There are plenty of excuses for not starting a garden… however, there are many more good reasons to just go out and start one anyway.
You don’t have a big plot of land. Actually, you don’t need any land, you can plant a garden in pots. Don’t like the feel of dirt? It’s actually healthy for you, but if that is hindering you from starting your garden, wear gloves. Don’t think you have a green thumb? How will know if you don’t try?
There are so many benefits to having a garden. The fresh air and sunshine, working with your hands and working your mind and body… and that’s just for starters. Who would have thought that playing in the dirt could be this healthy?
Once you get started with your planting, weeding, and picking, you will get lost in your garden and you will reap the fruits of your labor. You may be surprised at just how rewarding you find it.
The following are five reasons that you should start a garden.
Reduce stress
Gardening not only reduces stress, it may help lower your blood pressure and fight against depression. A study done in the Netherlands found that gardening put subjects in a positive mood and kept them in that mood. Also, research done by Dr. Christopher Lowry found that contact with the micro-organisms in the dirt can help lift the spirits, as well.
Improve your health
Growing your own fruits and vegetables is a great way to eat healthier. They taste better when they’re home grown, and they are better for you than store bought. They haven’t been frozen for them to be shipped across the country, and there are no pesticides sprayed on them.
Plus you’re outside enjoying the fresh air and sunshine, and not only is having your own garden healthier for your insides, it can help your outsides, too. A study by Dr. Lori Turner at Arkansas University showed that, “women over 50 who garden at least once a week, have a higher bone density reading than women who take part in almost any other form of exercise.”
Stay in touch with nature
When you plant your garden, you will have to know what to plant and when, which means you’ll be more in touch with the seasons. What vegetable works well with another and at what temperatures do they grow best? Are they getting too much sun? Not enough? These are questions you will learn the answers to, through experience.
The best part is watching your seeds grow into full-sized plants. Nature working at it’s best. Your garden will keep you in touch with what’s going on around you.
Save money
With fruit and vegetable prices rocketing sky high, growing your own vegetable garden is the smart way to save money. According to estimates by Burpee Seed Co, for every 50 dollars a family puts towards gardening supplies and seeds, they will produce an estimated 1,250 dollars of food.
Have fun!
It’s fun to grow your own garden. If you would like you can play in the dirt, and dig for worms. Be as creative with it as you would like. Plant what you want , where you want it. Add some fun decor, maybe a garden flag, some pretty stones, or maybe even a garden gnome. Play, have fun, and make it your own.
So, get outside and grab your shovel and start digging. It doesn’t have to be an enormous garden – you can start out slow and experiment with different plants to see what works best for you. As you understand the different plants and their needs, you can expand your garden and through time, and watch it grow, in so many ways.
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://smartliving365.com/seven-surefire-reasons-why-everyone-should-start-a-garden
http://www.moneycrashers.com/how-to-save-money-with-a-home-garden
