Organic gardeners think of their gardens not as a separate entity from nature, but as an extension of nature’s natural system. This includes working without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and instead working with the soil, water, wildlife and even insects around the garden to cultivate and replenish the growth process.
Organic home gardens are easy to start, and there are many benefits that come with organic gardening. Here are three reasons you should start your own organic garden.
Organically Grown Food is Better for Your Health
Studies have shown that food grown organically has more of the vital minerals and nutrients that we need than food grown with synthetic pesticides. Pesticides are poisons designed to kill living organisms that damage plants, but these chemicals can also harm humans.
Among the 30 most common pesticides, 13 have been linked to birth defects, 19 have been found to be cancer-causing, 21 have harmful effects on reproduction and 26 of them cause kidney or liver damage. Even at low levels of contact, lawn pesticides have been found to increase miscarriage rates, and garden pesticides have been found to increase a child’s risk of developing asthma.
Pesticides and fertilizers also have a nasty habit of seeping into ground water and contributing to toxic runoff. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that in 38 states, pesticides and fertilizers contaminate the primary source of drinking water.
Starting your own organic garden can reduce the use of dangerous chemicals that are harmful to both you and your family.
Organic Gardens are Environmentally Friendly
The most universal benefit of organic gardening is the reduction of environmental pollution. Many organic gardeners start their gardens because they are concerned about the impact non-organic farms have on the global ecosystem, especially since the use of fertilizers and pesticides are wreaking havoc on the environment. Organic gardens prevent the agricultural processes which result in soil erosion, water pollution and the resulting toxicity, soil contamination and poisoning of wildlife such as insects, birds, and beneficial soil bacteria.
Additionally, modern farming methods require the usage of more petroleum than any other industry in the United States. This results in farming consuming 12 percent of the country’s total energy resources. By growing your own food organically, you are cutting down the overall use of pesticides and fertilizers that harm the environment, as well as conserving energy and decreasing our reliance on foreign oil.
Organic Home Gardens are Better for Your Budget
Purchasing organically grown food at local grocery stores can add hundreds of dollars to your bill. Growing and building your own organic home garden is a great way to still get healthy, organic food without the supermarket prices.
Chemicals used in non-organic gardening are pricey; however, by following organic processes such as responsible watering, fertilizing, and mowing practices, you can eliminate the pests and weeds that you needed the chemicals for in the first place. With organic gardening, you can always find a way to deal with most common gardening problems for very little money.
Organic gardening has many benefits, and these are just a few. Starting your own organic garden, or making your existing garden organic, is mentally and physically rewarding, and definitely worth it!
