National Garden Month Guest Blog:
The Benefits of Home Gardening
Guest Blog by Silje Hildebrand, UAA Dietetics Student
Happy National Garden Month! From blueberries and rhubarb to potatoes and kale, gardening is a fun yet cost effective way to grow nutrient rich foods. Did you know that fruits and vegetables grown at home contain more nutrients than those bought in the grocery store? It’s true, the vitamins and antioxidants in at home produce can be up to 100% higher than those that have been imported (Hansen, n.d.). One huge aspect to nutrient loss in crops is storage time because of the transportation process (Hansen, n.d.). However, the beauty of gardening is that it completely eliminates that whole step bringing you lower cost and more nutrient rich foods!
Photo Credit: Ashley LaRiviere
Let's take a look at one of my favorite nutrient-rich snacks, blueberries! Currently, an 18 oz container of blueberries is selling for $8.44 or 46.9￠/oz from Walmart in Anchorage, Alaska. When looking at prices to grow blueberries at home, a pack of 4 live starter blueberry plants averages about $29.97, and each plant should produce 6 to 8 pounds of blueberries per year. With those numbers, it would cost just 0.07￠/oz to produce blueberries right in the luxury of your own home. This is just one example that goes to show the financial benefits of growing nourishing foods at home.
Not only is a home or community garden cost-effective, but it also contributes to cultural preservation and environmental benefits. Alaska is known for having strong cultural connections to the land, and this can be demonstrated through community gardens. For example, the Alaska Native Heritage Center adopted an indigenous garden inspired to help Alaska Native youth connect with their indigenous traditions. This garden beautifully showcases plants that have historically been used in Alaska Native health (ANHC ILEAD Program “Adopts” Indigenous Garden – Cultural Center and Museum in Anchorage, Alaska, 2019).
In addition to the vast cultural benefits of gardens, gardening also plays a role in lowering our carbon footprint! Gardening your own food at home limits the amount of gas and oil used in transporting food, as well as works to limit waste created from packaging and plastic containers which can help to mitigate climate change. Not only that, but plants work to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere during photosynthesis sequestering carbon in their biomass and their soil (Youngquist & Chalker-Scott, 2012).
Let’s not forget that gardening is fun! Involving friends and family, especially children, can be an interactive and motivating way to learn more about fresh nutrients, and recipes, and encourage the consumption of fresh nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables. Pickling, canning, and making jams are also fun activities that allow for the consumption of vital foods in different forms, all year round. Gardening can be an educational experience for young children to explore scientific concepts and gain an understanding of how the earth functions.
Photo Credit: Ashley LaRiviere
Alaska has a very unique climate as compared to other states in the lower 48, so gardening may look a little different. Here is a quick list of some of the best ways to garden in Alaska:
Raised beds: raised beds require less water and soil, retain heat well, and can be placed almost anywhere.
Green houses: These structures can help protect the plants from harsh climates and also create a warmer environment so that more plants can grow year round.
Indoor gardening: Some plants like herbs and microgreens can be grown on a counter or windowsill indoors.
Cold-climate crops: It is also important to research and find crops that best fit Alaska’s colder climate. Some of these crops include carrots, beets, and winter squash.
Whether you have a large back yard or a couple of pots on a patio, gardening is a great way to contribute to our own well being. So let’s dig in, get our hands dirty and watch our gardens grow knowing that each seed we plant is a step toward a greener, healthier world!
References
ANHC ILEAD Program “Adopts” Indigenous Garden – Cultural Center and Museum in Anchorage, Alaska. (2019, July 2). Alaska Native Heritage Center. Retrieved April 6, 2024, from https://www.alaskanative.net/anhc-ilead-program-adopts-indigenous-garden/
Hansen, J. (n.d.). The Benefits of Garden-to-Table Produce Versus Supermarket Varieties. GardenTech. Retrieved April 8, 2024, from https://www.gardentech.com/blog/gardening-and-healthy-living/garden-to-table-goodness -and-nutrition
Youngquist, C. P., & Chalker-Scott, L. (2012, August). Gardening for Carbon Sequestration: Overview and Practices. HortTechnology, 22(4). 10.21273/HORTTECH.22.4.579
