Growing your own vegetables has a ton of benefits. A home-grown garden can:
- potentially save you money on groceries
- give you access to healthy, high quality food
- increase confidence in the food you are eating because you know the source
Gardening has the added advantages of reducing stress and contributing towards your exercise.
I bet starting your own vegetable garden is sounding pretty good right about now. But, before you picture yourself collecting a basket full of veggies from your backyard, here are some things to consider first.
5 Things People Forget When Growing Vegetables
Location, location, location
Select a good location to plant your vegetables. Most varieties need full sun and soil that drains well. Place your garden close to a water source either within reach of a hose or a pipe. It won’t be much fun lugging buckets of water a long distance to your garden.
Unless you will be growing your vegetables in a controlled environment, you must consider the climate of your physical location. For instance, I live in a country that is warm year round so plants that require cooler temperatures may have to be grown in a shady area versus those that love the heat. If you live in a state or country with changing seasons, you will need to consider the optimal time to plant the vegetables you want to grow.
Choose Wisely
Select vegetables that you and your family love. It doesn’t make sense spending money or time growing a garden and then the produce is not enjoyed.
Choose vegetables with a long shelf life and ones that are easily preserved. It would be quite upsetting to grow a garden that yields plenty of vegetables only to watch them rot. Butternut squash, sweet potatoes and onions can be stored for long periods of time.
Extend the life of your produce through canning and freezing so you can enjoy your veggies long after they have been reaped. Beans, beets and corn can be preserved using these methods.
Grow vegetables that are expensive to buy at your grocery store and the ones you eat most often so you get the biggest bang for your buck. Vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and potatoes can be great investments.
Don’t purchase vegetables that require a lot of space if you don’t have it available.
Plan ahead
Keeping costs low while producing a successful garden will require a little creativity. Consider the following:
- Store rainwater for use in your garden to avoid increasing your water bill
- Recycle containers and tyres to grow plants
- Start a compost heap to decrease the need for fertilizer
- Research methods to reduce pests other than pesticides
Bigger isn’t always better
Gardening can be a bit overwhelming especially if you are a beginner. Your vegetable garden will require watering, fertilization and weeding. Not to mention, some plants are a bit tricky to work with e.g. celery.
Limit your garden to a small area and stick to a few varieties of plants. As you become more experienced, you can expand the number of crops and the size of your garden.
Motivation
Do you even like gardening? Will you have the motivation to keep it going?
I’m speaking from experience here. I wanted to start growing my own vegetables at home. I excitedly got everything I needed, planted my seedlings and for the first few weeks, watched them grow. Very quickly, I grew disinterested. Weeds overrun my garden and eventually my plants died. That was money and time wasted all because I really don’t enjoy gardening.
As I mentioned before, your garden will require a lot of work. If you need a little push to keep it going, get others involved. Growing vegetables is a great family activity and can encourage your kids to eat more greens. Before you dive in, head first, make sure you actually want to maintain a garden.
Starting a small herb garden in a single pot is a great way to test yourself. If you find you enjoy the process, you may be ready to take the next step.
Cultivating vegetables can be quite rewarding and can lead to a healthier you in the long run. Just be sure to keep these five things in mind before you start the process of growing your own.