Many people associate the garden with shrubs and ornamental plants. Few people see much more possibilities related to the use of the garden. Your own garden is not only a place to relax but also a space that can be used for the cultivation of edible plants! Why is it worth self-growing vegetables?
It’s no secret that the food in our stores is often packed with chemicals. Everyone around you says “read the labels”. Vegetables and fruits usually do not have them. Have you ever wondered what the label of e.g. carrots would look like, taking into account all the spraying it was subjected to? I am not saying that supermarket vegetables and fruits are bad. If you don’t have access to others, it’s better to eat supermarket ones than none at all!
Nowadays the fashion for eco-vegetables or eco-growing for your own needs is really growing. Everyone would like to know what they eat and eat more healthily. In addition, with the current pace of life, self-growing vegetables in the garden can really help you to slow down.
Today, shops and garden centers offer ready-made installations for growing vegetables at home, e.g. crates, and raised vegetable gardens with instructions for growing individual plants. So it’s not that hard at all these days. You can even get ready-made for you plug mini plants.
Effect of vegetables on our body
Why should we focus on vegetables in our diet? Because we know how great an impact they have on health, limiting the development of dangerous diseases, fitness, and maintaining a slim figure. There is no need to convince anyone that the consumption of vegetables (but also fruits and herbs) significantly affect:
- preventing the formation of cancer cells
- lowering the level of bad cholesterol in the blood
- increasing the body’s resistance
- regulating digestive processes
- stabilization of the intestinal flora
- facilitating falling asleep and improving concentration
- resistance to stress
- maintaining a healthy oral flora and strengthening the gums
- uric acid dissolution
- maintaining a slim figure! BONUS!
What to sow and plant
Regardless of whether vegetables are to be grown at home on the windowsill, in a pot, box, or garden, we are most often looking for varieties of vegetables and herbs that are easy to grow, and also good-looking, valuable, and tasty. Not without significance is also the current fashion and the usefulness of individual species and varieties in the kitchen – e.g. for salads or other dishes. Which groups and species of vegetables and spice plants (including herbs) are in demand today?
The most popular vegetables for your plot
The owners of gardens and plots most often veggies are easy to grow species, such as tomatoes (mainly Cherry-type cocktail varieties), zucchini (e.g. Atena F1, Astra F1 varieties), green beans (e.g. Syrenka, Korona, Muza, Ibiza varieties), pumpkin (e.g. Hokkaido, Justynka F1), beetroot (e.g. Lucullus), pea (e.g. Kaskada, Jantar), kohlrabi (e.g. Gabi, Gigant), radish (e.g. Carmen, Krasa, Silesia), pickled cucumber ( I do them every single year. You can find very easy the recipe in this post!) )
Leaf vegetables
Leaf vegetables are a group of self-growing vegetables that are one of the easiest to grow! Some of them are well well-known (even from store shelves) species such as lamb’s lettuce, arugula (or rocket), common spinach, mustard spinach, butter lettuce (common, best known for lettuce), Romaine lettuce (even mini varieties – suitable for growing in boxes, on balconies, in small gardens), garden cress (very tasty and healthy sprouts, for growing in the garden and in containers), kale (my favorite type of green vegetable and easy to grow!).
Your “flavor” self-growing vegetables
This group includes varieties that are easy to care for and useful in the kitchen, such as parsley (e.g. varieties Astra, Festival, Fiesta), chives (e.g. Volcano), garlic chives (or Chinese chives), dill (e.g. Amat), chervil (similar to parsley, enriches the taste and aroma of dishes, has valuable health properties), spring onion, hot or semi-hot peppers (e.g. Orkan, Turbo, Rokita – for cultivation on the plot and in containers!), sweet pepper (preferably varieties adapted to our climate – e.g. Roberta), also many other popular herbs like coriander, basil, marjoram, mint, lemon balm, lovage, thyme, rosemary, oregano.
Self-growing vegetables
Self-growing vegetables and fruits is an opportunity to obtain the best and healthiest crops. Anyone who has their own vegetables in the garden will also admit that their taste is much better than the products purchased in the supermarket or even at the market.
In addition, when growing vegetables from seeds on your own, you have full influence on what fertilizers or plant protection products will be used during cultivation. A great advantage is also the possibility to choose your favorite variety that meets our requirements in terms of taste and aesthetic qualities. It is also an opportunity to obtain expensive and hard-to-reach vegetables at a relatively low cost.
Regardless of which species we choose, always find out what their soil and position requirements are before planting them. When growing edible plants, remember to use only natural (organic) fertilizers!
BONUS benefits of growing vegetables
Besides the obvious health benefits of self-growing vegetables working in the garden relaxes, reduces stress, and is a great way to spend your free time. On the other hand, the harvest of self-grown vegetables brings great satisfaction.
Want to relax after a long day’s work? Instead of sitting in front of the TV, spend some time in the company of plants. Scientists have proven that contact with nature has a positive effect on the human body. Greenery soothes and plants stimulate all our senses. Being among plants allows you to find a disturbed balance, e.g. by information overload or noise. There is even a special type of therapy – hortitherapy, i.e. horticulture. Contact with nature and movement in the fresh air improves well-being, promotes deep breathing, and working with plants allows you to calm your mind and achieve a state of relaxation. There is one more advantage of having your own edible garden – delicious and healthy vegetables!
Garden, balcony, or maybe a windowsill?
If you have the opportunity to grow even a small amount for your own use – it’s worth a try. No matter where you live – you can turn your balcony, terrace, or lawn, into a vegetable garden. You can also use the community garden!
Community gardens
We know that not everyone has the luxury of having their own garden. It might seem difficult, especially in a big city. There is a solution to this – community vegetable gardens. These are public gardens where anyone interested can come and work outdoors on growing vegetables or fruits. A list of such places in various cities in Ireland can be found on this website.
Balcony or terrace
Growing vegetables on your own balcony or terrace is a solution that most can easily implement. As it turns out, it’s not difficult at all. You have to remember to provide the plants with the right size of the pot, access to light, and regular watering.
Vegetables and fruits that grow well on the balcony:
- different varieties of lettuce
- radishes
- chives, parsley, coriander, dill
- onion
- pepper
- tomatoes
- cucumber
- carrots
- beetroot
- beans
- peas
- zucchini,
- potatoes!
Below you can find some inspiration! :
Summary
The advantages of growing your own vegetables are undeniable. Whether you’re looking for ways to save money and, or you’d like to connect with nature, a home garden could be your simple answer. By picking vegetables from our own cultivation, we know where they come from and in what conditions they were grown. Thanks to our own crops, we have fresh and healthy vegetables at hand all the time and we can collect the amount we need at any given time.
As you know now you don’t need a lot of outdoor space to grow your own food, an empty windowsill, or something in between and you can call yourself a food grower! Remember, you can maximize small spaces with vertical gardening or set up a hydroponic system and grow your own food and you can grow herbs year-round!
Gardening is a rewarding and eco-friendly hobby that’s perfect for the whole family. With a bit of knowledge and patience, you’ll reap the benefits. You may even see a little tinge of green on those thumbs!
Whatever your motivation for breaking ground on your own backyard garden, chances are good that you’ll take pleasure in this new healthy hobby, and that your wallet, the environment, your body and your taste buds will thank you.
IF YOU HAVE PINTEREST YOU CAN FIND ME HERE AND PIN THE BELOW PICTURE IF YOU LIKE 😁
