Instead of the fountain of youth, folks, we should be aiming for a garden! People who garden physically and mentally benefit from it, for starters. As reported by the BBC, gardening has been found to be the habit that could very well help you live longer (https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20181210-gardening-could-be-the-hobby-that-helps-you-live-to-100).
On top of all that, when you garden, you eat what you garden–natural, whole foods that should be the foundation of your diet. If you’re looking to cut that fresh food bill or just want to motivate yourself to eat more fresh fruits and veggies, gardening fits the bill.
When you first start a garden and it doesn’t go well, it can have a really negative effect on your feelings toward it because it’s a form of failure. So to get your green thumb going, it’s best to start with some hardy, undemanding plants your first time trying.
Beans
You’ll find beans in plenty of varieties, from slender verts to big favas. Despite the wide variety of types, there are only two plant types, namely bush and pole. The bushes are self-supporting, while the pole beans climb and will need some sort of support, such as a trellis. With good sunlight and enough water, a dozen bean plants can produce enough beans for three people. Harvest your mature beans every day for a better yield. Beans you miss can still be used as seeds or for dry beans. On top of all of this, your bean plants will provide the soil with natural fertilizer, paving the way for your more ambitious gardens of the future.
Leafy greens
From kale to lettuce, leafy greens are an easy plant for a new gardener to tackle. Other than chard, most of these greens are meant for the cooler season and do best as fall or spring crops. You can usually selectively harvest greens for months until they send out seeds, which you can then harvest for next year’s garden.
Tomatoes
You’ve probably noticed that garden-grown tomatoes taste better than store-bought ones, and it’s not just your imagination. In the store, tomatoes ripen on the truck. In your garden, they’ll ripen on the vine, and that brings more nutritional content and better texture and flavor. On top of that, tomatoes are pretty forgiving plants that will produce really well for you in exchange for just some decent soil, water and sunshine.
