One Redditor has taken their green thumb to a new level — and was shocked by the results.
A poster on the r/Gardening forum shared a photo series of their lush green space filled with flowers and vegetable plants under the headline of "Anyone else having that 'What the hell have I done?' Moment?"
Under the photos, they added: "When everything becomes overgrown and you can't keep up!"
The photos show several rich, biodiverse areas of a yard filled with tons of colors, plants of various sizes, and leafy shade cover. They include edible vegetables like broccoli, potatoes, kale, collard greens, tomatoes, onions, and beans, as well as kitchen herbs like dill and several types of basil. There are also several large, radiant sunflower plants.
An expansive garden is one way a homeowner can increase access to produce and decrease monthly grocery costs. Instead of having to pay for "fresh" produce — much of which can be mushy or weak in flavor — a garden increases the immediate access to nutritious food. Gardeners can grow the types of food they like to eat — or grow enough to feed their neighbors.
Locally grown food also decreases the number of miles that food has to travel to reach a plate. There might be hundreds — even thousands — of miles for food to travel between growers and consumers. This means a lot of toxic, planet-warming gases are being released into the atmosphere by trucks and transport infrastructure.
On a global level, the amount of carbon dioxide released by these "food miles" is estimated to be around 3.3 gigatons, which was 7.5 times more than previously estimated.
Other Reddit users didn't see the poster's problem, noting that their plentiful garden should be a treasure for the neighborhood. "I don't see the problem. Looks great!" one user commented.
Some users noted that the harvest from the garden must have been impressive. "Beautiful! Enjoy your bounty. Ask for help if you're overwhelmed with the harvest and pay in fresh veg," another user wrote.
The original poster replied to the comment with: "Yes, indeed! My neighbors are well fed."
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