Spring has officially arrived even though winter has tried to hang on for a bit longer. Here in Minnesota, we have had a record high in the 80’s for this time of year but the next two nights will be in the 20’s. Yet, the gardening season has begun. I have started my tomatoes, peppers, and a few herbs inside to get a start for when these plants can go outside and will be starting more things this week. April is National Gardening month, and I am anticipating getting out in the dirt. Years ago, I had a garden but with young children at the time, I could not keep up with it and with the kid’s activities. A couple of years ago I decided it was time to start gardening again. I started small and have increased the size of my gardens each year. Why do I garden?
With all the turmoil of 2020, I wanted to have at least some fresh produce that we could eat. My garden was plentiful enough that we are still eating some of the items that I canned last fall. My goal is to produce more this year to either share or preserve for ourselves. But did you know that there are many health benefits to gardening besides the fresh produce that you grow? Let’s look at some of the health benefits now.
- Physical activity – digging, raking, bending, planting, and weeding all involve physical movement. Movement helps our body stay healthy and strong.
- Boosts vitamin D – a large portion of the American population is deficient in vitamin D; being outside is a great way to help your body synthesis more vitamin D. The amount of vitamin D your body produces depends on how much of your skin is exposed and what color your skin is. In order for vitamin D to be produced your skin must not be covered with sunscreen. Avoiding unprotected sun exposure between 10 am and 2 pm can help minimize over exposure. Be mindful of your time in the sun as it is a balance between getting enough sun exposure and not burning. You also need to be mindful of the potential of skin cancer. Vitamin D can help boost our immune system and build stronger bones.
- Stress Reduction – gardening has been shown to reduce stress as it allows the mind to focus on the goal or task at hand thus not focusing on the stressful situation.
- Happiness Enhancer – Digging in the dirt can release mycobacterium vaccae, a nonpathogenic species, into the air which we then will inhale. M. vaccae can increase serotonin and reduce anxiety thus producing happiness. Who knew that digging in the dirt could do this? Maybe that is why kids like to dig in the dirt so much.
- Life Satisfaction – gardening can build self-esteem, improve your quality of life, and at times build a sense of community (community gardens especially).
Gardening is one the most common ways of interacting with nature and approximately one-third of Americans participate in some type of gardening. Getting the entire family involved, kids, parents, and grandparents, can benefit everyone. Kids tend to try more foods if they have helped with the process.
There are many ways to garden: a large plot of land, a raised bed, or container gardening. All can be done on a large or small scale. Even over the winter, I grew microgreens to enjoy on our salads or in soups. This was something new for me, and I am still learning as I go what works for the microgreens. This year, I will also be adding more herbs to the garden as they can be powerhouses of nutrients.
Gardening Tip: As I have added more gardens, weeding can be a challenge. I have used wood chips, leaves, straw, and even grass clippings around the plants to keep weeds under control. Here is an interesting video for weed management and building the soil.
Do you garden? Do you grow your own food or maintain a beautiful flower garden? I plant edible flowers to attract pollinators, add color to my gardens, and also be able to eat them. What is your most favorite food to grow in the garden?
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Heather
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I have a small deck on the north side of our building. I have grown all sorts of things including tomatoes, lettuce and onions. The things that grow there are the herbs.
I don’t have much sun at all, despite that, some things are happy out there. Oh, and I enjoy flowers out there too.
Isn’t it amazing how plants seem to adapt. I would imagine that herbs would do well there. It is so nice to have fresh herbs throughout the growing season. Thank you for sharing.
Home grown cherry tomatoes are the best!
Yes they are!!