Great Reasons to Start a Garden

With tough economic times and the rising cost of groceries, many folks are thinking about starting their first vegetable garden. It takes a large plot and a lot of work to significantly reduce the grocery bill.

Our fathers grew vegetables because they had no supermarkets. But they also grew them because he enjoyed the fresh taste of their home-grown vegetables.

Today's gardeners may have those and other reasons to have a garden.Organic gardening has taken off as more people think that chemicals used in farming are unsafe and want to be sure their own fresh produce is raised without pesticides, herbicides, and manufactured fertilizers.

Some gardeners value vegetables for their health value. Rather than buy produce that just looks good in the grocery. Commercial growers are limited to growing varieties of fruits and vegetables that have thick skins and a long shelf life at the expense of nutrition and taste.

There are numerous sources of "heirloom vegetables" vegetables that were grown in the past but have been superseded by more commercial varieties. Some are adapted to specific locations and climates. A number of companies have websites and catalogs with heirloom plants. There are also sites that swap seeds and exchange growing information.

Antioxidant gardening

A new trend is to grow garden plants that are richest in antioxidants, cancer fighting substances. Beans, peas, and peanuts are best. Here is a partial list:

• Vitamin C: cantaloupe and honeydew melons, strawberries, broccoli, asparagus, and bell peppers.
• Vitamin E: sunflower seeds and broccoli .
• Vitamin A: (beta carotene): carrots, potatoes, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables such as cantaloupe, squash; broccoli; sweet potatoes; and leafy greens.
• Selenium: onions and garlic.　

Gardening for health includes not only gardening for nutrition--it could also include gardening for the exercise and for the self esteem. Gardening is one of the most common hobbies in the world. It usually involves moderate to heavy exercise, especially stretching and lifting. Expect to spend two to five hours a week during the garden season.

Many people feel gardening expresses their creativity, skill, and get satisfaction from producing with their own hands something useful and sometimes beautiful.

Learn about nature

There is also the knowledge and awareness one can gain from learning about nature, nutrition, botany, the environment.... A garden that is well kept and integrated into the landscape can add value and be a good investment for a home or any piece of real estate. Add attractive fruit trees and grapevines and the garden becomes a long term asset.

Some gardeners find starting a vegetable (or flower garden) a great way to teach children. Many schools and even the First Lady Michele Obama have started a garden to encourage their children to learn by gardening.