What is Organic Gardening?
Many gardeners wonder what exactly organic gardening means. When you garden organically, you think of your plants and garden as part of a whole system within nature that starts in the soil and includes the water supply, people, wildlife and even insects. An organic gardener strives to work in harmony with nature, to minimize and replenish resources the garden consumes. Organic gardeners do not use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides in their gardens.
Why Should I Grow My Own Garden?
There are several good reasons to grow your own garden. Let's break it down:
- It's healthier for you. You know where the fruits and vegetables are coming from, you know you have grown them without chemicals or pesticides and they are fresh out of your own backyard!
- Freshness. Who knows how long and what road trip those tomatoes in the grocery store took to get where they are today. If you grow your own, you will always know where those little guys came from.
- Pride in growing your own garden. You get so much satisfaction from growing your own food. It takes time and work, but in the end it is so worth it. There is nothing like the taste of home grown fruits and veggies.
- Horticultural therapy. The therapeutic benefits of peaceful garden environments have been understood since ancient times. It is recognized as a practical and viable treatment with wide-ranging benefits for people in therapeutic, vocational, and wellness programs.
- Save money. For a minimal investment, your garden could produce $700-$800 worth of food. That means money not spent at the grocery store.
- Produce that you grow and don't consume, you can store, freeze or can so you are saving money year round, not just during the growing season.
With all these reasons, why wouldn't you grow your own garden?
