11 Surprisingly Bad Reasons to Grow Vegetables at Home

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Growing vegetables at home are trending these days, which is generally recommended for its health benefits, sustainability and therapeutic qualities. It’s easy to get swept up in green thumbed excitement as you scroll through social media feeds of lush backyard gardens or hear your friends brag about their homegrown tomatoes. For some people, however, the reasons they plunge into home gardening don’t always seem practical, sensible, or even particularly fun. We sometimes romanticize the idea without really thinking about how much effort it really is—and learn the hard way that some motivations really aren’t ideal.

Here are surprisingly mistaken reasons people choose to plant a vegetable garden at home. If any of these motivations are making you wonder whether you should plant some seeds, you might want to reconsider—or at least ready yourself for a little dose of reality along the way.

Aesthetic Appeal

Young ethnic female artisan in gloves demonstrating shibori technique while painting cloth in basin with water in garden — Photo Credit: Teona Swift/Pexels

The idea of adding a vegetable garden to your outdoor space seems like a good fit, if you’re looking at the perfectly staged photos of lush green plots. The truth is, vegetable gardens usually don’t look as spiffy as a floral garden. Not always is the “Instagram aesthetic” guaranteed between gaps in rows, awkwardly placed trellises, and plants at various stages of growth. Instead of neat flower beds, vegetable patches can sometimes look like a patchwork quilt of random greenery and soil — not what you had in mind.

Saving Money

One reason people begin a vegetable garden is the notion that it will save them a fortune on groceries. Indeed growing your own food can be economical in the long term, but the upfront costs for seeds, soil, fertilizer, and gardening tools can be pretty high. Additionally, the vegetables you grow may require particular conditions, and some varieties need pots, raised beds, or shade cloth. Home gardening may actually hurt your wallet harder than you think in the short term if you’re trying to save money fast.

Wanting a “Quick” Hobby

You would think gardening would be relaxing and simple. Water the seeds, wait, and the next thing you know fresh vegetables. Gardening isn’t quick, however. They have to be tended to, protected from pests, and get water and sunlight they need. This might be a better hobby for those who are a little patient and persistent rather than those who want the quick results. Gardening may not be your jam if you’re looking for instant gratification.

Joining the “Green” Movement

Growing your own food certainly sounds like a good eco friendly thing to do. Ironically, however, many people end up using more water, energy and resources than they intended. Frequent watering, however, may actually raise your water bill in a dry region. For those using pesticides or even natural pest repellents, it’s also worth noting that small gardens sometimes need more product per square foot than large scale farming. Often it’s more work than we realize to be ‘green’.

Fighting “Store Bought” Toxins

According to Healthline, the pesticides and preservatives used on store bought produce is a turn off to a lot of people. The truth is, though, growing chemical free produce at home is no small feat. Organic veggies don’t matter to insects, rodents, and disease, and they’re certainly going to eat your veggies if left unchecked. You might find yourself in a battle with bugs, mold and mildew that you weren’t expecting, and might have to resort to pest control measures you had not planned for.

Expecting Consistent Crops

Home gardens don’t work on demand like grocery stores that have perfect produce year round. Your tomatoes may ripen all at once, or your lettuce may bolt in the heat, leaving you with a glut or shortage when you don’t expect it. However, if you’re looking to replace store bought vegetables altogether, you should be ready for a bit of trial and error as your garden adjusts to the seasons, pests and other conditions that affect your yield.

Avoiding Grocery Shopping

Some believe a vegetable garden will finally set them free from having to ever go to the store to pick up produce. It’s true that your garden can provide a consistent supply of some veggies in season, but it probably won’t meet all of your needs. Even if you have a very large and well managed plot, you’ll still have to hit the grocery store for ingredients you can’t grow, especially in winter or if you want exotic produce.

Impressing Friends and Family

Potluck Dinners — Image credit: Regina via pikwizard

Imagine how you’ll be praised for serving up meals of ingredients ‘fresh from the garden,’ but not everybody gets a bounty that merits a cooking show. You’ll get one oddly shaped carrot or a tiny handful of cherry tomatoes for weeks of effort. That said, some family and friends will be impressed, while others will just raise an eyebrow and wonder why you’re spending hours taking care of a veggie patch when you can just go buy a perfectly ripe bell pepper from the store.

Teaching Kids Responsibility

Many parents hope a vegetable garden will teach their kids valuable lessons about responsibility and nature. Gardening can be educational, but the truth is that young kids may get bored fast, leaving you to do all the watering, weeding and harvesting. It’s not a family bonding activity, it’s a solo project in a heartbeat. This might not be a good reason to begin if you’re not ready to commit to a full time role as head gardener.

Escaping Stress

According to the National Institutes of Health, gardening is a stress reliever, but reality says, “not always.” Gardening can also be a source of frustration with unexpected pest invasions, failed crops and occasional unpredictable weather. For some the trial and error required to keep plants alive is another layer of stress, rather than an escape. If you’re seeking a foolproof means of relaxation, you may get some surprises in the process of gardening.

Avoiding Exercise Indoors

Habits Seniors Keep Alive in a 'Woke' World — Photo Credit: Centre for Aging Better/Pexels

A vegetable garden is, of course, physical activity, but not necessarily a full workout. Physically demanding, bending, digging and lifting can be, but they are sporadic, not constant. Plus, it can put strain on your back to bend over for so long, and lifting soil bags isn’t necessarily done with a light touch on the joints. If you’re planting veggies as an alternative to gym time, be prepared for a different kind of workout—one that probably won’t hit all the muscle groups you had in mind.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.