I love summer gardening. Especially in the morning, when I step inside the garden, the bright sunshine, the scents of the new blooms, etc., create a heavenly feel inside my mind. However, as summer gardening is very special to me, I like to plan perfectly in advance.
In the planning process, one main concern is the selection of veggies and flower proportions. Flowers enhance the exterior’s appeal and enhance the look of the garden. On the other hand, veggies provide me with a continuous supply of fresh cooking items.
So, it is really a tough call. What about you? Which do you like to grow in your summer gardening: veggies or flowers? Let’s discuss this matter in detail to reach a decision together.
My Answer to the Question: Veggies or Flowers?
To be honest, I prefer growing vegetables at a maximum level compared to the flowers. But it does not mean that I only like to grow veggies. I also like growing flowers in my summer garden a lot.
In particular, I maintain a proportion between these two growing components. I maintain a ratio of 70% vegetables and 30% of flowers to grow in my summer gardening. I know such segregation will raise a question in your mind. In the following sections, I justify my choice of this ratio.
Why Grow 70% of Vegetables in Your Summer Garden
The following are the reasons.
Reason#01: Health Benefits
Growing your own vegetables ensures a confirmed supply of fresh and nutrient-rich vegetables. Using the grown vegetables in main dishes or just preparing a side dish confirms the presence of adequate nutrients in the daily menus.
Apart from the taste of the food, which is obviously good, those dishes contribute to overall health’s betterment. Most essentially, using self-grown vegetables ensures that no harmful pesticides or fertilizers are used in production. Simply put, organic food consumption means having better health.
Reason#02: Food Security
Growing more vegetables in my summer garden means lowering the dependency on the local grocery shop and supermarkets.
Here, I would like to mention that those shops used to sell veggies that are produced using chemical-based substances, which I do not like to consume. Again, if there is any supply chain disruption, I will not face any issues as I have my source in my house to get fresh veggies.
Moreover, in emergencies, having your own food supply is a crucial matter that my summer garden’s veggies can address.
Reason #03: Saving Money
Some studies say that people in the US can save more than $2,400 a year by growing their own vegetables. I literally believe this statistics data. For example, the average price of one kilo of tomato in grocery shops ranges from $5.90 to $7.68, depending on the state.
The same 1 kilo of tomato’s growing cost is below $1.00. Can you believe this? So, I prefer growing vegetables in my summer garden to save money.
Reason #04: Economic Efficiencies
Growing vegetables in any garden provides a higher return on investment in terms of space and resources used compared to ornamental plants.
Following this, I prefer growing veggies more than the flowers in my summer garden to incorporate higher economic efficiency.
Reason #05: Contribution to Wildlife
Vegetable plants provide shelter and nesting facilities for various wildlife like birds, small mammals, and beneficial insects.
Also, many organisms find refuge in the foliage and ground cover provided by vegetable plants. In summation, it helps maintain a balanced ecosystem.
Why I Grow 30% Flowers in My Summer Garden
Well, you must be thinking about why growing flowers while growing vegetables is more profitable. The following points will clear your confusion.
Reason #01: Triggering Mutual Benefits
Some particular flowers can naturally repel the harmful insects from the garden. Some of the most prominent this type of flowers are marigolds, lemongrass, etc.
So, growing these flowers benefits the vegetable plants, allowing me to reduce or discard the use of pesticides. Again, there are flowers like basil, which act as a natural repellent for pests and add flavor to the vegetables.
Reason #02: Enhanced Visual Appeal
The flowers in my summer garden are visually appealing due to the vibrant colors. Also, the different shapes and sizes of the flowers altogether enhance the look of the exterior of my house.
As per my experience, a careful selection of flower types adds some colorful splashes that transpose the conventional look of the house into a vibrant and eye-catching one.
Reason #03: Incorporating Seasonal Variety
Considering the flowers in summertime, there is a wide variety. Different summer flowers bloom at different times. This happening offers you a continuous and consistent look at the garden and the house.
The associated variety allows you to enjoy a consistently changing garden that delights your eyes and the neighbors throughout the summer season.
Reason #04: Pollination
We all know that flowers play a crucial role in the pollination process. The flowers’ color and smell attract various pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and other insects.
These pollinators play a crucial part in the case of vegetable production and getting a greater yield. The polluniters transfer pollen from male to female, enabling fruit and seed production.
So, by growing flowers, I ensure my garden has a sufficient amount and a steady supply of pollinators that enhance the fertility of my summer garden and facilitate higher crop yields.
Reason #05: Contribution to Biodiversity
Growing flowers in a garden is a crucial and essential task for contributing to the local biodiversity. The flower plants provide habitats for many garden pests, offering many beneficial insects and small animals to prey on those pests.
The flower plants also boost the soil health while positively contributing to the natural cycle of the garden.
Justifying My Preference of Growing 70% Veggies and 30% Flowers
From the above discussions, you can easily observe that the outcomes of growing vegetables in your summer garden are more than those of growing flowers. Growing vegetables enables various benefits like having a consistent supply of fresh fruit, food security, saving money, and economic efficiency.
On the other hand, growing flowers triggers enhanced visual appeal and contributes to some nature tasks like pollination, killing harmful pests, etc. The in-depth exploration of the outcomes of both plant categories reveals that growing flowers can be a supporting task in gardening.
But, if I do not grow veggies, there is very little need to grow only flowers as the primary beneficial term is enhancing the aesthetic. On the contrary, food’s importance comes before the significance of enhanced visual appeal, which triggers the greater importance of growing more vegetables in the summer garden.
Final Word
I think now you have a clear answer to which do you like to grow in your summer gardening: veggies or flowers. As you already know, I prefer growing 70% of veggies and 30% of flowers. But, I must notify you that growing both categories of plants is necessary as one supports the other’s growth and better yield.
Finally, I must say it is about personal preference. If you like decorating the indoors with fresh flowers daily and care more about the exterior’s aesthetic appeal, you must produce more flowers than veggies. In short, the proportion varies from person to person based on their preference, choice, needs, local weather, etc.
