Organic gardening is a popular way to grow food these days. And there are very good reasons. There are many benefits of growing food in an organic way that make it a powerful alternative to buying supermarket vegetables or growing your own using traditional methods with chemicals.
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A Healthier Way to Go
While there is pretty much nothing wrong with the vast majority of store vegetables, they are mostly sprayed with chemicals. Even organic vegetables in supermarkets can be treated with chemicals to preserve shelf life. Growing your own organic foods is much healthier since you have full control over how they are cultivated. You can use lawn care coupons to save money while getting your garden ready for growing your own food. So get your green thumb out!
Organic Food Gardening for the Environment
In the UK, around 29% of people state that they prefer organic food. Obviously, the nutrients and taste are the top reasons. However, organic goods are much better for the environment:
- Healthier soil can be cultivated through various methods of organic gardening.
- Organic gardening relies on using natural products and not relying on toxic pesticides.
- Not using chemicals and promoting healthier methods reduced the harm to animals.
With organic crops, your produce is prepared and cultivated using sustainable methods. In addition, the reliance on natural growing methods ensures other plants and animals are safe.
Promoting Biodiversity
Crops that grow together go together! This means there are some that pair up very well, and you can grow them next to each other. This is beneficial for each plant and helps you decide which crops to use as ingredients in dishes. However, a rich and diverse crop also encourages specific wildlife, from the smallest bugs to woodland creatures like deer. All can come together in the food chain, offering benefits such as natural pest deterrents and fertilizing your crops.
Holistic Sustainability
One of the main reasons people enjoy organic gardening is that it is a very sustainable way to grow vegetables. When you learn to grow food organically, you also learn to waste nothing. For example, seeds can be re-sown, plants can be used as mulch, and pallets can be used for growing root vegetables. There are also plants with bendy stems that you can use to decorate the edges of patches, and these can guide runners, such as beans, and decay as compost.
Organic Food Gardening for Food Security
Around 13.5% or 47.4 million Americans have experienced food insecurity recently. The main reason is that the cost of food has increased sharply. With some land, pallets, or grow boxes, you can grow your own food fairly easily and ensure you always have something to eat.
Learning to garden seasonally
Growing food seasonally is a fundamental part of gardening organic food. Some plants can be grown indoors, but you will get the best from nature by planting and harvesting as intended.
An abundant harvest
When you grow your own food, it is surprising how much you harvest. You can dry some plants for use later, such as herbs, make preserves, or share or sell what you have harvested.
Reducing the cost of food
Of course, growing your own food means you spend less at the store. This means you get most of what you need for free, which will directly result in lower food bills when you visit the store.
If you are looking to save money on your food bills, then growing organic food is pretty much the best option. Even if you grow a few vegetables and herbs, that’s money you can use for something else. However, it also means you learn to feed yourself without worrying about food!
Building Stronger Communities
People love to garden, and they especially love growing food. There is a considerable amount of satisfaction in tending a garden and reaping the tasty rewards. This is a skill that you can learn, young or old, and use throughout your life. If you have land, allowing people to tend crops as a community can be a rewarding experience. A community-growing project has the potential to teach underrepresented groups skills and address mental health issues and social problems.
Reconnecting with Nature
Our reliance on external systems to provide what we need has reached a pinnacle. Almost everyone needs to go to the supermarket to support their families, and we have disconnected from nature in a vital way. Gardening and growing food is a powerful way of reconnecting with nature in a meaningful rather than passive way. Working the soil, being mindful of the environmental impact, and bringing communities together are extremely rewarding experiences.
Saving Money with Organic Food Gardening
Between 2022 and 2024, the cost of food rose by 25%. Most people are feeling the pinch of food prices today. There is a need to save money on food as energy bills also rise:
- When organic gardening, the only costs you have are seeds, fertilizer, and time.
- You can grow certain greens, such as leafy herbs, all year round and for free.
- Green manure like ryegrass can be grown all year round and used to protect your crops.
Starting off small will allow you to learn the basic skills needed for organic gardening. Herbs are recommended. From there, you can grow your patch to include the crops you buy the most.
Simply Tastier Food
Organic food relies on natural methods to grow. This means you don’t use synthetic pesticides or preservative chemicals. Supermarket vegetables are stored in nitrogen tanks and sprayed with chemicals such as Apeeland, which can be up to three years old! What do you think this does to flavor? Growing your own organic food means no flavor is lost, and all the nutrients are preserved. Even if it’s just to make your food taste better, organic produce is well worth it.
Summary
Your crops are much healthier when you learn organic food gardening. Growing your own food means you rely less on stores and more on yourself, reducing your food bills. Of course, fresh and organic food comes straight from soil to plate and therefore has a stronger flavor profile.
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Whether she is researching the latest trends in home decor, life-changing destination getaways, or the best way to maintain your finances, Dewey takes pride in leaving no stone unturned. She is passionate about distilling and delivering high-quality information that you can use to upgrade your life.
