Why should I be a home gardener?

Press, 15 September 1976, Page 12

Why should I be a home gardener?

There are several good reasons for becoming a home gardener, not the least of which is the means to save money.

It has been calculated by expert gardeners that an average garden will repay the cost of garden tools, seeds and fertiliser in about six weeks of cropping. The rest of the year is profit And, of course, well looked after tools will last a lifetime, which means that they are a once-only expense. Then there is availability. Cauliflower from your own garden tastes even better than ever when the greengrocer has

them on sale at more than 50c each. Freshness is another plus factor. There is absolutely no comparison between the fresh produce from a home garden and that from a retailer. This leads on to nutritional value. Vegetables are packed with vitamins. The fresher the vegetable (and the less cooking it gets) the better the food value and taste. For the desk-bound executive, gardening provides both healthy exercise and an outside interest. It also fosters community spirit in terms of neighbourly cooperation — a cabbage of yours swapped for a cauliflower of his, half a dozen sweet peppers for a couple of pounds of tomatoes.