The Joy of Gardening

HOMEGROWN EXPERT GARDENING ADVICE

Why grow your own garden?

You know, gardening is an enjoyable past time and rewarding at that. For seniors or older people, gardening gives many health and therapeutic benefits. According to HortScience journal, the researchers discovered that keeping older hands strong and agile is one of the useful health benefits of gardening. Come to think of it, you’re not merely gripping a ball, but pulling a weed. Older adults develop better hand strength and pinch force, which is a major concern as we age.

Home Garden

Moreover, when you sit at a desk or slouch in front of the computer all day, don’t you think it’s time to do something new? Break your droning routine! Many young adults who are gardeners know this very well—digging and putting your hands in the dirt, literally, and caring for flowers, veggies or herbs give an awesome feeling. Creating something that is truly beautiful feels kind of elemental. It draws them closer to nature. They are learning how nature works and appreciating it even more. Gardening has become a perfect antidote to the modern world, where most of us are lost in our busy schedules, gadgets and dirt-free activities.

A flower garden perks up any lawn, porch or any vacant space. An herb garden gives you aromatic and flavorful herbs right at your fingertips. Lastly, growing your own veggies provides fresh, chemical-free and nutritious produce. But then, these are obvious facts.

So let’s list down some of the surprising gardening benefits to encourage you start your own home garden today.

Gardening is a form of exercise – If you’ve been working out or a gym buff, you probably will disagree to this and say, gardening is not a “real” exercise. But truth is gardening provides you with physical benefits as other forms of exercise do. In fact you can burn the same amount of calories in 45 minutes tilling your own garden as doing aerobic exercises for 30 minutes. Digging, planting, and weeding require a lot of different movements that increase strength and flexibility whilst using many different muscle groups. Gardening is an excellent form of low-impact exercise, while letting you go outdoors and breathe fresh air.

Gardening reduces stress – Have you tried focusing to a certain task and was so intent to get things done that you’ve forgotten about everything else? A recent study in the Netherlands suggests that as compared to reading a book, gardening gives better mood and lower levels of stress hormone, called cortisol. Different factors reduce stress, but as for gardening, the soft breeze, growing plants, blooming flowers and sweet scent of surroundings all contribute to mind and body relaxation.

Better attitude and mental health – Gardening provides better perspective and patience, knowing that no matter what you do, you can’t rush nature since they grow at their own pace. Additionally, the study conducted in Norway suggests that gardening also aid in improving depression symptoms.

So how to? Well there are a lot of well written gardening articles on the North American Farmer website. In fact it is my source for both veggie and flower power.

Regardless of age, profession, location or lifestyle, there is no harming in trying to grow your own garden!

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