From the Gardening Columnist Gavin Prumatico: The Benefits of Growing a Garden

     Did you know that growing a garden has many mental and physical benefits? As most of you know growing a garden can provide fresh produce which provides a healthy lifestyle. Gardening can be expensive if you buy pre-grown plants at commercially grown stores like Home Depot, Lowes, etc. But if you start your garden from seed you can save hundreds of dollars. Nothing tastes better in my opinion than going outside and picking fresh produce right off the stem to cook in meals. Also, some grocery stores charge more than it would cost for a packet of seeds so you would be wasting money and not get as much produce as you would from your garden.

Another one of the many benefits of owning a garden is that it is a good hobby to have. Not only does gardening keep you busy but it also keeps you from staying inside all of the time, especially with warm weather. When you know that something is depending on you to live you feel the need to care for it. This makes me go outside every day even on the days I feel like being a little lazy. So no matter what day of the week it is I still go outside multiple times a day to check on my garden.

Gardening does not only provide some of the freshest produce you will ever eat but also provide sponges, that’s right sponges! There is a vegetable named Luffa! Luffa is a vegetable in its early stages of life. But when it drys out, you use loofah as a sponge for dirty dishes and exfoliating your skin. So as you can see gardening does not only provide vegetables but essentials around the house. Another example of something that you grow that doesn’t get eaten is a birdhouse gourd. Birdhouse gourds are carved and used to make birdhouses for birds to live in. These birdhouse gourds can be painted and look lovely hanging from a warm inviting home.

    Did you know that gardening can make money? I personally sell my organic produce I grow in my farmstand at the end of my driveway. I also sell my produce to nearby restaurants to make money. This way everything I purchased for my garden (soil, plants, and seeds) is all paid off and I make a little fortune as well. I do not charge myself expensively unless the item of the produce is exotic (not grown locally). But I grow a lot of exotic produce so I make enough money to sell other things at my farmstand like beef jerky, chapstick, etc.

I hoped you all enjoyed this article! Have a great day!