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Gardening: Out with the Flowers and in with the Vegetables

What's more beautiful than a flower garden in full bloom, bursting with color and fragrance?  A vegetable garden.  That's right ' a vegetable garden!

You can find just as much beauty in colorful peppers, bunches of rich green broccoli and ruby-red tomatoes.  Smell aromatic fresh herbs like basil and rosemary warming in the sun.  More importantly, your vegetable garden has the added benefit of providing you with nutritious and delicious produce to enjoy throughout the year.

Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of our healthy diet, so why not take advantage of your garden space by growing these foods yourself?  You'll save money in the supermarket checkout, and have fresh, frozen and canned foods at your fingertips all year long.

Starting a vegetable garden doesn't have to be expensive.  Follow these money-saving tips when starting your garden:

  • Share purchased seeds with friends and neighbors
  • Save on watering costs by catching rainwater in containers outdoors
  • Save foods scraps and garden waste to create a compost pile.  Compost will improve the quality of your garden soil at no cost to you.
  • Harvest seeds from your first crop of produce to plant next year's garden
  • Don't let any of your produce go to waste.  Check into freezing and canning methods.

Not only will you save money by growing vegetables instead of purchasing them, you'll have control over the pesticides and herbicides used in the garden.  Growing your own produce limits your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.  And your homegrown produce can be enjoyed at the peak of freshness, rather than being picked, transported and stored before you buy it.

One of the main benefits of having a vegetable garden is the healthy addition these foods make to your diet.  The USDA and National Institute of Health guidelines recommend at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.  Vegetables are rich in nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, iron, and potassium.  They also help fight disease and build our immune systems.  By growing even a small variety of vegetables in your garden, you can boost your vitamin and mineral intake significantly.

Vegetables are low in calories and high in fiber, which makes them a great food choice if you are trying to lose weight and stay fit. You can substitute fresh vegetables for other foods that are higher in fat and calories, which will keep you full and help slim you down at the same time.

Flowers may be pretty to look at, but vegetable are clearly the winner when choosing what to grow in your garden.  Enjoy the health benefits and savings in your food budget by planting your vegetables today.

About the Author:

Gardening can help boost your mood and your health. Gardening is also a great way to lose weight, so get out there and enjoy the outdoors.

Author: Julie

 

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