Why Grow Your Own Vegetables?

Why grow your own vegetables?  Different people have different reasons.  Most people want to have a source of fresh vegetables for their families.  There is nothing like going to your own garden to pick a lettuce for a salad, a tomato for a sandwich, or a harvest of green beans for dinner.  For people in underserved areas, a home garden may be one of their best sources of fresh vegetables.

Your vegetables will be fresher than you can find in a store, and may be cheaper because you are not paying the harvesting, transportation, and distribution costs.  You will have some expenses growing your vegetables, but they are minor once they become ongoing costs.

You will have the choice of what vegetables to grow.  Commercial vegetables have been bred to be picked mechanically, sorted, packed, transported, and set out for display in a store without suffering damage, so they have to be tough.  The home gardener has none of these concerns, so can grow vegetables with thin skins, short shelf life, and flavor.  This last quality is shared by many heirloom varieties and varieties that may have been saved in your family for many years.  You can also grow vegetables required for a particular cuisine that are not generally available in stores.

If you are concerned about pesticide usage, you will know exactly what, if any, pesticides have been used on your vegetables.  A small home garden can be successful without using any pesticides.

A vegetable garden is an excellent way to introduce children to gardening.  From preparing the soil, planting the seeds, watching for germination, measuring growth, and finally harvesting something that they and all their family can eat, children learn about plant life and our dependence on plants for our everyday food.

Do not be discouraged if you have less than the ideal space, limited time, or physical limitations that prevent you from starting a traditional garden.  Vegetables can be grown in small or shady places, in containers or raised beds, in amongst your ornamentals, or up a wall.  If you choose the right plants and give them what they need, most challenges can be overcome.  Gardeners are very creative and plants are adaptable!

(Photo Credit: Marion Guthrie, Extension Master Gardener.)

Additional Reference Material:

• Edible Gardening in Virginia (ext.vt.edu)
• Gardening in Virginia (ext.vt.edu)
• Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Edward C. Smith
• Organic Vegetable Gardening (a Time-Life book)
• The Self-Sufficient Gardener by John Seymour

Note: Most seed catalogs also have information about growing conditions and plant requirements.