So you know from our blog, that we are a huge advocate for eating healthy and nutritious food. A magnificent way of doing this is to grow and produce your own. Then you know that it is organic and chemical free. What could be better than growing the produce for a deliciously simple salad? But a lot of people see growing their own vegetables as too problematic. I’m here to dispel that myth!
It’s too much effort
Firstly the idea of growing your own vegetables can seem too much for people. Why bother when you can pop to the supermarket and get a bag of carrots for some nairas? Well, you should do it because it is satisfying and it connects you to your food. You’re not buying from big multi-million naira corporations; you are feeding yourself and your family. You don’t have to start big. Get a barrel and grow carrots, have a few pots of cut and grow herbs on your kitchen window sill and build it up from there.
I don’t have a garden
One of the most pervasive excuses I hear is that I can’t grow veg because I don’t have a garden. Yes, this can seem like a bit of problem, but even inner city apartments can support a vegetable garden with a suitable hydroponic system in place. Stylish and decorative with the option to have a fish tank integrated into the system, they would be right at home in even the most modern apartments, so there really are no excuses for not growing your own.
If your problem is that you have a garden, but it is tiny, why not try growing lettuces and herbs in plant pots stacks or even go for a vertical garden, which can be hung on a wall.
My kids don’t eat vegetables anyway
I cannot stress enough how important it is to get your kids eating well while they are young. Growing your own vegetables helps them to understand healthy food and where it comes from. It’s also nearly impossible for them to refuse to try a piece of vegetable that they have helped to grow.
My back wouldn’t stand it
Another problem I hear is that people’s health wouldn’t stand up to all that gardening. Yes, it can be daunting to take on a gardening project if you have a bad back, but you can always use telescopic tools to stop you bending over all the time. You can also use raised beds to minimize the strain on your back or even window boxes. Vegetables don’t always have to be grown in the ground. Many people have great success growing tomatoes indoors on their window sill.
I always forget to plant it at the right time
Planting seeds can be tricky, and it can seem like if you miss the right season, there is nothing you can do for another year. An easy excuse to not plant your own vegetables. But no, I’m afraid not. You can buy baby vegetable plants from garden nurseries that you can transfer straight into the ground. There are even a few species like ‘Onion Electric‘ and Aquadulce Claudia broad bean, that can be planted even in the winter season.
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