Besides the convenience of having your ingredients mere steps away from your own kitchen, there are plenty of benefits to growing your own food. One reason a person might like to grow their own garden is the fact that they don’t have to worry about genetically modified organisms, insecticides or pesticides; you alone tend to it or those you trust and these chemicals don’t need to be used. Another reason is for ultimate freshness, meaning the vegetables you plant will contain more nutrients then those in a supermarket because they can be used the moment they’re picked.

Aesthetically, a garden is beautiful and enjoyable, providing a great addition to a yard. You can grow your own kale, broccoli, spinach, squash, lettuce and more. You can grow cooking herbs such as rosemary, oregano, or peppermint. Getting close to nature and earth can give a huge boost to psychological well-being as well; growing food offers a sense of accomplishment and pride that can’t be replicated in other tasks. Also, the food simply seems to taste better!

Kids especially love the process of gardening and being involved in the feeding and watering. Since they’ve helped grow and feel that connection to nature, most children want to eat the food, or at least are willing to try. This also offers a great teaching tool about where vegetables, fruits and herbs come from so they can better appreciate their food.

There are many great reasons for having your own garden, and everyone can grow something; urban gardening has grown in popularity as people have realized that space isn’t too much of an issue. All it takes is some seeds, soil and sun.

What are you waiting for?