Gardening: Why You Should Plant a Garden Today

What if you could eat fresh, organic food every single day? What if you wouldn’t even have to go to the grocery store or pay exorbitant prices? 

It’s easier than you may think, provides affordable, convenient and fresh food, and is an activity that gives physical exercise and can make your community/family stronger and closer-knit. 

It’s time to plant a garden.

But, why is gardening part of a Magenta House? If you thought Magenta was about conserving water and power—not about learning to live off of the land—it is!

First, because agriculture is responsible for almost 80% of water use in the United States. And in some states, it’s 90%.

Then, a lot of irrigation techniques used industrially and on smaller scales are also extremely inefficient and can lose up to 50% of water as waste. Growing your own food in the back yard allows for smarter, more efficient irrigation: check out how to do it here.

Third, modern industrial agriculture can also be wasteful and destructive to the ecosystem.  Cheaper, faster, and bigger agriculture is not always better—often it’s not.

Food travels too far, and often, it’s awful.

Currently, most food travels 1,500 miles before reaching your store, pesticides are dumped into the ecosystem causing widespread damage, the bees are dying and we are getting sicker and fatter. 

And, while low quality, innutritious, and non-tasty food has gotten mind-boggling cheap, organic, local, sustainable, tasty, and nutritious food seems to be increasingly out of reach for most people on a regular paycheck.

And it’s cheap, so it’s even more awful.

Why is fruit from other states or countries cheaper than local? 

We shouldn’t settle for this.

Growing food at your home allows more efficient water use, land stewardship, and sustainability, and scrumptious and healthy food for a fraction of the price.

You’ll learn a lot in this article series.

You’ll learn how easy it is to get started growing your own food—and working towards a brighter tomorrow. 

You’ll also learn the basics of making urban agriculture more accessible to you, your family and your neighbors. 

The series will also cover soil and composting; what, when, and how to plant; the basics of permaculture and sustainability; and useful technologies including aquaponics and hydroponics.

Learn more on ways to save water and money with LADWP.
Learn more about the assumptions behind Magenta House water and power savings calculations.