There is no doubt that growing your own fruit and vegetables has enormous benefits for health and well-being. But why not just grow vegetables in your own garden? If you have the luxury of a garden big enough to sustain fruit and vegetable plots, as well as leisure areas and play areas for young children, then you are very lucky indeed. Many modern urban gardens just do not have this space.
First of all, you may be wondering how to secure an allotment plot. There can be long waiting lists. Start by looking at the National Allotment Society, which has a useful section on its website with plenty of advice: https://www.nsalg.org.uk/allotment-info/how-to-get-an-allotment/.
Let’s look at those benefits in detail:
1) Health Benefits
You are instantly solving that problem of how many air miles your produce has travelled. In addition, you can choose whether or not to use chemical treatments and to select organic options as you wish.
2) Cost Savings
It will be hard work growing enough vegetables to feed your family, but there will be financial rewards if you put the initial work into the planning and maintenance. Consider too concentrating on crops which are more expensive, so go for tomatoes, salad and spinach rather than onions and potatoes if you want to start in a small way. If you are serious about growing your own veg, you may want to ensure that your soil is in tip-top condition by using a soil remediation service such as soilfix.co.uk/services/soil-groundwater-remediation.
3) Vitamin D
Fresh air in the warmer months is the best way of getting enough sunlight to keep you healthy.
4) Exercise
You can burn up many calories wielding a fork or a spade, and it is cheaper than going to the gym. Half an hour of gardening can burn up 150 calories and can help to ward off common illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and depression.
5) The Social Angle
You will meet many like-minded people and extend your social life. You may even get involved in local campaigning and improving allotment spaces for others.
6) Environmental Benefits
You will be supporting natural habitats and can ensure that you have bug- and wildlife-friendly areas on your plot. A square yard of land can support many hundreds of wildlife species, including worms, hedgehogs, spiders, bees and butterflies.
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