Are you planting your own vegetables?
By zandi458
@zandi458 (28102)
Malaysia
April 20, 2010 2:49am CST
The fluctuating of vegetable prices drive me crazy. I don't seem to understand when there is no rain the vegetables are expensive and if it rains everyday, the vegetable prices remain high. And some of the vegetables sold in the wet market are laden with pesticides and fertilizers.
The best way to counter attack the prices and to get pesticides free vegetables is to plant your own vegetables. Planting your own vegetables have better benefits and are far better than you can imagine.
It is not difficult to plant vegetables. Don’t know what to plant? There are many vegetables which can be easily planted, for examples, cabbage, lady fingers, chilli, aubergine, cucumber and onion. These veggies need very little care except for the morning and evening watering. So theoretically, you can just throw some seeds into the ground and wait for your results. I have just started my vegetable garden and am so happy to see the seeds that I've thrown into the grounds are starting to sprout out. It is very encouraging and I intend to make a bigger clearing to plant few varieties of vegetables.
Don't you think with little efforts you can enjoy homegrown vegetables anytime and you are assured that your vegetables are safe free from all the pesticides and no chemical fertilizers.
8 people like this
22 responses
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
20 Apr 10
U are very smart to do that. I would love to have my own veggies in my yard but i'm just not able to do that. Thank goodness we have the farmer's market when things start coming into season. Good luck w/yours.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
21 Apr 10
iT is good evercise but if u aren't able to do it like me that's the pits. Hope u have a great garden.
@alottodo (3056)
• Australia
20 Apr 10
Hi there zandi... I agree nothing better than home grown vegies I used to have a big vegie garden...but not any more is dificult to me to till the soil...but I still plant herbs in boxes and this past summer I had some tomatoes and lettuce and they were very good... I also planted beetroots but they did not grow well... now with winter coming I intend to grow some cupsicums and plant some perenials herbs...like oregano and rosemary and of course replant my fresh herb garden. In the meantime happy gardening to you!
1 person likes this
@alottodo (3056)
• Australia
21 Apr 10
What is winter melon? is that a pumpkin? I make a lot of pumpkin soup in winter specialy because I have some vegetarians in my family.
@Sreekala (34312)
• India
20 Apr 10
Hi Zandi,
I just finished reading a feature about planting of different vegetables at home and how it helps to reduce the cost of living
. The feature is describing how to use the seasonal fruits/vegetables etc instead of costly things like rice, wheat etc. The feature was about the people and their life in our native place, (Kerala, South India) where people were used to make their own vegetable garden earlier. Now the people lost the habit of hardworking in earth and all are purchasing the same from shop. I clearly remember, in my childhood there were plenty of vegetables in our home land (tomato, chilly, leafy vegetables, ginger, turmeric, cucumber, pumpkin, bitter gourd, the list is very long). Jack fruit trees are plenty in every home but people are attracted with the sticker fruits from foreign countries. The other fruits available are papaya, pineapple, mangoes, banana etc.
If the people can spare little time for their vegetable garden on daily basis, they can produce the vegetables at least for their own needs
. I love to make a vegetable garden but presently there is no space in our home (we are living in rented home in a big city).
. The feature is describing how to use the seasonal fruits/vegetables etc instead of costly things like rice, wheat etc. The feature was about the people and their life in our native place, (Kerala, South India) where people were used to make their own vegetable garden earlier. Now the people lost the habit of hardworking in earth and all are purchasing the same from shop. I clearly remember, in my childhood there were plenty of vegetables in our home land (tomato, chilly, leafy vegetables, ginger, turmeric, cucumber, pumpkin, bitter gourd, the list is very long). Jack fruit trees are plenty in every home but people are attracted with the sticker fruits from foreign countries. The other fruits available are papaya, pineapple, mangoes, banana etc.
If the people can spare little time for their vegetable garden on daily basis, they can produce the vegetables at least for their own needs. I love to make a vegetable garden but presently there is no space in our home (we are living in rented home in a big city).
1 person likes this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
21 Apr 10
The list of vegetables and fruits you listed here are common in my place. People here still plant rice but not many are doing rice farming now. Even vegetable gardening is not that too common as many are busy working. Imported fruits are too expensive so I prefer to go for local fruits. I have lots of mango trees and all are bearing fruits now.
@akuler (3531)
• Malaysia
21 Apr 10
Hi zandi,
Planting our own vegetables is a good practice especially during this economic downturn. It is also can reduce our import for such vegetables and control the prices.
The only problem is we did not have a land to plant it especially for those who live in the town area. Of course we can go for hydrological methods but it is not cost efficient. I think we would spend more (buying all those equipment, seeds, pesticides and so on) then the value of our fruits. It is more easier for those who live at kampung (village). Usually they have some land at their backyard and can use it to plain vegetables.
Some vegetables need extra attention and need specific amount of sun light to be grown nicely like cabbage (at it earlier stage). But it would be okey for vegetables like lady finger and chillies. Its can survive the climax.
At my place at Sabah, we usually plant our own vegetables, not in a big scale but enough for a few families. And if we have extra, we would sell it. And if we smart enough we can use a free fertilizers for our vegetables.
1 person likes this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
21 Apr 10
I am fortunate to live in a village that is surrounded by ample lands for planting vegetables. In fact the soil is very fertile, it is black and need no fertilizer but have to keep on constant watch for the cows which can destroy the garden in just few minutes. Need to put up fencing. Homegrown vegetables taste sweeter and can have them fresh everyday.
@monkeylong (3139)
• Guangzhou, China
20 Apr 10
AS far as I am concerned, I think I have to say that I do not plant the vegetables myself. For me, I just usually buy th evegetables in the market,where are full of all kinds of vegetables. From the bottom of my heart, I want to eat the vegetable that planted by my own hands, by with so many conditions limitting, I just can not have the own place for me to plant my own plants in my home. I do admire those who eats the vegetable that panted by themselves.
1 person likes this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
21 Apr 10
We can get lots of vegetables in the market too at giveaway prices but can't compare with the one that is homegrown. Need to cook just go to the garden and pick your choice. We get fresh vegetables all the time when you have your own vegetable garden.
@bestylish (922)
• Philippines
20 Apr 10
Nope, I don't plant my own vegetables... my mom does that. HEHE! She loves to plant.
1 person likes this
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
20 Apr 10
It is definitely far better to plant your own veggies, that way you know they have no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. That is what we do here on the farm. The husband makes a big plot to plant veggies in. We plant tomatoes, cucumbers, and lots of peppers of all different types. He loves hot peppers and our soil here is high in sulphur, so they grow just wonderful. We freeze them and use them in cooking year round.
1 person likes this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
21 Apr 10
I am growing my own vegetables too but only those that do not require much attention. I have different kinds of herbs on pots and different kinds of capsicum too. I also have horseradish in my garden which is so easy to grow and yet very nutritious. If I have more time I would plant more vegetables because that is the best way to have organic vegetables which are so expensive in the market. I am not using chemical fertilizers at all. Fertilizers out of dried leaves are enough to make them healthy.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
21 Apr 10
Hi Zandi. Glad to see that you are joining in on the growing of organic home grown vegetables. We have had gardens on and off over the years and recently created a new one that has a fence around it so that the dog cannot use it for a toilet! 
As the heat from Summer is now gone here, I have begun planting and have some Ceylon spinach, Kang Kong and a massive pumpkin vine which grew out of our compost as well as some tomato plants which did the same. If you compost your food scraps, then growing fruit and vegetables is even easier as nature takes care of it for us. Although, sometimes plants can come up where you do not want them. I am going to start some lettuce soon. I have my rainwater tank installed now and it is filling up as I type this so I will not have to water with chlorinated and fluoridated water anymore.
The health benefits and cost benefits are well worth the efforts involved in growing your own produce and it is also fun and good exercise! The best thing is that you do not even need a yard to grow your own food as many vegetables grow really well in pots in balconies or even in laundries. We have pots full of herbs all over our decking which are really handy to the back door when meal preparations are happening. 
As the heat from Summer is now gone here, I have begun planting and have some Ceylon spinach, Kang Kong and a massive pumpkin vine which grew out of our compost as well as some tomato plants which did the same. If you compost your food scraps, then growing fruit and vegetables is even easier as nature takes care of it for us. Although, sometimes plants can come up where you do not want them. I am going to start some lettuce soon. I have my rainwater tank installed now and it is filling up as I type this so I will not have to water with chlorinated and fluoridated water anymore.
The health benefits and cost benefits are well worth the efforts involved in growing your own produce and it is also fun and good exercise! The best thing is that you do not even need a yard to grow your own food as many vegetables grow really well in pots in balconies or even in laundries. We have pots full of herbs all over our decking which are really handy to the back door when meal preparations are happening.
@b3ginn3r (221)
• Philippines
21 Apr 10
I want to but I can't. I have a busy schedule and I'm afraid that I can't be able to take care of the plants. It's a good way of saving money and you can also assure yourself that the vegetables are fresh and healthy. Continue on growing vegetables at home. It's a really good idea to make a vegetable garden. There's a lot of benefits and it would fill up that extra boring time you usually have on a day.
@mitchann (303)
• Philippines
21 Apr 10
I love to plant veggies, but sad to say that we dont have any backyard.And I dont think so it would grow in my place, because it so hot and dusty in here.
IT would be cool harvesting your plants for your own personal consumption.
DOnt need to go to the store and buy vegetables, and also not time-consuming.
Its a nice thing to know some people are planting vegetables.
@pranaywhizmachine (130)
• India
21 Apr 10
u may be right, but in my place i get vegetables cheaply ,so i have never taught of planting my own vegetables in the garden. but u may be right because even doctors say that the vegetables we grow in our garden are very healthy and they are free from so many bad chemicals which can harm us , so tomorrow onwards i will try to plant the vegetables in my own garden
@desperatehousewife (161)
• China
21 Apr 10
Hi, zandi.
I would love to but I don't have any places to grow them! Recent years have witnessed a significant rise in prices, food, gas, house...Life isn't easy. And you're right, not only vegetables, but also other food and foodstuffs contain toxic or hazardous additives which are bad for our health.
My aunt owns a house in the countryside, she and her family grow vegetables with the total amount that can only feed the whole family.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
20 Apr 10
hi zandi It so much fun to watch ones veggies really grow and fresh veggies with out pesticides and junk are so good to eat, and will
be healthy food for you. I no longer garden as I live in a retirement center which to me is tiresome.but I have had a lot of gardens over
the years we had our own house.So got to know when to plant what and we always had plenty of good fresh veggies an loads of fruit from our
orchard.
@Danny08 (395)
• Canada
20 Apr 10
Hello Zandi,
Yes...I plant my own veggies.....on 1500 square feet...almost eveything...more than 3/4th goes to friends and neighbours....since I live by myself and do this as hobby, don't mind at all sharing.
If someone interested....GArlic is the esaiest to plant and need almost no maintainance.....you got to plant Agrlic cloves with the first frost. Tjhey stay in the ground all winter and pop up as soon as weather gets warmer. Many of you might know Garlic is very healthy.
If there are any readers here from Toronto area, they could contact me to get some
free organic veges.....I will be mnore than glad to help.
Any one want any tips on gardening, please feel free to let me know.
@piya84 (2580)
• India
20 Apr 10
Ohh yes you are right but how many vegetables you are going to plant this way?It will require lot of space and other things like water fertilizers etc etc.Its difficult for people living in cities.So no i am not planting vegetables at my home.But i would definitely like to do that.
@May2k8 (18389)
• Indonesia
20 Apr 10
no one planted them and they grow their own in the back yard of my house. My backyard was fertile soil and plants can absorb water from the soil, even I just watched them getting high and should be cut so as not to disconnect electricity I guess it's wonderful. We watered the plants every morning.
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
20 Apr 10
I certainly don' t just throw seeds on the ground and hope they come up.There is some preparation here!
But this year I'm doing container gardening tho I haven't done much. I've started 6 tomato plants and 4 strawberry plants.
I figure we have fruit stands here in the summer and why break my back and sweat like a hog when I buy the veggies down the road.............
@myzire72 (1154)
• Singapore
20 Apr 10
Sad to say, I do not own a large plot of land to plant my own vegetables. I always get vegetables from my nearby grocery stores or supermarkets. They provide fresh vegetables at all times of the day, and at a very reasonable price. It's true that these vegetables are laden with harmful pesticides. But with careful treatment, these vegetables are still quite safe for consumption.
