The Carrot Tops Allotment Blog!

Last week, National Gardening Week just passed us by.

What better excuse than to sit back and reflect on why I love gardening and why we should all be doing it in some sort of capacity, whether it’s tending to indoor plants, a window box or a garden.

Here’ are my 10 reasons why gardening is awesome!

Gardening is exercise 

I’ve always said that my allotment is the best gym in the world. It’s actually cheaper than a gym too. So last year I was part of a gym and I can honestly say I seldom broke that much of sweat, compared to the sweat that I build up at the allotment. The health benefits are well documented from aerobic exercise to improving circulation and lowing blood pressure.

You get to be creative 

Gardening is great way to use plants to brighten up spaces of all different shapes and sizes. You can mix different plants to achieve different colours, heights and shapes. Instagram is great place to aggregate different ideas for your space. There’s also a lot more videos online showing you how to make quirky planters and grow in the smallest of spaces. Get creative! 🙂

Help the bees

It’s no secret that our bees need a helping hand. The decline in bees over the years is thanks to climate change and industrial farming methods. I’ve always grown up believing that if there are no bees in the world then human kind will cease to exist (or something like that…). It’s only now that big business is starting to think along those lines, with the decline in bees putting global business at risk. I’m hoping to plant some more pollinators at my allotment to help.

Help the environment

The world needs more green spaces and every little helps. Plants release oxygen – everything needs oxygen to survive, therefore plants are good for the environment, it really is that simple. Whether you tend to plants indoors or outdoors, you increasing the quality of your space infinitely by growing plants. They’re also a bit of a focal point in that particular space.

You compost

Composting is easier than ever and you can you compost a lot more than you could. Hot composting and no dig gardens are all the rage and they both involve using biodegradable material straight from the source. Composting reduces the amount going to landfill and you improve the growing conditions of wherever you plan to grow your plants.  Compost helps promote good soil nutrients and water retention.

Assists with stress relief

I’m a firm believer that gardening is a great friend if you’re stressed out or if you’ve had a tough time recently. Everything naturally moves at a slower pace which gives you time to think. In my opinion, plants have a very calming effect and that is a good thing. I recently read this fantastic article by the Bohemian Raspberry about how gardening has helped her through some trying times. Check it out here.

You learn about plants

OK, so gardening brings out my geeky side – I’m fascinated by the history of different varieties of plants and vegetables. When it comes to vegetables I’m eager to learn how different varieties work best for different dishes – for instance, Desiree potatoes are meant to make awesome chips and Maris Piper make fantastic roast potatoes.

You learn about the weather and the climate

I’m constantly watching the weather, purely because I’m a fair weather gardener at heart. To go as so far as to say I was fussy wouldn’t be too far from the the truth as well – I like it not too hot or not too cold. Watching of the weather often helps me to make decisions when it comes to planting things, cutting things and sowing things. The conditions have to be just right. For instance, this year I held off from sowing any seeds – and it’s paying off.

If you grow your own – you get food

Going from plot to plate… Is there anything more satisfying or delicious? I follow a simple mantra when it comes to food that’s been passed down to me – it’s not about quantity it’s about quality.  Fresh food from your plot really is a treat and you really do taste the difference. You can also educate your pallet and soon find out what’s good and what’s bad. Check out my recipe page to see what I do in the kitchen with my produce.

It’s relatively inexpensive

Gardening really isn’t an expensive hobby. It all starts with one pot, one bag of compost, some seeds and away you go. I love looking at my plants and seeing how they grow – a bit like a hobbit. You can also recycle a lot of your household items which makes gardening even more satisfyingly cheap!

So there we have it! If you garden let me know the reasons why you love it so much in the comments below. If you’re thinking about taking up a new hobby – I hope I’ve convinced you to take the first steps 🙂 

Gardening is awesome!