Imagine a farm with abundant fresh produce that you can get all year long. Imagine how much you’ll get to save up on harvesting, preparing, and cooking your own vegetables instead of having to buy them at the supermarket.
Another benefit of having your own vegetables and produce is that you’re sure it’s pesticide-free. Nowadays, there are lots of chemicals that are sprayed on certain plants to keep pests and certain diseases away from them. Although these chemicals work, they can be toxic when ingested by humans.
Those who grow their own self-sustained garden aren’t imagining such things as they’re constantly reaping the benefits of these home gardens. Not only will you save more, you’ll also add natural beauty to your home. Who wouldn’t want a healthy garden growing near their house? Now that you know some benefits of having a garden at home, what do you plant in that garden of yours? Below are some of the best examples on what to grow:
Potato
Almost everyone knows what a potato is. If there would be celebrities for root crops, then potato would surely be one of them. Planting potatoes requires a high amount of sunlight, cultivated soil, and plenty of water to grow. However, all of these requirements pale in comparison to the rewards you’ll reap when you harvest potatoes.
Carrot
Another well-known root crop is the carrot. This root vegetable is known for being healthy. Carrots contain vitamins such as B6, A, and C and other minerals that the human body needs. Aside from that, carrots are known for being versatile when it comes to food. Just like the potato, carrots can be prepared and cooked into almost anything you want. From plain carrot sticks to carrot cakes and carrot juice, you name it, a carrot has it.
Cabbage
When it comes to green leafy vegetables, cabbages are always on the top list. These vegetables are well loved by both vegans and meat eaters alike because it’s simply delicious. On its own, vegans absolutely love eating cabbage. With meat eaters, cabbage goes incredibly well with beef, pork, chicken, and a lot more protein.
Cabbage is full of vitamins and minerals such as protein, manganese, fiber, niacin, iron, folate, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, choline, selenium, and calcium, also rich in vitamin B2, B6, K, and C. Most people would love to plant cabbage in their garden because it’s not just healthy, but it also tastes good.
Cabbage is a staple cool weather crop, and planting it requires consistent watering for moisture and maintenance for pest control. Aside from its taste and easy preparations, many people like planting cabbages because they are readily available all year round.
Pepper
We all love a little spice, and when it comes to spices, the first thing that might come to mind are peppers. In the past, pepper and other spices were the reasons why civilizations would engage in trade and wars. Nowadays, pepper is readily available and easy to grow. As peppers are known to be spicy and sweet, most of them have their own natural pesticides, making these plants highly resistant to pests.
Tomato
There’s plenty of ways to serve tomatoes. You can eat it raw, mix it in your salad or dishes, add it to your favorite dish, or make a sauce out of it. You can even turn it into juice that’s full of vitamin c. Not only that, tomato juice and ketchup contains antioxidants that help fight off cancer-causing free radicals.
Garlic
Some of us might not like the strong odor coming from the garlic, but we sure like the way it tastes. Garlic is usually a favorite in most kitchens and used as a flavoring in almost any dish around the world. Aside from making our food tasty, garlic also provides good vitamins like B1, B2, B3, B6, C, and more.
Broccoli
This vegetable can be a good addition to your garden for various reasons. Broccoli can be hard to grow for some as it needs moisture and constant maintenance. Most broccoli are favorites for certain pests such as aphids.
If you can provide a safe growing area for broccoli, then all the trouble is worth it. Broccoli is highly nutritious. The plant contains magnesium and calcium. Broccoli is also rich in iron, which is a vital mineral that helps with your blood.
Lettuce
This well known leafy green that we usually use in salads is a fine addition to your home garden. It’s low in calories and has vitamins and minerals that will benefit for good health. Lettuce is full of vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin c, and folate. This leafy green also has fiber which helps clean your colon and helps prevent constipation.
Takeaway
Growing vegetables is indeed fantastic. The pleasure of seeing just how the plant grows is coherent with how our health flourishes. The moment you start the harvest, you can’t help yourself from smiling proudly.
Photo by Laura Ohlman on Unsplash
