The Benefits Of Growing Your Own

Posted by Deborah Read on Monday 6 February 2012 in Home and Garden

In a world where everyone wants convenience- whether that’s quick and easy meals to using their mobile phone to surf the net, why are people deciding to grow their own vegetables? Why go to all that effort when you can buy veggies at the local supermarket?

The first hurdle people face when thinking of growing vegetables is that it’s going to be complicated and hard. It isn’t. Its more effort than doing your weekly shop, but its also much more rewarding. Start with something simple and common such as the carrot. All you need is soil, a seed and water and they’ll do the rest of the hard work. Keep an eye out for slugs and snails and make sure you water it enough and hey presto, Carrots are produced.

Growing your own vegetables is actually cheaper in the long run. You have the initial costs of buying equipment and seeds, but after that all you have to do is buy a pack of seeds every once in a while. Bought vegetables have higher prices as the farmer has to be paid, the produce has to be prepared and then transported to the supermarket, whilst they also need to make a profit on it.

Another positive for growing your own vegetables is your health. Not only does growing vegetables make you more physically fit as you’re weeding, planting and generally moving around outside but growing vegetables is also great for your mental health. You’re looking after something, helping it to grow and there’s something remarkably enjoyable about watching something that you have planted develop.

An obstacle to growing your own vegetables is space. Many people may not have a garden where they can grow vegetables and waiting lists for allotments are through the roof! However, growing vegetables needs less space than you think, with some people growing them in windowsill tubs and hanging baskets, whilst some stores offer potato or tomato pouches, which include seeds, containers and soil which are just hung up outside the home.

Children get a real boost from growing their own vegetables. They learn where their vegetables and food comes from and how to grow it. It’s great for children who are fussier with what they eat as they are more inclined to eat something that they have helped to grow and prepare. Plus, you can let them decide what to plant and grow next, giving them even more incentive to eat it.

Many people will tell new growers that the vegetables they produced are actually a lot tastier than ones from the supermarket. There are a lot of variables which will determine how vegetables taste, from the soil grown in to the amounts of sunlight. No matter what your conditions though, your vegetables will have much more taste than supermarket bought ones, so you’ll never go back!

Growing your own vegetables also ensures that you’re more environmentally friendly. By growing your own vegetables you’re not using pesticides, you’re not transporting your vegetables to other countries or to the other end of the country. You’re also not using, or using less pesticides so your veggies are better for you too. Plus, there’s less waste. Anything you’re not using you’re putting onto your compost heap or your giving away to others.

Finally, one of the best things about growing vegetables are you’re always assured that you’re eating the freshest produce around.

Hopefully these points have convinced you that growing your own vegetables is one of the most wholesome experiences you can have, it being good for your body, mind and health, as well as being fun and educational for the family.