No company today owns the gifts of nature. You need only to look to your own soil for your sustenance, not your wallet. That soil is a trove of treasures. Here are some easy vegetables you could be growing by yourself on your balcony or home garden. 

5 Vegetables You Could Be Growing At Home

Before you plant any seeds, based on your region you need to find out what is the best time of the year to grow that particular crop. 

1) Garlic

Garlic is an important kitchen spice used in a variety of cuisines across the world. Though it’s cheap to purchase from your local supermarket, you could grow an entire year’s supply at home and save yourself the hassle of going out to buy it. It’s pretty nifty to have your own spice plant, for quick access to fresh spices when you’re running low. 

Garlic grows in a range of climates but the best time to plant it is around fall. It’s best to acquire garlic seeds from a reputable vendor, but if that’s not feasible you can also plant the cloves. Garlic requires an abundance of sunlight to mature well so make sure you place your pots in a sunny area and ensure that the soil has good drainage.

2) Carrots

Carrots are both delicious and an excellent source of vital nutrients such as Vitamin A, K and Calcium, needed to strengthen your bones. Carrots also contain fiber which helps keep blood sugar levels under control and mitigates the risk of diabetes. With a galore of health benefits and an easy farming process, Carrots are one of the best plants for you to grow yourself.

Carrot seeds require a tropical climate to germinate so plant them around a time of the year when the temperature falls between 20-30° Celsius. As for the soil, it needs to be loamy, sandy and well-drained. You can either purchase compost from a reputable vendor or create your own compost using dried leaves, bark, and finer pieces of soil material. But don’t forget to enrich your soil, your plants need food too.

3) Potatoes

Potatoes are a key ingredient in countless mouth-watering Indian delicacies such as Vada Pav, Samosa and Dum Aloo. 

One of the key benefits of potatoes is the fiber they contain which helps you lose weight by making you feel full longer. This keeps both your cholesterol and blood sugar in check which can reduce the risk of heart disease. Potatoes are also loaded with carbs to keep you energetic and antioxidants to cleanse your body from disease causing impurities.

Like carrots, potatoes also require sunlight, a well-drained compost-rich soil to thrive. They grow under the ground so you need to plant them

4) Lettuce

Lettuce and most other salad leaves take around 6-8 weeks to fully grow. This means you can reap the benefits of this tasty nutritious plant in less than 2 months. Lettuce is loaded with powerful antioxidants, Vitamin A, C, Iron, Fiber and Protein, minus the calories. It is nutrition dense and sugar plus fat-free, making it the most suitable plant for daily consumption.

Growing Lettuce is very easy. The only thing you need to be wary of is caterpillars, however there are plenty of toxin-free eco-friendly pesticides you can purchase to repel them.

5) Broccoli

It’s a common myth that Vegans do not get enough protein from their diet. Dairy and steak are not the only sources of protein. It’s true, they’re higher in protein than vegetables but that doesn’t make them healthier. Both red and pink meats contain an excess amount of fat that actually makes them unsuitable for daily consumption.

Broccoli may only contain about 3g of protein per 100g, but it’s only 34 calories which means you can eat more. Steak on the other hand while giving you 25g of protein has 271 calories per 100g.

The important takeaway is that all the earth needs is the labor of your hands, for a few minutes, to return fresh, delicious, 100% natural and nutrient rich food. It’s not as complicated as most people make it out to be. Being able to grow your own food is the most vital and yet underrated skill on this planet.