The benefits of growing your own food

Growing vegetables and fruits in a home garden is the new norm. Owing to the ever-increasing price of groceries, many people prefer to grow food items in their backyards. Although backyard gardening can help you cut down your expenses, it isn’t the only benefit you’ll obtain.It gives you a sense of satisfaction, improves your health and protects the environment in many ways.

Health Benefits

A research conducted by Centre for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that foodborne illness causes 3,000 casualties every year in the US alone.The diseases spread due to a number of pathogens that contaminate food items. By growing food items in your own garden, you can stay safe from such diseases.

The use of chemical insecticides and pesticides is quite common in commercial farms. However, these chemicals are extremely harmful for your health. You can diagnose pesticide poisoning by various symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, abdominal pain, skin irritation and vomiting. You should rather use organic products in your garden that are cost-effective and do not pose any health risks.

Regular exercise is essential for your health. Around 150 minutes of aerobic exercises, every day keeps you fit. However, it isn’t easy to get time for exercise with your busy schedule. Working in your own garden is a healthy physical activity. Gardening tasks such as digging, cleaning, pruning and weeding will help you keep many health problems at bay.

Homegrown fruits and vegetables are not only good for your health, they are also more nutritious and have a better taste. Commercial farms use synthetic products to increase the yield. These chemical fertilizers affect the taste and quality of food. Moreover, vegetables and fruits are usually stored for days or even weeks before they are sold in retail market. Backyard gardening provides you with the opportunity of enjoying fresh food that is safe for you.

Environmental Impacts

By adopting organic practices, you can slow down the process of soil erosion. It occurs due to inefficient tillage or natural elements such as winds and water. Many gardeners use chemical fertilizers to increase the yield. However, these chemicals affect the health of soil in the long run.

Chemical fertilizers and pesticides also contaminate groundwater. Always use organic products in your garden in order to protect the major source of drinking water.

Not many people are aware that commercial crop farms consume a high percentage of energy, petroleum and other resources. By growing your own food in your garden, you can play your role in conserving resources and reducing pollution.

Food waste is a growing problem around the globe. Around 10 million tonnes of food go wasted every year in the UK. You’re less likely to throw fruits and vegetables from your garden when you know that you have worked hard for it.

You can visit a garden centre near you to purchase plants for your garden. Grow vegetables and fruits in your backyard that are sufficient for your needs. With Garden Centre Guide, it won’t take you long to find local garden centres and plant nurseries.