It’s more than just quality veggies.

Once spring has sprung the debate about whether planting a garden is a smart idea for you or not can be found wherever you inquire.

It seems that the overall opinion is that the pros far outweigh the cons and I tend to agree. Fresh vegetables out of your own backyard are hard to beat. The satisfaction of growing something from seed and placing it on the dinner table for consumption comes with a sense of pride.

Sharing some of the fruits of your labor with your neighbors also has its own upsides.

The health benefits go beyond healthy food

Eating something directly from your garden that hasn’t been processed in any way is certainly good for you and your diet, but it doesn’t stop there.

Gardening gets us out in the sunlight and keeps our body parts moving. This can mean lower blood pressure, increased levels of vitamin D, and better dexterity along with increased strength. If you’ve ever stopped to visit a friend or family member in their garden, you may have also seen that it can be pretty relaxing.

I’m all about a little less stress and good, healthy food.

Gardening tips and tricks

For those that are new to the gardening space, below are seven tips that will help you along your planting journey.

1. Plant vegetables that you will eat. It’s easy to go a little crazy in the seed aisle dreaming of growing the largest pumpkin only to realize how much space is required. Seed packs and seedlings aren’t very costly individually, but rolling up to the checkout with a cart full of items that you may not need can add up quickly.
2. Tomato plants are often sold in packs of six. However, six full-grown tomato plants not only take up a lot of garden space, but they also produce enough tomatoes for your extended family, friends, and their friends. Consider just a single plant of two different varieties. Take note of this factor when choosing each of your garden items. You may be surprised at how much a single plant produces.
3. Small raised beds are a great alternative to a full-scale 1/2 acre garden. Evaluate what works best for you in regard to how much time, money, space, and effort you’ll be able to dedicate to the growing season.
4. Time your crop. A planting calendar can guide you in the best times to get each crop started where you live. Planting half of your seeds initially and the other half a week or two later will ensure a more continuous bounty.
5. Keep the critters out. One guarantee in the world of gardening is that the wild animals will let you know when your crop is ready if you’re not prepared. They do this by eating it, usually a day or two before you were about to begin harvesting. Depending on your setup, a fence, some soap, or something noisy, minty, or spicy can help deter them from reaping what you’ve sown.
6. Set aside a small amount of time each day for gardening tasks. This will keep jobs like pulling weeds in check. The same task tackled only every couple of weeks becomes a chore and can frustrate even the most seasoned gardener.
7. Go in with a friend or neighbor. Sharing a garden space is a great way to share some quality time with people that you enjoy. More than one set of hands also helps to make extremely light work of everything involved.

It’s well worth your time if you have the time

Gardening requires an investment on your part. Watering, fertilizing, weed and pest control are all important factors for a successful harvest.

If a full-scale growing operation seems slightly out of reach due to space or time constraints, maybe you can choose a vegetable or two that you can grow in 5-gallon buckets just off of your front porch or patio.

It doesn’t matter if your garden extends far and wide or is as simple as a couple of plants that you can admire while drinking your morning coffee.

If you ask me, a walk to the garden beats a trip to the grocery store any day.