Being able to grow your own food is one of the most self-fulfilling hobbies or pastimes in the whole world. Imagine, not only would you be able to soothe your nerves and emotions by the peace and quiet of planting crops and food and watching them slowly grow, but you would have something to bring to the supper table as well! Remember that planting should not be back-breaking work at all, and with the right strategy and techniques, including finding the right plants, growing your own meals could indeed be worth the time and effort spent in doing it
Plant And Grow Your Next Meal
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Unique Benefits
Self-reliance has been a growing trend amongst the people of modern times, amidst the skyrocketing prices of consumer goods, and the hustle and bustle of living which include exposure to pollution, chemicals, and toxins in many everyday settings. Thus, being able to grow one’s own food drastically cuts the amount you’d need to spend for your groceries, which in itself is also a very rewarding pursuit. Add to this the peace of mind that you would have knowing that no chemicals or toxins were added to your food in order to make them grow faster or have a better color or taste.
Soil is the Source
At its most basic, growing one’s own food is just a matter of sticking a seed into good soil, making sure it’s watered well, and spending some time to watch it grow. However, as with all things in life, it’s not just as simple as it seems. The quest to build the perfect garden begins with building good soil for your crops to grow in. There are many types of soil one can use from bagged potting soil which can be bought from gardening shops, to just any soil found in an outdoor space such as one’s backyard. Just make sure that the soil isn’t full of stones and any inorganic pieces, and it should be viable for planting use. As long as the soil can be watered and is firm enough for plants to be left in, then its nutrients can be made usable by the crops.
Soil Is The Source
Fertilizer or Not
All plants need nutrients, whether it may be from the soil they grow in naturally, or from the addition of fertilizers. Although some people prefer the use of commercial fertilizers, these could come with unwanted chemicals or toxins which could have a negative effect on one’s health. The best type of fertilizer you could use would still be natural ones such as homemade compost, and if you think about it, it’s essentially free.
A Multitude of Choices
With a good location wherein your soil can be reached by lots of sunlight, you can literally plant
any type of food you want! However, to get you started, there are a few types of crops which are recommended to get your fledgling garden up and going. First would be tomatoes, as these are one of the most popular and useful vegetables grown by home gardeners. The taste of fresh, handpicked tomatoes off the vine is something that would be difficult to find from those bought from the grocery or stores. Another plant you would want to start off with would be cucumbers since these are very easy to grow, requiring little to no maintenance at all. Just make sure that the soil is well-drained and that water does not pool where the cucumbers are, as these may rot in places with stagnant water. Finally, kitchen herbs such as basil, parsley or thyme are a great addition to your personal garden as they are quite easy to grow and are used in so many different dishes. Who can resist the taste and smell of freshly picked basil or thyme in their chicken or meats for supper?
