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Among so many things in our planet, there is one big group which maintains life of all living things.

What is it?

Plants. Maybe if we remove Ego from PLANET, it becomes PLANT. WIthout them, our complex eco-system will be destroyed.

We sort of know that it is true, but in a modern convenient society where more and more people live in cities and can do so many things with one click, we tend to detach ourselves from plants.

I was no exception, but I had a chance to start planting food at home (vegetables and herbs) which definitely made my life better, so I would like to share 10 reasons to do so, hoping that some of which (even one, if not all) might apply to you to be a little bit happier.

10 reasons to plant at home

Life lessons

This is first and foremost benefit. As a (self-declared) learning specialist, I was shocked with the amount of learning I got from house gardening. Schools and modern life didn’t teach me those.

First, you can learn the process of planting (from seed, germination, stem and leaves, flowers to actual edible things we see at super markets). Did you know that each plant has totally different shape of leaves and way to grow? I didn’t.

Second, you learn that so many things are interconnected (soil, sun, water, humidity, temperature, density, insects, etc.).

Third, you can learn the sequence of planning, implementation and reviewing lessons. To plant, you really have to plan what to grow when and how and take actions (each plant has characteristic and season), and consistency is the key. Things will not go smoothly as planned so you have to adjust accordingly. Sounds familiar? That’s a life (and so is project). So you can literally learn about life lessons.

Expand your world

When you plant, the landscape will change in the garden, which expands your world. Even outside your home, you will see so many different plants, some of which are exactly same as what you are growing. I was amazed to realize that my neighborhood (which I’ve known for years) had tomato, cucumber, and lemons, and I could identify them even before they have final fruits we are familiar with.

Planting made me aware of the small world I was living in.

Socialize

Since I started planting and learning different characteristics, I had more opportunities to have a chat with those who also plant. One of my neighbors even gave us some planters with soils they were not using. It definitely became one way to socialize with others.

Food

I am planting edible vegetables and herbs instead of foliage plants (things to see). They became complementary source of ingredients, which also motivated me to cook more.

In addition, since you know the process, it is organic, safe and healthy (you might not know how much pesticide was used for the products in the supermarket).

Bring happiness

For sure it is more time- and effort consuming to have 1 piece of tomato at home than just grabbing 1 package and just pay at supermarket. But it is totally worth it, as you get to see the  growth of your plants every day. I still remember the great moment when I saw first tomato in our garden. Planting brings happiness throughout the whole process (even difficult period of insects!). And this happiness is contagious to other family members and friends who visit you.

In addition, realizing the seasonal change is proven to give you a sense of appreciation, which is the source of happiness (for more detail, please read “5 simple ways you can apply right away to find happiness“)

Save money

As is the same with other new activities, you might need initial investment (planter, soil, seed, poll, etc.). Nevertheless, you can definitely save some money out of planting. Although money is not primary reason for me to plant, it felt good when I saw expensive products at the supermarket (e.g. basil, tomato)

Gift

I found giving plants as a gift quite unique experience. As a (self-declared) quasi-minimalist, I always think of what kind of gift might be adequate for others. Whenever I find someone who appreciates the plant/food, I tend to give to that person as a token of my friendship. It doesn’t take time and hopefully brings joy to that person (and maybe motivates to start planting!)

Environment

It goes without saying that plants are mostly environment-friendly. At least you are contributing to the eco-system even at a small scale (instead of destroying). Even if plants die, they can be re-used for the organic soils for next season.

Advocate others

Since I started planting, I’ve been sharing its great benefits with people I know, and some people became interested in planting. I wonder if everyone plants something, the world might be a bit better world where we learn more, chat more, feel happier, share unique gift, and make better environment, etc.

Hobby / Project

Having a hobby gives you a sense of satisfaction in your life, and planting can be a great example (it joined my list of hobbies now which I am sharing with my family and friends). At a personal level, I am planning to integrate this planting into one of the aspects of my future learning project, so that more people can enjoy the benefits of planting.

The learning of this time 

I learned that planting foods at home can provide so many benefits including learning, happiness, socializing, etc., which might have a potential to make the world a bit better, as well as your life. 

Thank you for reading this article. If you like it, please don’t forget to subscribe before your leave. If you have any comments/questions, please feel free to do so. Have great learning!

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