There is a lot of research on the benefits of gardening and maybe the question should be “why not garden?” The benefits of gardening apply equally to children, young adults and older adults. In fact, one of the largest groups of new gardeners are millennial’s. Just think about how you felt that last time you observed the beauty of a flower or the joy of harvesting a vegetable you planted. The good news about gardening is that the benefits are broad, let’s read on.
1. HEALTH BENEFITS
Increase Vitamin D – We naturally get vitamin D from the sun and gardeners spend a good amount of time outside, I know I do. Ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. Vitamin D aids in calcium absorption and thus helps protect our bones. This is particularly important as we age.
Decrease Stress – Who among us couldn’t benefit from a reduction in stress. When I am in the garden I am “in the moment”. That moment can be preparing the soil for planting, nurturing a seedling, observing the beauty or harvesting what I have grown. I am being mindful of each action I take and can be so focused as if I were meditating. You also get a lot of exercise from gardening, bending, digging, planting, watering, etc. Research has shown that all these activities improve your overall health, reduce stress and contribute to a feeling of well-being.
Improve Healthy Eating – when you grow your own vegetables you become more conscious of how things are grown and what you are consuming which usually leads to a healthier diet. This has certainly been the case for me. Not only that, but I have increased the variety of vegetables and herbs that I eat.
Increase Creativity – One of the unexpected benefits for me is the feeling that I am being more creative. Gardening comes with its share of challenges and learning how to overcome requires you to think and read and experiment. I believe that his skill can easily transfer to the workplace because the garden can teach us how to take risks and deal with failure and success.
2. FINANCIAL BENEFITS
Lower grocery billS – the cost of getting the quality we want in the supermarkets can be high. When I talk to friends and family about organic produce, I usually get a similar refrain. “It is so expensive and what is the real benefit?” I challenge them and you, start a garden and grow your own organic vegetables.
Increase property value – with gardening being so popular, families shopping for a new home may see this as a value add to your property. It can certainly be used to market your home.
3. SOCIAL BENEFITS
Connect with neighbors – Gardening is a great conversation starter. You can get and give advice, share your harvest and beautify your property.
Join a Community Garden – Community Gardens are a great way to connect with people who have similar interests and to learn from one another.
Garden with your children – What a great way to spend quality time with your children. Children love to work in the soil and the joy on their face when they see the seed, they planted, grow is priceless.
- Start a garden at your workplace or school – there are so many benefits that organizations can realize; create a collaborative culture, increase problem solving, give back to the local community, have fun!
4. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Carbon Dioxide Reduction – Managing healthy organic soil will lower the amount of carbon dioxide that is emitted into the atmosphere. This contributes to less green-house gases. It is a small part that we can all do.
Reduce chemical application – by creating a garden and reducing your lawn space, you can reduce the chemicals that are applied to a lawn. This was one of my goals and now we have about 50% of our backyard dedicated to flower and vegetable gardens.
Reduce Waste – Compost piles are a great way to ‘recycle’ many of your vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, lint from you dryer (see my post on compost recipes).
So, what are you waiting for? Remember you can start small, get experience and ‘grow’ from there!
SOURCES
The Benefits of Gardening: https://www.lovethegarden.com/community/ideas-inspiration/benefits-gardening
Raising Kids Outdoors: https://www.backwoodsmama.com/2018/03/how-gardening-benefits-kids.html
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I think that you forgot one environmental benefit – increasing the number of pollinators in the environment! By creating gardens that are attractive to bees and other pollinators, we give them an environment where they can thrive, increasing their likelihood of survival and improving the environment!
Thanks for the comment. You are absolutely correct!