Why Do You Garden

gregory · January 31, 2015

For myself I was fortunate as a child to have a man who lived near my parents
that had a small nursery with a large greenhouse. He explained a few basic things
and my next door neighbor and I went from there.

Now I am 58 and I enjoy it for a few reasons. For one, it takes me back to my childhood. Probably the next most important reason is the stress relief that it provides me. Along with the exercise I get from building and maintaining compost piles. Finally the sheer enjoyment of seeing the fruits of my labor.

Then there are the times the insects/weather causes problems, but again you learn as you go. I can say without a doubt life cannot be easy for a farmer, thank goodness I am just a backyard gardener.

So why do you enjoy gardening?

rags57078 · January 31, 2015

Was raised up with a small garden and 50+ years later I still have a small garden

Tapout · January 31, 2015

I garden so I dont kill people.

kath · January 31, 2015

No gardeners to inspire me in my youth, but in the early 70's, when expecting my first child, I began reading about health and nutrition and wanted to be able to provide the best food possible for my family on a really tight budget. Shortly thereafter, I discovered my love of growing fruits and vegetables! Now, more than ever, being able to eat fresh, delicious, nourishing fruits and vegetables from the garden makes me very happy despite the all the hard work involved and the challenges that each new season brings.

kath · January 31, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tapout

I garden so I dont kill people.

Too funny!

made me lol!

Lorri D · January 31, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tapout

I garden so I dont kill people.

Ditto!!!!! I used to work 10-11 hr days 6 days a week! Gardening is/was my therapy.

2nd, reason is food!

3rd, I wanna know I can grow what I want to eat.

4th, it is a skill that is more and more in demand. There are actual "Plant Dr's", now. There are so many new people
wanting to learn the skill/art of growing and have no idea where to begin, and when they do and run into probs, they
have no idea how to fix them. People are starting to make money, just being a "Plant Dr." that makes house calls.
Pretty neat!

shatbox · January 31, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tapout

I garden so I dont kill people.

Lol. If this were a poll, this would be the winner.

AlittleSalt · January 31, 2015

I started gardening because I love nature, and because my doctor told me I needed a fulfilling hobby.

I continue gardening because I like learning and experiencing new things to me.

If this had been a poll, I would not have been able to answer it. I like the fresh taste, the feeling of pride when the vegetables and fruit are eaten by myself and especially others, being outside, knowing I can work on making the garden better by gaining knowledge, and it makes me feel alive and young.

Those are some of the reasons why I garden.

Redbaron · January 31, 2015

I garden because there is something deep in my soul that is inspired by nurturing a plant from a seed. It's like a mystical feeling. A good counter to my normally quite mundane mechanistic thought pattern. You can be a dreamer, and low and behold by the end of the year find that just sometimes dreams do come true. Sometimes every so often even bigger than I hoped to dream. Unlike the rest of my life where every dream has always failed at some point. Plus you get fresh heirloom tomatoes!

ginger2778 · January 31, 2015

Because nothing tastes as good as my homegrown tomatoes, starfruits, mangoes, pineapples, my homemade sauce, salsa, ketchup.
And for the challenge.

And to make you guys jealous in the winter, then pelt you with seeds in January.

Sun City Linda · January 31, 2015

Heres why I garden...

Dutch · January 31, 2015

Gardening and nature provides me with inner peace, understanding, and purpose in more ways than I can describe. And what Linda posted!!!

Dutch

jmsieglaff · January 31, 2015

I garden for many reasons. I always loved helping out with the garden as kid and by the time I was 10 or so, I think my parents only kept the garden because I loved it and tended it. After college I started gardening on my own, my parents garden had come to end while I was in college. When I got into gardening on my own, I did it for fun, stress relief (just something about being in the garden with only you, the plants, and your thoughts), and of course great tasting vegetables. Eventually I got into varieties and heirlooms and really got into trying new ones. A couple years ago our son was old enough to be outside helping and he loved gardening and eating the vegetables--he even has his own little plot now where he can grow anything he wants. I'm pretty sure his younger sister will be following in his footsteps this year. So the fun we have and the lessons they learn. I'm just getting into breeding my own varieties--with my summer squash breeding project and no doubt will be doing that with tomatoes at some point. And after having shared the fruits of some of the tomato and pepper varieties for a couple years with my parents--they built a new garden at their new house, and grow a couple tomatoes, a few peppers, and a cucumber plant (of the tasty varieties I raise from seed).

Father'sDaughter · February 1, 2015

I garden because it's in my blood.

My parents gardened to supplement the food supply for a large family on a limited income.

My grandparents, and all who came before them were peasant farmers who gardened to survive.

I resisted it for many years, but finally gave in, planted those first plants, and discovered a missing part of my life.

frankbenjones · February 1, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tapout

I garden so I dont kill people.

Exactly!

Helps calm me down and relax. Everything tastes better too.

January 31, 2015	#1
gregory Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: mobile zone 8 Posts: 83	Why Do You Garden For myself I was fortunate as a child to have a man who lived near my parents that had a small nursery with a large greenhouse. He explained a few basic things and my next door neighbor and I went from there. Now I am 58 and I enjoy it for a few reasons. For one, it takes me back to my childhood. Probably the next most important reason is the stress relief that it provides me. Along with the exercise I get from building and maintaining compost piles. Finally the sheer enjoyment of seeing the fruits of my labor. Then there are the times the insects/weather causes problems, but again you learn as you go. I can say without a doubt life cannot be easy for a farmer, thank goodness I am just a backyard gardener. So why do you enjoy gardening? __________________ Zone 8 Mobile AL

January 31, 2015	#9
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	I garden because there is something deep in my soul that is inspired by nurturing a plant from a seed. It's like a mystical feeling. A good counter to my normally quite mundane mechanistic thought pattern. You can be a dreamer, and low and behold by the end of the year find that just sometimes dreams do come true. Sometimes every so often even bigger than I hoped to dream. Unlike the rest of my life where every dream has always failed at some point. Plus you get fresh heirloom tomatoes! __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

January 31, 2015	#12
Dutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: S.E. Wisconsin Zone 5b Posts: 1,831	Gardening and nature provides me with inner peace, understanding, and purpose in more ways than I can describe. And what Linda posted!!! Dutch __________________ "Discretion is the better part of valor" Charles Churchill The intuitive mind is a gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. But we have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. (paraphrased) Albert Einstein I come from a long line of sod busters, spanning back several centuries.

January 31, 2015	#13
jmsieglaff Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern WI Posts: 2,742	I garden for many reasons. I always loved helping out with the garden as kid and by the time I was 10 or so, I think my parents only kept the garden because I loved it and tended it. After college I started gardening on my own, my parents garden had come to end while I was in college. When I got into gardening on my own, I did it for fun, stress relief (just something about being in the garden with only you, the plants, and your thoughts), and of course great tasting vegetables. Eventually I got into varieties and heirlooms and really got into trying new ones. A couple years ago our son was old enough to be outside helping and he loved gardening and eating the vegetables--he even has his own little plot now where he can grow anything he wants. I'm pretty sure his younger sister will be following in his footsteps this year. So the fun we have and the lessons they learn. I'm just getting into breeding my own varieties--with my summer squash breeding project and no doubt will be doing that with tomatoes at some point. And after having shared the fruits of some of the tomato and pepper varieties for a couple years with my parents--they built a new garden at their new house, and grow a couple tomatoes, a few peppers, and a cucumber plant (of the tasty varieties I raise from seed). Last edited by jmsieglaff; January 31, 2015 at 11:57 PM.

January 31, 2015	#2
rags57078 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: South Dakota Posts: 278	Was raised up with a small garden and 50+ years later I still have a small garden

January 31, 2015	#3
Tapout Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 355	I garden so I dont kill people.

January 31, 2015	#4
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	No gardeners to inspire me in my youth, but in the early 70's, when expecting my first child, I began reading about health and nutrition and wanted to be able to provide the best food possible for my family on a really tight budget. Shortly thereafter, I discovered my love of growing fruits and vegetables! Now, more than ever, being able to eat fresh, delicious, nourishing fruits and vegetables from the garden makes me very happy despite the all the hard work involved and the challenges that each new season brings.

January 31, 2015	#8
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I started gardening because I love nature, and because my doctor told me I needed a fulfilling hobby. I continue gardening because I like learning and experiencing new things to me. If this had been a poll, I would not have been able to answer it. I like the fresh taste, the feeling of pride when the vegetables and fruit are eaten by myself and especially others, being outside, knowing I can work on making the garden better by gaining knowledge, and it makes me feel alive and young. Those are some of the reasons why I garden.

January 31, 2015	#10
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Because nothing tastes as good as my homegrown tomatoes, starfruits, mangoes, pineapples, my homemade sauce, salsa, ketchup. And for the challenge. And to make you guys jealous in the winter, then pelt you with seeds in January.

February 1, 2015	#14
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	I garden because it's in my blood. My parents gardened to supplement the food supply for a large family on a limited income. My grandparents, and all who came before them were peasant farmers who gardened to survive. I resisted it for many years, but finally gave in, planted those first plants, and discovered a missing part of my life.