Your Productive Garden — Much to Do, But Also Much to Love

By Hannah Simpson

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Tomatoes (Dominique Knobben) Pexels

A verdant and fruitful garden is always a treat to the eyes and a balm to the soul, so just imagine how amazing it would be if it were your garden. Of course, it’s going to demand time, attention, money, and hard work from you. But with tangible benefits like a more beautiful home and healthy food on your table, the ROI is more than compelling — and a great garden can also help you sell your home when the time comes! The fact that you’re contributing to a better world can be a welcome bonus, as well. So, The Daily Garden takes a moment to break down the process of starting and sustaining a productive garden.
 
Learn the Basics
 
Like most things worth doing, gardening should start with due diligence. By breaking down the basics of such an amazing activity and understanding its nuances, you not only ensure that you can grow stuff, but you can also create a productive garden worth admiring.
 

• No doubt, there’s much to learn when you start gardening, but there’s no need to be daunted by the specifics.
  
• You’ll want to understand different gardening techniques to find one that works for you.
• Even more important is to find out which fruits and vegetables you can realistically and sustainably grow in your area.
  
• It’s also a good idea to learn all you can on methods like composting and mulching, as well as irrigation, soil management, pest control, and more, for starters.
• Lastly, you may want to hire someone to build a fence around your garden to protect it (the average cost of a fence is approximately $4,500).

 
Focus on Health
 
A garden is a wonderful addition to any home. But with the hard work that goes into it, why not ensure it also serves you and your family in other ways? In fact, growing food in your garden ensures that you eat healthy at all times while also getting a good workout in the process.
 

• Choose the healthiest food items to grow in your home or apartment garden.
• Make the most out of all the fresh produce your garden is yielding with healthy and delicious recipes using all-organic ingredients, like low-carb broccoli and cheddar soup.
• Also, brush up on the proper storage of produce, so you keep your harvest fresh for a longer period of time.
• Don’t forget that you can already get your requisite daily exercise by gardening, so make the most out of it and hit two birds with one stone.
• You can also use gardening as an excuse to get the kids outside. Teach them the basics and get them to help you maintain your garden.

 
Invest in Sustainable Solutions
 
A good garden is not only productive; it should be sustainable, too. By and large, your garden actually has the potential to become your most significant contribution to the environment, so consider making use of eco-friendly techniques to make it count.
 

• Sustainable and environmentally-friendly gardening is all the rage right now.
• Implementing water conservation measures in your gardening is a fine way to do it.
• Make sure to keep your garden chemical-free by using green fertilizers and pesticides.

 
Suffice it to say, having a productive garden actually need not be a pipe dream. In fact, the hardest part is in learning how to get started. From there, you can just about hit the ground running and start enjoying the holistic benefits of such a valuable addition to your home. You’re happy, and so are your family and Mother Nature — so what’s not to love?
 
To read more about gardening life, explore the musings at The Daily Garden!