Growing plants for food is one of the best ways to seek satisfaction from a personal achievement. When you grow your own plants it allows you to take pride in the fact that you raised something for your own consumption. So, why don’t more people choose to grow their own herbs, vegetables, and fruits? One of the reasons is a common perception that it is difficult to do. While it is not something that everyone will readily understand, it is definitely something which is doable, so long as you conduct the proper research in the process. Here are some advantages to growing your own edible plants.
One advantage is that you can choose to go the purely organic route. Organically grown foods are free of pesticides that commercial growers use to keep bugs away. Many people become sick from pesticides that do not get completely washed away from the plants that they consume. If you grow your own edible food, then you control the environment. This allows you to stay away from harmful pesticides. It also allows you to use organic fertilizers, such as bat guano or worm castings. This is widely regarded as the healthier way to raise plants for consumption.
Other times, fruits such as tomatoes, are given harmful hormones. They are given these to increase their size on a mass scale. However, if you are growing them for yourself, you can use other means to get larger tomatoes. If you stay away from commercial fertilizers and hormones you will be much more satisfied with the final results. Always check the back of the fertilizer bottle to determine what exactly you are buying before you use it on your edible plants. Those who fail to do this run the risk of getting very sick over time. Some of these fertilizers are harmful to pets as well.
Perhaps the most important advantage to growing your own edible plants, is that it allows you to save money. Consider how expensive it is to go to the grocery store every few days. You probably do not leave without spending at least $100.00. Growing your own food allows you to produce exactly what you need. The food will stay fresher longer as well, and you will not waste food in the process. Organic food marts are quite expensive, so grow your own organic foods to cut costs.
Some people find it highly interesting to cross breed certain plants to achieve a new type of vegetable, herb, or fruit. This is certainly popular within the realm of tomato plants. There are plenty of exotic varieties to choose from because people experiment with the best types to cross breed. This leads to unique fruits with vibrant colors, large sizes, and different shapes. This also makes them more marketable if you choose to sell them at your local market. Growing your own edible plants has many advantages, and it really comes down to trying it to find out how it will benefit you the most.
