I feel like a nag, but i am asking my family to plant gardens.

[loopyloo]

I have some family that is struggling. They have health issues and are finding it hard to pay for special diets and their bills. Much of their special diets are fresh vegetables and fruits. I have asked them to consider planting a garden and they seem like with some nudging they might go for it. I feel like I am nagging them to try it out. Its hard to watch people you care about having a hard time when you know that part of the answer could be so simple.

Am I crossing lines asking them to try to grow food?

 

[ACSAPA]

No ,I think you're being loving and trying to help them. But people who are new to gardening sometimes find it intimidating. Maybe you can help them get started by showing them what supplies to buy and how to start planting.
Showing and helping are more effective than just telling.
They might not know where to start and need guidance about growing food.

 

[maddie]

Gardening is a lot of work and if people are ill they might find it difficult to do these chores everyday. You can always suggest without sounding like a nag.. but leave the decision to them.. it is their life after all.

 

[ACSAPA]

Gardening is a lot of work and if people are ill they might find it difficult to do these chores everyday. You can always suggest without sounding like a nag.. but leave the decision to them.. it is their life after all.

Right, it is a lot of work. I think since loopyloo is worried about her family members' health, she should help them get started and then it would be up to them to maintain it. Her action might motivate them to act. She doesn't have to feel helpless and watch them have a hard time, she can get her hands dirty and use her green thumb to help their garden get started.

 

[Pat]

Try helping them to grow a few plants they need in a raised garden using a kiddie pool. They will not have to do much digging or weeding. It can give them the space they need and not be intimidated by a full garden. Good luck.

 

[Jed]

I have some family that is struggling. They have health issues and are finding it hard to pay for special diets and their bills. Much of their special diets are fresh vegetables and fruits. I have asked them to consider planting a garden and they seem like with some nudging they might go for it. I feel like I am nagging them to try it out. Its hard to watch people you care about having a hard time when you know that part of the answer could be so simple.

Am I crossing lines asking them to try to grow food?

Hi loopyloo.
Good choice but you may find you are doing all the work.
Have you the time to spend helping them out?
They surely will save if they grow there own with your help.

The down side is when we do grow our vegetables the time spent on each cabbage can make it worth $7 with all the effort you put in.

If it was me I would grow the vegetables and drop some off from time to time.

 

[claudine]

I think you definitely should keep asking them to try to grow food. It's not nagging, it just means you care about them and I believe that if you love someone, you can't be indifferent even if in some situations some people might find it annoying. Tell them what you think, I hope they'll at least try to grow some vegetables.

 

[ACSAPA]

If it was me I would grow the vegetables and drop some off from time to time.

That's also a good idea. Maybe if loopyloo has a little room, she can grow a couple of vegetables and drop them off for her relatives, kind of like that charity project Plant An Extra Row For the Hungry.

 

[Jessi]

I think that it's thoughtful of you to encourage it.

At the end of the day, though, it's up to them to make the decision to do it. If your gentle prodding doesn't get them in gear, then it may be best to let it go at some point or have a garden of your own, etc. If you push too much, they may resist and nobody wins.

 

[Rocky]

It's really thoughtful of you to try to help them out like that and I really hope they do it! (Just remember that they might not...)

I like the idea of growing vegetables for them but if you don't have the time for that how about giving them some seeds?

 

[loopyloo]

I probably should have mentioned that both members of the family have food allergies. Both of them should be on a high fresh vegetable and fruit diet as opposed to the fast food or boxed foods that are so cheap and easy to get it . Produce is costly at the store and so they tend to eat what they can instead of what they should.

And as an update I will be going over in the next few weeks and getting their soil ready to grow some things. They are excited to get started though a little worried about the work it might take. I will be doing what I can to help their garden grow and sharing the extras from my garden as well. It will be a great experience for everyone!

 

[Jessi]

Do they know how to cook? Or enjoy it at all?

It may end up being about the convenience as well. If they're not big on cooking or don't like how much time it takes, then it might be difficult to get them to take the time and effort for a garden, too. If it's mostly cost, then you could also teach them about how much money they could save in the summer and can even freeze/can the extras so they have food all year round. Heck, hiring a gardener to come take care of it once a week would even work out to be cheaper in the long run.

 

[headfullofbees]

I have convinced a number of people in my street to take up grow-your-own, not by suggesting they do it, just by giving them a taste of what I grow, and telling them I'd help them to get started if THEY ASKED ME.

 

[loopyloo]

Im a farmer at heart in on a tiny little lot in the middle of a busy little city. I love growing everything I can in the space I have but each new person I can help love the garden like I do is another person I can team up with. I grow a lot of tomatoes and its something I feel like I can dependably do okay on. I would love to have a system of friends, family and neighbors who could all grow what they can and then we all meet up and trade our extras. My next house will have the space to grow most everything we need but for now I just try to spread the love and joy of gardening.

 

[LindaKay]

I think you are being very, very thoughtful by doing so, actually. Wow. If they have a difficult time doing yard work, I definitely agree that you should at least try to help them get started. Then, they should be able to handle the other stuff. Planting things that are easy to care for and grow is also a great idea, I think.