Looking to save money and enjoy a family activity? Then you should start a home garden. It has numerous benefits that can make your family happier and healthier. You also don’t need much to get started, just a willingness to learn! It may take time but the reward is certainly worth it.  Still not convinced? Here are 5 reasons why you should start a home garden this year.

Save Money

Did you know you can save a significant amount of money growing your own vegetables? It’s true! When you start a home garden you can grow anything that your family eats often. If you make salads a lot you can grow lettuce and spinach to cut back on your spending. Others grow items such as tomatoes, squash, beans, and green beans, which will help you save money. You can cut back your spending by over 500 dollars a year which is a great return on investment. The trick is to grow items you know your family will want to eat. Have an expensive vegetable or fruit that you love eating? Start a home garden with that exact fruit. Once you have the tools and knowledge, you can keep planting every year, saving you even more money over time. 

Home gardens require effort and you shouldn’t be going into the process blind. What you are trading in for a lower price is hard work. Not only that, but you will need to keep up with seasonal changes that affect your crops such as rain, sunlight, cold, and soil. You can start small and build-out. Try starting out with a guidebook such as Square Foot Gardening to help you get on your feet. 

Family Bonding and Responsibility

If you are looking for a family activity that can include the whole family, you should start a home garden. Tending to a garden teaches kids responsibility. Plants have to be watered and maintained every day. You have to fertilize them, till the soil, and gather compost for your plant bed to thrive. This is a great activity to explain the importance of diligently completing a task day in and day out to your children. There are also a lot of options when it comes to the design and plants you want to use when you start a home garden. Get your kids involved in the decision-making process! Children are way more likely to care about your home garden if they grow their favorite vegetables.

Get your kids to enjoy gardening by having a vested interest in everyone’s success. Let them design a gardening space or dig around in the dirt. Plan activities on finding critters that may crawl around in your backyard. Explain how they are helping the environment and contributing to family bills at an early age. If you are worried about investing too much too early try selecting a window box planter tray that can be easily managed within your own home. Who says you have to start a home garden outside? (Amazon affiliate links here) 

Get a Workout

With a full-time job and kids, it can be hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Working out can add an extra expense that you don’t have the money for or you don’t have the time. Instead of paying a gym membership, try to start a home garden. You will get loads of exercise from tilling the soil and planting seeds. When you lay down compost or pull weeds out of your plant bed you will break a sweat. As I mentioned before, this is an activity you can do with your kids. Work with your kids in your garden right before bath time to tire them out for bed. Not only do you get to have a nice workout, but you get to drain a little more energy out of your kids. To get the full experience, start out with a bigger plant bed to make you work harder. 

Become Healthier

Not only are you gaining a much-needed exercise when you start a home garden, but you also are more likely to eat healthier. This goes for your kids as well. When they see their hard work pay off they are more likely to eat those vegetables as well. Start creating meal plans around harvest time and save yourself some money. Don’t be afraid to be creative with meal planning either. If you only made a small batch of fruits or vegetables, try making healthy snacks for your kids to take for lunch. Growing your own food is rewarding and you should enjoy the fruits of your labors!

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

When you start a home garden you are helping the environment. The vegetables and fruits you plant will use carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, thereby reducing harmful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It may be small, but it is important. You also reduce the use of pesticides on soil, and if you plan accordingly, you can make your soil even healthier. Take up the call of starting a home garden if you want to reduce the carbon footprint of your household. If you want to have an even bigger impact, try having a community garden in your neighborhood. Families can plant flowers or other decorative plants to make their neighborhoods more attractive yet still contribute to fighting climate change.

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