior of kids starts changing when they participate in gardening activities. They will become more organized and less aggressive. They also develop their social skills.
Benefits Of Vegetable Gardening
Gardening is not merely a hobby but it has many benefits. This activity is very relaxing and stress-relieving for your mental health. A family will join together to care for the plants.
The relationship between all the family members will be improved when they participate in the same activity. It is a kind of moderate outdoor exercise.
EASY ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD
Fresh and healthy vegetables are in your access when you grow them at home. Store-bought vegetables are not fresh and healthy so can’t provide you with all the nutrients that are needed by your body.
The vegetables you pick with your hands are healthier than industrial-grown food that is matured in cooling containers. As you are not using pesticides in your vegetable garden so there are no chemicals in your food.
This is the main plus point of a home vegetable garden. When your food is back with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants then cells will be protected from different diseases.
After harvesting your food you can cook it at once, which is not possible when you buy vegetables from the supermarket. The period between harvesting and eating will be shorter and it will increase the nutritious value.
SAVES MONEY
Buying vegetables from stores can be expensive and affect your pocket. A little hard work and your precious time will provide fresh vegetables without spending.
You are thinking that establishing a vegetable garden will also cost. Yes, it is true but when you become an experienced gardener then you will see the cost you spend on growing vegetables will be less than the vegetables you buy from the store.
If you are on the mission of saving money then you can get the entire season’s worth of vegetables after spending a small amount of money in buying some seeds, soil, and a few containers. Container vegetable gardening is preferred when you don’t have proper space for growing.
CONNECTION TO NATURE
Gardening connects you with nature. Colorful flowers and green plants soothe your eyes. Your garden will become a cozy hangout area when you grow your favorite flowers and vegetables in it.
You will be involved in the growing process of vegetables when you interact with them. You will feel a profound sense of satisfaction when you harvest with your hand and consume the vegetables.
This process will give you a deeper understanding of nature and you will know the complete cycle of growth.
PHYSICAL HEALTHY ACTIVITY
Gardening is a tough job and if you indulge yourself in it then you have to spend hours establishing a vegetable garden. You can easily burn your calories by working hard in your garden.
There is no need to go to the gym and work out. You can work in your vegetable garden and you will not only stay healthy but also grow healthy and fresh vegetables. Cardiac health and immune system will improve due to physical activity in vegetable gardens.
STRESS RELIEF
Gardening will make your mind and mood fresh. Regular exercise will relieve your stress, anxiety, and depression. Gardening is a healthy workout that boosts your energy and makes you feel good.
It is proven that working for half an hour in the garden will reduce the stress hormone cortisol.
MORE SUNLIGHT
Your body will receive more sunlight when you work in your vegetable garden. Your body will produce the hormone melatonin in the sunlight which is helpful to set biological clocks in your body and improve sleeping patterns.
Vitamin D deficiency is also due to not getting enough sun exposure. This deficiency will also be fulfilled when you take part in gardening activity.
SOCIALIZATION
When you involve kids in gardening then they will learn socialization. They will love to eat the food they have grown by themselves. Becoming responsible at an early age is a good thing.
When they take care of plants they learn they know how their parents are raising them. They also come to know how much effort goes into growing vegetables and making something good enough to sell.
ADVANTAGES OF URBAN GARDENING
Urban life is not easy as it is very busy and you don’t have fresh air to breathe. Planting your vegetable garden makes your environment cleaner. Noise pollution is another big problem in the big cities.
Noise level is reduced due to gardening and improved mental health. Less stress makes you happier and makes life more energetic.
ADVANTAGES OF ROOFTOP GARDENING
If you don’t have space then you can start a vegetable garden on your rooftop gardening. It will add beauty to your home and protect it from rain damage.
You can easily maintain a vegetable garden on the rooftop. There is no need for special equipment or school for establishing a vegetable garden on your rooftop. To start a vegetable garden doesn’t mean a special growing area.
You can also start it with some pots, seeds or young plants, and soil on your rooftop. You can feed them with regular fertilizing and one thing you should remember is that the location must be sunny so your plants receive at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight.
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Tips To Start Vegetable Garden
It is a great idea to have a vegetable garden because you will get fresh vegetables whenever you want. You should select those edible plants that have herbal and medicinal values. For a successful vegetable garden, you have to consider certain factors.
START SMALL
At the start, the vegetable garden should be small so you will not face any difficulty. If your garden is small you can easily take care of it. There is no need to grow everything in your garden.
You should select those plants that need little care and maintenance. Such plants can easily handle and you will get higher yields effortlessly.
GET SOME HELP
If you don’t have any experience in gardening then you should ask your friend circle or relatives or neighbours who already have a productive vegetable garden.
They will guide and help you in starting a new vegetable garden. You can also ask a local nursery or gardening store for guidance. Some professional garden companies provide full services regarding establishing a successful vegetable garden.
When you contact them they will come to your home and visit your vegetable garden. They will inspect your plants and guide you about how to take care of your plants.
LOCATION
The location of your vegetable garden is very important
You must choose a place for your growing area where your plants will receive 6 to 8 hours of sunlight and be protected from harsh weather.
You can’t compromise on the location because this factor affects a lot in the growth of vegetable plants. If you are growing your plants in planters or containers then you can easily move them from one place to another place according to the sunlight.
If you are growing your plants in the ground then you should be very selective about location.
GROW YOUR FAVOURITE VEGETABLE PLANTS
Never grow those vegetables you don’t like. For instance, if you don’t like peppers then you should not grow them. Always prefer those vegetables that you and your family love to eat.
START GROWING SEASON IN SPRING
The best time to start the growing season is in spring. This is the ideal time of the year for sowing seeds after frost. If you are a beginner and don’t know about how to start vegetable gardening then you can buy young plants from any local nursery and transplant them in your garden.
REGULAR EXAMINATION AND OBSERVATION
After planting your plants the next step is regular examination of them. Plants are living beings. They need your care and time. You have to spend time with them so they thrive well.
If you discover the problem on time then you can do something to prevent your plants. Keep an eye on weeds; they are unwanted plants that steal nutrients from the soil. Pests are tiny monsters, it’s not easy to deal with them.
SANITATION
Keep your garden clean if you find dead plants, leaves and other trash then discard them. Dirt attracts pests and insects. You should focus on cleaning your garden then they will not find any space to grow their population.
