Physical and mental health benefits of gardening
March is National Nutrition Month. Most of us know we need to eat healthy, and this is a wonderful opportunity to spend time thinking about what you are doing well and where you can make some positive changes that can benefit your health.
Spring is in the air and one suggestion to make positive changes to your eating habits is to plant your own garden. Fruits and vegetables are important for maintaining a healthy weight. Growing your own will result in several benefits. You will have plenty of produce on hand for preparing meals as well as reducing plastic packaging and food waste. If you have the produce on hand, you are more likely to make sure vegetables are a part of healthy meals and fruits make healthy snacks.
In addition to improving your diet, gardening will positively impact your overall physical and mental wellbeing. Gardening is work and involves whole body exercises. Hoeing, shoveling, and weeding includes lunges and squats thereby working your large muscle groups as well as improving balance and flexibility. Both healthy eating and physical activity also contribute to improved mental health.
Successfully growing your own garden relieves stress, builds self-esteem, and brings a sense of accomplishment. Garden routines can be therapeutic and calming allowing you to slow down and mentally work out a problem you are currently facing. Gardening is a natural way to get that feel-good chemical dopamine surge in your brain. It will also help you pay attention to a single activity and focus on what is right in front of you. The exposure to natural light and spending time outdoors is good for your mental wellbeing as well. Even the challenges of gardening such as responding to garden pests, storms, or other issues will not only help make you a better gardener but will also increase your ability to overcome whatever curveballs life throws at you.
If you are new to gardening, you may want to start small. Taking on more than you can manage can cause stress. Consider your resources and how much time you have to care for your garden. Next year, you can always increase the size of your garden. Gardening can be a lot of fun and have a significant impact on your physical and mental health so be sure to keep it manageable and enjoy!
Here are some tips:
• Spend time planning your garden.
• Decide where to plant your garden, pick a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight each day and is close to a water source. Raised garden beds may also be an option to consider.
• You may wish to use a few pots to begin with, instead of planting in the ground. This might be a smart choice if you have a small yard or no yard at all. You can also grow herbs in small pots inside your house.
• If there is a community garden near you, you may want to participate. Teamwork to accomplish shared goals can also benefit your mental health.
• Be sure to plant things you enjoy and will eat. Also, think about the difficulty level of what you want to plant. If you are a beginner, you may want to start with vegetables and herbs. Fruits can be more challenging.
• Research plants that grow well in your climate or hardiness zone.
• You may also want to start growing some vegetable seeds indoors to get a jump start.
Another mental health benefit of gardening is socially connecting with other people who enjoy it as well. You can learn from other people’s successes and failures. You will find that many are willing to share their experiences, time, and even share plants with new gardeners. Social connections improve resilience and provide support during challenging times of life. A strong sense of belonging is a huge benefit that reduces depression and anxiety.
One word of caution is to remember that some plants may not grow exactly how you expect. In fact, most gardeners will have problems growing their plants at some point in time so if you are new, do not let this discourage you from gardening. Learn from your mistakes. Here are common gardening mistakes:
• Too much sunlight or too much shade
• Over watering or not watering enough
• Insects
• Animals getting past your fence (i.e., rabbits)
• Too many weeds taking over the garden space
• Soil type or quality of soil
• Harvesting at the incorrect time
Final tips for gardening are to stretch before and after working in your garden. Like all physical activities, if done incorrectly there is potential for injury. Wear gloves, clean your garden tools regularly, check for ticks after being outside, and remember to wash your hands after gardening.
There are many benefits of good nutrition including increased energy levels, better weight management, preventing diseases, and supporting overall health and well-being.
Each county in northeast Colorado has a CSU Extension office and they have numerous resources available dedicated to educating and empowering new gardeners. This spring, if you are considering growing your own garden, reach out to your local CSU Extension Office or go to this link: extension.colostate.edu/.