GROWING YOUR OWN VEGETABLES

Robert Ndlovu 

There is nothing so energising and fulfilling than growing your own vegetables. It’s something your entire family can get involved in, which can also lead to unity in the family. I am sure you will agree with me that in this difficult economic times and in the face of a warming climate, it has become increasingly difficult for households to be food secure. Prices for both agricultural products and processed foods have gone beyond the reach of many households, My question to you today is, would you rather let you family suffer and be food insecure or you hold the bull by its horns and be self-reliant?

Gardening, especially vegetable gardening, doesn’t take much time if you’ve set up everything you need. Growing your own edibles, such as beans, peas, greens, carrots and tomatoes provides healthier options. In the long run it also saves money compared to buying seasonal produce at the grocery store every week. Not to mention the fact that, we can plant and grow products that are not always available in the local market. You do not need to have big space to be a fruitful and bountiful home gardener. Your small 200 square metres household can provide you with plentiful supplies. The most important part to keep in mind is how to go about your gardening at home. This will mean you need to prepare yourself and gather the necessary tools and mediums in which you will plant in. 

Like any other endeavor, starting is usually the hardest part, but if you have a passion for growing your own food and eating organic, healthy vegetables, vegetable gardening is well worth the time and effort. Unlike conventional gardening, organic gardening lets you grow fresh vegetables without using herbicides, pesticides or other synthetic chemicals in fertilization and pest control. It is about nurturing the soil and working in harmony with nature.

There is no need of losing hope over small spaces you can grow such vegetables as your salad greens, carrots, potatoes, Tsunga, Kale, onions  and tomatoes in containers and motor vehicle tyres. Old pots, buckets and even drain pipes can also be used to grow vegetables which can feed your entire family and the excess can be sold and the proceeds used to buy what you can not grow at home.