Why vegetable gardening is probably the best resolution you can make in 2021
If 2020 has taught us anything it’s that we ought not to take for granted our everyday comforts – like meeting with friends and family when we please, holidaying in exotic locations, or dining at our favourite restaurants. 2020 has also shown us that we may have a lot of time on our hands, but few places to go and even fewer people to see.
So what to do?
If there was anytime to start a veggie garden from the comfort of your balcony or backyard, that time is now. Looking for new year’s resolutions? Make them gardening resolutions. We’ve prepared our top 7 reasons to make 2021 the year of the home garden!
Top 7 Reasons to Start a Home Garden in 2021
1. The pandemic increased food insecurity
The pandemic disrupted food supply chains all over the Middle East and the world. This was particularly worrying for countries that tend to import the majority of their food supplies. For example, the UAE imports 90% of its food supplies, like Qatar, while Saudi Arabia is not that far behind – importing 80% of its food. If there is another major disruption in the food supply chain because of renewed lockdowns and closures, how can we guarantee that the local populations will be fed?
2. Climate change also increases food insecurity
Climate change has meant droughts, flooding, heat waves, desertification and greater pest challenges. Basically, climate change threatens our food supply – making fresh produce harder to come by.
And now for the more uplifting, positive reasons to start with gardening resolutions in 2021! 🙌
3. You have more access to organic food. And organic is better.
Gardening increases your access to organic vegetables. And why is that good? Because organic is more nutrient-dense than conventionally grown produce; plus you avoid all the carcinogens that are found in conventional produce because of the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
4. The time from harvest to consumption is reduced.
When you make your 2021 new year’s resolution be about gardening resolutions, then growing organic veggies rather than purchasing organic from the store means that you will be eating more nutrient-dense food – greater in phytochemicals, minerals, sugars, taste and longevity because food spoils the longer the time between harvest and consumption.
5. When you grow your own food, you save money!
Probably the most worthwhile reason to start implementing gardening resolutions in 2021; enough said!
6. Gardening is therapy
Gardening is therapeutic –for the body and for one’s emotional and mental well-being.
7. "Gardening-school is cool"
With school closures and kids learning remotely more than before the pandemic, gardening is a great activity they can take up at home. It’s collaborative, it helps them nurture their own capacities to care, it tunes them into the cycles of nature, it’s a great life-skill, and yes, you guessed it – it’s therapeutic!
Gardening is seeing a renewed interest all over the world – and it’s no wonder.
We are dedicated to helping you feed your family fresh, organic produce, and we have a number of resources to get you there.
How we can grow an organic home vegetable garden together
- Download the ‘Absolutely Essential Gardening Checklist’ that contains the basics to get you started on your organic gardening journey
- Once you’ve read it, download The Gardening Secrets Blueprint. The Blueprint is chock-full of simple, yet detailed step-by-step information on how to grow organic veggies at home in the Middle East. Use the Discount Code SWGAPR35 when checking out. Discount expires soon!
- When you download the Blueprint, you’ll also get 25% off our upcoming expert’s course!
- Sign up to our blog using the form below to get free, regular updates on organic veggie gardening in the Middle East 👇
5. Some of our most-read blog articles are great for beginner gardeners – such as starting seeds indoors, ensuring a thriving garden in the summer heat, managing pests organically, and having a garden growing parsley, growing mint and having molokhia in the summer garden.
But I'm already growing! What can I do?!
Gardening resolutions for experienced gardeners
For those who’ve already started gardening, here are 3 things you can do to take your gardening to the next level in 2021:
- Start making your own compost using kitchen waste. There are a ton of resources online; this one from organic gardener Charles Dowding in the UK is one of the more helpful ones.
- Experiment with new varieties of crops – here’s a list of new seeds in stock at one of our preferred organic seed-stores, True Leaf Market
- Expand our gardening family – invite a close friend, family member or work colleague to take up gardening. Share your seeds, saplings and even the link to buy the Blueprint so they can avoid the guesswork when gardening!
Do you have any resolutions to recommend to our followers to implement? Share them in the comments or drop us an email. 2021, let’s get growing!