Most people think of their gardens a place to relax and enjoy nature. But they are also a resource that can help make you and your family healthier. Today, the organic food market is exploding. Practically every supermarket offers a whole suite of organic varieties. And their popularity grows every year.
There’s just one problem: organic food is expensive. According to the latest estimates, it’s between 30 and 40 percent more expensive than regular food. That’s why so many people are turning to their gardens to grow their own. They want significant cost savings, as well as food that is free from herbicides and pesticides.
Are you thinking about starting you own organic garden? Take a look at some of these organic gardening ideas: they’ll blow your mind.
Grow Your Own Orchard
One of the easiest and most reliable ways to get food from your garden is to build an orchard. Once you’ve got trees established in your garden, they’ll reliably bear fruit, year after year. There are all sorts of different trees you can put in your orchard. You don’t just have to stick to apple trees. You can buy pear trees, apricot trees, plum trees – even orange trees if you happen to live in the right place. Invest in a plum tree for gardens with a rustic feel. Pear trees also go well in gardens that are somewhat traditional. Orange trees are more suited for tropical gardens that are fresh and modern.
Trees produce their fruit all at once in the late summer. If you want to use all the fruit you grow, you’ll have to store some of it in the freezer. Pear trees usually begin to ripen and fall off the tree between August and September. So too do eating apple varieties, like Cox. Cooking apples ripen a little later, between September and October.
Grow The Most Economical Plants
One of the biggest motivations for growing your own organic food is to save money. But which varieties should you grow to save the most? Right at the top of the list should be berries. Berries in the supermarket are frighteningly expensive. There’s a huge markup, partly because they’re costly to transport and partly because they have to be hand-picked. Other foods, like asparagus and beans, are easy to grow, but also expensive in the supermarket.
Don’t bother growing things like corn. Corn is labor intensive and difficult to harvest and prepare.
Invest In Organic Seeds
People who grow their own organic food in their backyard don’t have to stick to supermarket varieties. There are thousands of different types of seeds that you can use for practically any type of produce you can imagine. Organic gardeners regularly experiment with different species of marrow, berries, cabbage and tomatoes.
What’s more, eating a greater variety of produce is better for you. Nutritionists are just discovering that the number of different foods we eat is just as important as the type of foods we eat. More variety leads to a healthier metabolism and a healthier body.
XOXO
Debbie
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