There is nothing better than reaching into the dirt, digging a hole in the ground, and planting fresh herbs, vegetables, or flowers. The earth revitalizes, refreshes, and increases your physical health. The outdoors heals your body while dirt and plants provide oxygen. Even in colder temperatures, going outside for a walk in the garden can lift a wintery mood.
“Life begins the day you start a garden.” ~ Chinese proverb
You don’t even have to go outside to start a garden because you can begin seedlings inside your house. You still get the benefits of the oxygenated soil, and watering plants uplifts the soul. When you first spend time placing individual seeds into a pot of dirt, your mind becomes present. It takes focus and patience to plant seeds, but once they start to grow, something about your intellect also grows.
If you are a gardening novice, many inexpensive growing kits are available to help you begin gardening adventures. These kits include seeds, dirt, soil discs, hydroponic containers, pots for planting, and more. You can check out some great garden kits at thespruce.com, HGTV 10 Garden Starter Kits Perfect for Beginners, or at your local home and garden center.
The actual gardening skill is easy and takes little time to figure out. Once you start having success and seeing things grow, it won’t take long until you are a master.
If you are thinking about starting a garden, we encourage you to begin by reading the top 5 top health benefits of gardening.
1. Gardening is exercise.
You will get a workout for sure, but it’s a workout that is completely your own. You decide what you can handle. Gardening is something that you “work” up to. You might begin with planting a flower in a planter to start. Then, later you may feel comfortable planting something in the ground. You may even start just pulling weeds until you have a small space to begin. However you start, you are the boss, and decide how and when to garden. Gardening provides fitness for your body while keeping your mind engaged.
2. Gardening provides confidence and self-esteem.
Gardening is the type of work that requires attention but not extreme mental focus. No matter what you do, you’ll see results. Even if you only weed around your front door, you feel a sense of accomplishment in as little as under an hour. If you plant vegetables, they will astonish you when they grow. Seeing something grow is always a treasure, no matter how small your garden is.
3. Gardening increases your immunity.
Spending one hour outdoors lowers blood pressure, stress, and heart rate. Being outside relieves anxiety, enhances mood, and promotes a positive attitude. You absorb vitamin D regardless of the weather, which increases calcium levels and your immune system.
4. Gardening is good, clean fun that you can do for hours.
Gardening is an addiction you are allowed to have. I don’t think there are any 12-step programs for gardeners. You might be so out of control you are growing pumpkins on your neighbor’s lawn. Luckily, if you live in Snohomish County, your neighbor has also extended his backyard garden and won’t mind. You might start with a small plot of planted lettuce, carrots, and the traditional spices. Then you add just a little more and a little more until your entire backyard resembles the vegetable aisle at Albertsons. Once you figure out that you can feed your entire family by going outside and working with the natural land, you’ll never stop.
5. Making compost eliminates pesticides.
You have the right to control what goes in your food. Make free nutrient-rich food for your garden with homemade compost. Your compost ensures that vegetables do not contain harmful chemicals that usually go into store-bought food. Food leftovers, scraps, leaves, and organic materials create rich, healthy food for your vegetables. There is a plethora of information online to help you manage compost. Homemade compost saves money by eliminating garbage, keeping waste out of landfills. You are saving the planet and the environment by making your compost. We’ve listed a few instructional sites for composting.
BetterHomes&Gardens: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making Compost That Will Enrich Your Garden
Composting Yard and Food Waste at home, A Snohomish County guide.
Composting Basics – Snohomish Conservation District
Snohomish 101 Recycling and Composting Basics
What’s Next?
Now that you have started your gargantuan garden, maintenance and landscaping is your next step. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough time for you to keep a garden going strong while at the same time managing your landscaping.
You could soon discover that you need to prepare your land for more garden space. You may want to add watering systems or make enhancements with different types of plants. Perhaps you have a design you want to implement but you don’t know how.
RIOS Landscaping will help you establish and maintain several goals for your garden and lawn. With several gardening and lawn care services available, you will have all the assistance you need to carry out your outdoor projects.