I’ve had a garden for decades, so it’s just second nature for me to order seeds and set up the lights when winter starts to lose its icy grip. You, on the other hand, may be vaguely thinking about a small garden plot this year for the very first time. Need convincing that growing your own vegetables is worth the time and effort? Read on.

Freshness
Pick your food at its peak of ripeness, right before you prepare it.

Safety
If you’d rather not eat food that has been treated with pesticides and preservatives, you don’t have to. You can do what you want in your own garden.

Cost
A packet of tomato seeds costs a dollar or two, the same as a couple of beefsteak tomatoes. From one packet you can grow hundreds of plants, each of which will produce several tomatoes. Do the math.

Cooking
If you like to cook, you’ll relish the chance to turn your produce into tasty, nutritious dishes for family and friends.

Local eating
You can’t get more local than your own yard.

Choice
There are hundreds of heirlooms you won’t find in groceries and supermarkets. In your own garden, you can grow any variety of herb, fruit, berry, or vegetable you like.

Exercise and fresh air

During the growing season, you’re outdoors on a regular basis. You’re planting, weeding, harvesting, hauling. Gardening won’t prepare you for marathon running, but in terms of physical fitness it does beat flipping channels while sprawled on the couch.

Education
Teach your children where food comes from and how it’s grown. And develop your own knowledge of weather, plant physiology, insects, soil, and so on.

Sharing
Friends, neighbors, and co-workers will appreciate an occasional garden gift, and you may even convince them to start their own garden.

Still need convincing? Read five more reasons…

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A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

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MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

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Gardener's Log Book from NYBG

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This weatherproof five-year log book includes the following features: · Sturdy waterproof cover to protect pages from rain and muddy soil · Lined pages and gridded paper for plotting beds · Five years of 12-month bloom and harvest grids for recording what you planted and when · Authoritative appendices on composting, pruning, pest and disease control, and container gardening · Useful reminders by season on fertilizing, mulching, and transplanting · Space for listing your favorite sources and suppliers.

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Plant Covers Freeze Protection 10 ft x 30 ft Floating Row Cover 0.9oz/yd²

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Lightweight and Breathable MATERIAL Good for protecting Plant: the plant frost cover material is 0.74 oz/sq non-woven polypropylene fabric, which is lightweight, breathable, and durable. The plant blanket frost protection allows sunlight reach the plants, perfect for protecting plants from the damage of freeze or frost. Wide Application In your Garden Work. The plant row cover not only can work as a barrier against frost, but also can be a great tool for germination and good for rapid seedling growth. By using the fabric plant covers over your plant, you can start the plant earlier in the spring and extending the growing season of your plants. How to Use the Plant Covers: you can cover the plant covers for freeze over your the plants loosely directly and then secure the plant frost blanket with soil, stones or staples. You can also support the floating row covers with a hoop, make enough room for plants to breath and grow. You could also cut the plant covers into different sizes for different purposes.

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