Fruit and vegetable gardening are trends that have held popularity for many years, with a recent resurgence since the pandemic in 2020.
Indeed, many people grew their own foods before that time. But out of the coronavirus pandemic arose a rekindling of human interest in fruit and vegetable gardening.
Let’s dig into some compelling reasons to give growing a garden a try for yourself.
Five Excellent Reasons to Try Vegetable Gardening
Do you have the space for a garden? If so, here are some reasons you might wish to join this trend.
1 – Increase your family’s self-sufficiency
The coronavirus epidemic revealed to us the fragile ecosystem that is the supply chain. Weeks on end, families were unable to purchase such staples as toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, meats, and even certain fruits and vegetables.
The spread of the virus, stay home orders, employee shortages all caused sporadic availability of food and household supplies.
Many consumers took away a cautionary tale in self-sufficiency and a determination to lighten their dependency on food manufacturers. Of course, one cannot manufacture paper goods.
But one can look at how they can lessen their reliance—and one such way is vegetable gardening. You will grow foods you can eat right away, and you can freeze, can, or dehydrate items for use during the off-season.
There’s nothing more satisfying than eating delicious sweet potatoes, strawberries, or yellow corn from your freezer during the middle of winter!
2 – Soak in the sun (and Vitamin D!)
A January of 2021 report sounds the alarm on a global shortage of another kind—the lack of Vitamin D. In fact, approximately fifty percent of people in the world lack this essential nutrient.
Vitamin D deficiency might lead to the following conditions, according to the Cleveland Clinic:
- Hypertension
- Weakening bones
- Cardiovascular disease
- Multiple sclerosis
That sounds scary, but you will see the silver lining here. The same report explains that spending 15 to 20 minutes of time in the sunshine can correct that problem.
So you see, vegetable gardening puts you outdoors to soak up the sunshine—and the Vitamin D your body needs.
3 – Increase your exercise by vegetable gardening
Another outcome of the pandemic is increased “couch potato time.” During lockdowns, many people sat indoors watching Netflix instead of jetting about their daily routine and getting in a minimal amount of exercise.
However, that downtime cause many memes to go about on social media talking about their “pandemic pounds.”
Whether your gym is currently reopened or not (many closed permanently, sadly), getting outside and doing tasks while vegetable gardening can help you get off the couch, once and for all!
You’ll chalk up some extra steps on your fitness tracker. Plus, you’ll bend, stretch, carry heavy baskets of foods, and get a moderate amount of activity. And anything is better than sitting on your duff for another binge-watching session.
4 – Enjoy healthier eating
In addition to increasing your activity level, you will also literally reap the harvest you grow. This means that you will have home-grown and fresh veggies, fruits, and herbs to cook yourself some healthier dining options.
Think of fresh tomato salsa, zesty marinara, fat stuffed peppers, or plump and juicy strawberries for desert.
Combine the extra exercise with these healthy cooking ingredients, and you will one step closer to achieving your pre-pandemic physique. After all, you can’t wear sweatpants forever!
5 – Learn new skills for a healthy brain
Cognitive disorders and diseases like Alzheimer’s affect many older adults.
The National Institute on Aging explains that training the brain is a significant factor in keeping your brain healthier, for longer. Thus, one of the best ways to prevent cognitive decline is by committing to learning new skills throughout life.
As you learn about vegetable gardening, you will begin to read up on new techniques, plan additional garden spaces, compose lists, and engage in other cognitive activities that will keep your brain engaged in the thinking process.
Additionally, you will likely try to understand and implement related skills—like cooking new recipes with your bounty or learning how to dehydrate the extra foods you grow.
Expanding your knowledge is always a wise choice to give your brain the workout it deserves.
The Bottom Line on Vegetable Gardening:
Vegetable gardening can improve your life. You will feel healthier, become more self-sufficient, and grow your skillset. And all of these factors lead to a more satisfying life and peace of mind.
