December 15, 1990

Almost everyone is able to tend a garden of one size or another. Unfortunately many people do not even bother with a garden. They apparently are unaware of the values of home gardening for themselves and the environment. Here are 10 reasons why gardening is important.

1. Gardening helps connect people with the natural world. It helps us see how nature, upon which we all ultimately depend, works. As we toil to grow our own food, we can understand that nature offers "no free lunch." One reaps only what is sown. Most modern lifestyles hide these important principles.

2. Gardening allows people to reduce or eliminate use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers. With garden plots, labor-intensive methods can be used instead of chemicals, thereby reducing pollution of ground water.

3. Gardening helps conserve energy. Oil is conserved since gardeners do not need petro-chemical derived pesticides and fertilizers. Scientists calculate that it takes about 10 calories of energy input (mostly derived from oil) to produce one calorie of food energy in the commercial energy-inefficient U.S. food system. Raising produce at home using mostly hand labor, one calorie of energy input will produce more than 10 calories of food energy. Home gardening also eliminates energy needed to transport, process and package foodstuffs and helps solve landfill problems caused by over-packaging.

4. Gardening helps reduce global warming caused by the build-up of such "greenhouse gases" as carbon dioxide (CO2). Industrial agriculture and other industry add CO2 to the air in large amounts as fossil fuels are burned. Since vegetables and fruits use CO2 in the food-making process, gardeners help to remove excess CO2 from the air.

5. Gardening helps reduce air pollution. Food grown at home needs no distribution by transportation systems that pollute the air. Engine exhaust includes nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides, ground ozone, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxides.

6. Gardening helps conserve soil. Composting, using raised beds and other similar techniques are easily done in home gardening. A properly maintained home garden leaves little chance for soil erosion and deterioration.

7. Gardening reduces your home food budget considerably. Money saved is available for church and mission support or other causes.

8. Gardening is good exercise. When so many people have sedentary and high stress jobs, gardening provides needed physical exercise and is relaxing and rejuvenating.

9. Gardening produces food that tastes better, is more nutritious and is free from toxic pesticides. You have probably tasted the difference between ripe organically home-grown strawberries and hard, partly green pesticide-laced berries shipped in from miles away. Peas, sweet corn and even peanuts and popcorn from home gardens are tastier than commercial varieties.

10. Gardening allows one to tend part of God's creation. As a gardener recognizes this fact, it can be a spiritual experience.

What a privilege for gardeners to participate in this divine plan. As you tend your garden this spring, remember that you are managing it for God and preserving God's good creation.