Reasons why you should consider starting your home garden

The summer heat has really been so unbearable this past few weeks that we've finally decided to do something about it.  Turning on the air conditioning unit is one way to go about it, but the rising cost of electricity bills isn't going to cut it. 

One day, during a stroll in the park We noticed how the trees keep the park relative cool despite the scorching heat.  Since our room is directly beside our terrace which has no roof to cover it, We decided to buy Chinese bamboos and place it on our terrace.  Chinese Bamboo is relatively easy to maintain and tends to multiply rapidly.  We discovered that placing the plants, not only reduces the heat coming into the room but it also reduces the accumulation of dust particles.

A week later, We bought a couple of herbs to add to our mini garden at the Holy Carabao Holistic Farm in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, consisting of Mint, Thyme, & Basil among others.  We initially planted them in 1 large rectangular pot, but eventually found out that We eventually had to transfer them to bigger individual pots to give them better room for growth.  A little bit of organic fertilizer is also recommended for better growth.

Currently, We have added more plants to our mini garden, consisting or corn, lettuce, chili peppers,  egg plant and calamansi among others.

Limited soil on your garden, no problem, You could always try planting on pots...

Growing Chili Peppers is not only beneficial, as you can readily have a supply of Peppers for your food preparation needs, but it's bright red color also balances the predominant green color of your garden. 

To sum it up here is a list of reasons why you would want to consider starting your own mini garden:

1.  It's good for the environment.  Not only, does it help reduce the carbon emission levels in the atmosphere.  It apparently reduces the amount of dust particles that enter your home.

2.  It's a great family activity.  You can all tend to your plants as a family, from planting, to watering and harvesting.

3.  It's an actual Science Experiment for you and your kids.  By growing your own plants you and your child learn the different kinds of plants first hand.

4.  You are 100% sure its fresh. By growing your own plants, you can make sure that no harmful pesticides or chemicals are used in growing your plants.

5.  You eventually save money in the long run.  Once, your plants have grown and are ready for harvesting, you immediately get a constant supply of herbs and spices used in preparing your meals.

6.  It's a constructive outlet.  You definitely have something worth while to get your mind off the stress of work and personal life.

Starting your own home garden could be quite challenging, specially if it's the first time you'd be doing it.  But with a lot of practice and research you could be well on your way to flourishing home garden.  You can always visit your nearest botanical garden or seed bank and get baby plants in pots which is much easier to grow than starting from seeds.  They are also very much willing to teach you how to grow your baby plant. You’d be surprised to learn that they would be more than willing to share their experiences with you.