Growing your own food in a garden isn't a new idea. It was a critical way for ancient people to have access to reliable, nutritious foods.
The necessity of vegetable gardens has varied through time. Gardening has gained popularity recently, even with easy and inexpensive access to food at grocery stores.
A study found that interest in gardening increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. People spent more time at home and turned to their gardens for a connection to nature, stress relief and food provisions.
For 10 years, I've tended large vegetable and flower gardens at my home. I find it to be challenging and gratifying to watch the gardens grow and develop.
Here are a few of the many benefits I've found from digging in the dirt:
A busy day in the garden can be a good form of exercise. While tending a garden, you perform functional movement that mimics whole body exercise. You perform squats and lunges while weeding. Carrying bags of mulch and other supplies works large muscle groups. Digging, raking and using a push mower can be physically intense activities.
You may burn as many calories as a workout in the gym. If you aren't used to these types of activities, it is likely that you will feel a bit sore after a busy day gardening. Gardening also can improve your balance, strength and flexibility.
Gardening activities can be modified if movement is a challenge. There are different ways to participate if you think outside of the box. Use a small stool or raised garden beds if you suffer from back pain. A shovel or rake can be used to support your knees when squatting. Smaller pots are lighter and easier to move than large ones. Buy smaller bags of mulch or soil that are easier to carry.
Improved diet
Growing and eating your own fruits and vegetables can have a positive impact on your diet. Gardeners are more likely to include vegetables as part of healthy, well-balanced diets. My family eats corn, potatoes and salsa made from ingredients grown in our garden year-round.
Different vegetables have a variety of unique health benefits. Peppers contain capsaicin,which has anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce heart disease. Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and potassium. They also contain lycopene, an antioxidant that may reduce prostate cancer risk. Sweet potatoes are high in beta carotene, an antioxidant that may help slow the aging process and reduce the risk of some cancers. Spinach may boost your immune system and broccoli protects your body's cells from damage.
Time in nature
Getting outdoors is good for your physical and mental health. People tend to breathe deeper when outside. This helps to clear out the lungs, improves digestion, improves immune response and increases oxygen levels in the blood.
Spending time outdoors has been shown to reduce heart rate and muscle tension. Sunlight lowers blood pressure and increases vitamin D levels.
Reduced stress levels
Nearly all forms of exercise can reduce stress including gardening. It's been shown to lighten mood and lower levels of stress and anxiety. It's very gratifying to plant, tend, harvest and share your own food.
Routines provide structure to our day and are linked to improved mental health. Gardening routines, like watering and weeding, can create a soothing rhythm to ease stress.
After a day in the clinic, my routine is to check in with my family and then spend an hour or so in my garden. I find that pulling weeds can be therapeutic and calming after a long day. It provides the opportunity to slow down, plan or mentally work out a problem.
Social connection
Gardening brings people together and strengthens social connections. The gardening community is rich with people willing to share their expertise, time and occasionally plants with new gardeners. Master gardeners are local volunteers dedicated to educating and empowering fellow gardeners. Community garden plots bring together people with diverse backgrounds to work on a common goal. Many gardening friendships begin over celebrating a success or bemoaning a gardening misstep.
Social connections are important because they help lower stress, improve resilience and provide support during difficult times in life. A strong sense of belonging lowers your risk of depression, anxiety and suicide.
The friendships that I've made have been the biggest benefit of gardening for me. During the spring, my friends and neighbors plan our vegetable gardens together. We discuss what worked well or needs to be improved from the previous year. In summer, we share extra produce with each other. In the fall, we host a big salsa making party to enjoy the harvest together. These activities improve the joy we get out of the garden and strengthen our connections.
Starting a garden
Here are three tips if you are considering starting a garden at your home:
- Start small.
It's easy to get excited and want a large plot with many plants. Don't take on more than you can handle because that could cause more stress. The larger the garden, the more work it is. It can quickly overwhelm you if you don't have enough resources or time to care for it. You can always increase the size of your garden in the future. - Build a network.
Find other people who are interested in gardening. Learn from each other's successes and failures. - Research appropriate plants.
Find plants that grow well in your climate or hardiness zone. Talk with local master gardeners or county agricultural resource office to get tips on what plants thrive in your area. This improves your chances of success and lowers the stress and potential disappointment.
Lisa Wimmer is a nurse practitioner in Family Medicineand avid gardener in Lake City, Minnesota.
FAQs
Gardening encourages a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training, and flexibility, which can benefit cardiovascular health, muscle strength, joint mobility, and overall physical well-being.
How does gardening benefit you? ›
Working in the garden restores dexterity and strength, and the aerobic exercise that is involved can easily use the same number of calories as might be expended in a gym. Digging, raking and mowing are particularly calorie intense;43 there is a gym outside many a window.
Why is gardening an important skill? ›
Children taught gardening skills in second and fourth grade showed higher levels of respect for the environment than a control group of non-gardening students. According to another study, children who grow up gardening make healthier and more balanced food choices.
Why is gardening important for the environment? ›
Earth-friendly Gardening benefits the environment.
These practices are kind to the Earth as they: Minimize pollutants in air, water, and soil. Protect our irreplaceable and threatened biodiversity. Support pollinators and natural enemies.
What does gardening teach you? ›
Building Character by Tending to a Garden
By tending to a garden with your child, you are not only helping them bring valuable science concepts to life but also teaching them responsibility, growing their confidence and giving them opportunities to practice patience and overcome setbacks.
How does gardening make you happy? ›
According to research, getting your hands in the soil and contact with a specific soil bacteria called Mycobacterium Vaccae triggers the release of serotonin in our brain. Serotonin is a natural anti-depressant and also strengthens the immune system. It is the Lack of serotonin in the brain causes depression.
Does gardening make you stronger? ›
Gardening is similar to other moderate to strenuous forms of exercise like walking and bicycling. Gardening works all the major muscle groups: legs, buttocks, arms, shoulders, neck, back and abdomen. Tasks that use these muscles build strength and burn calories.
Is gardening a skill or talent? ›
Yes, you read that right – gardening can teach you valuable skills that are highly applicable to your professional life. In this article, we'll explore how the simple act of tending to plants can cultivate a range of abilities that can help you thrive in the workplace.
Why is gardening meaningful? ›
Reduced stress levels
Nearly all forms of exercise can reduce stress including gardening. It's been shown to lighten mood and lower levels of stress and anxiety. It's very gratifying to plant, tend, harvest and share your own food. Routines provide structure to our day and are linked to improved mental health.
Why do I love gardening so much? ›
Many individuals find solace in the repetitive motions of planting, watering, and pruning. These acts are meditative, helping to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. The act of nurturing a living thing and watching it grow can also be a tremendous source of pride and fulfillment.
Getting your hands dirty in the garden can increase your serotonin levels – contact with soil and a specific soil bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae, triggers the release of serotonin in our brain according to research. Serotonin is a happy chemical, a natural anti-depressant and strengthens the immune system.
How does gardening help mental health? ›
Gardening can make you feel more peaceful and content. Focusing your attention on the immediate tasks and details of gardening can reduce negative thoughts and feelings and can make you feel better in the moment. Just spending time around plants eases stress for many people.
What is the importance of plants in garden? ›
Beyond simply enriching our lives with beauty and wonder, plants provide key environmental benefits: They make oxygen and clean the air we breathe, purify water, regulate temperature, control erosion, and serve as habitat for wildlife; plants are essential to the functioning of healthy home gardens and surrounding ...
What does gardening say about you? ›
But every gardener I've met has these qualities: curiosity, tenacity, creativity, and passion. Plants connect us to hope, anticipation, learning and nurturing. In spring at a box store, I saw a woman carefully cradle her single little choice with such love and tenderness.
What are the values of gardening? ›
These values include integrity, ingenuity, and an appreciation for the things in life that we consider beautiful or worth expending our energy, time, and effort on. One of those things that many of us love sharing with our children is our love of gardening!
Why is gardening a good hobby? ›
Most people concentrate on gardening as a hobby and do it daily without realizing it also offers an exercise routine. Regular raking, digging and weeding offer regular exercise to your muscles. With regular exercise, you can reduce mental health issues like depression and anxiety and also prevent dementia.
Why was gardening important? ›
Why is gardening important to the environment? Gardens are important to the planet because, despite being human-made, they represent a natural environment. Plants and trees grow there, taking in carbon and releasing oxygen. The roots of these plants stabilize the soil and filter water.
Why is gardening so addictive? ›
Gardening instills a sense of hope in people by connecting them with nature, fostering a sense of accomplishment, and occasionally feeding them an endorphin or dopamine rush. It can become addictive.
What are the benefits of planting? ›
Want to improve your quality of life? Get your hands dirty and plant something. That's right, putting trees, flowers or shrubs in the ground doesn't just provide you with beauty and shade, it can also improve your property value, lower your energy costs, clean the air and water—even lower your heart rate.
How does gardening benefit students? ›
Gardening supports academic achievement, helps students develop a healthy lifestyle, makes them more aware of their environment and helps them develop a sense of community.
