A friend of the Social Media team is using gardening to do a science experiment with her seven-year-old grandson. She got seed packets that had soil temperature guides for when they should be planted and when they’ll thrive. She and her grandson are measuring the temperature of the air and soil every day, planting the appropriate seeds and labeling them. They’re going to track which seeds were planted when, where and at what temperature, and see how they grow.
“It could be a terrible experiment,” she said, “I don’t have a green thumb. It’s more like a mustard color. But this gets him out into the yard and the sunshine — and out from under his mother’s feet. They’re all edible seeds, so we might get a few carrots. It will be fun.”
We love that attitude. You don’t have to be a master gardener to benefit from time in the yard! Gardening is an excellent way to get outside, learn, exercise and have fun.
Even if you don’t have a green thumb, gardening will benefit you. It can ease stress and anxiety while boosting mood as you spend time in a green space. It can also act as a form of grounding mindfulness. The scents of being outdoors and the feeling of working in the dirt bring you into the present moment in a way that helps you focus on your immediate actions and not worry about the future. Gardening also gives you a sense of purpose as you can watch your effort grow into something physical.
Gardening can aid cognition and help prevent dementia. Studies have found that people who garden have a lower risk of cognitive decline. Gardening is a mental exercise that may keep the brain sharp. It requires planning, thinking and adapting to weather, when plants don’t grow as expected or a person’s time commitments change.
Gardening also impacts physical health. People in a study who gardened were active for about 42 more minutes per week. They also ate about seven percent more fiber a day. Maybe they were eating what they grew, or maybe they had plants at the forefront of their minds.
Gardening requires sustained dynamic movements and activities like digging and raking can count as moderate intensity exercise. Gardening aids strength — including grip strength — and stamina, as well as balance and flexibility. Much of gardening boils down to a series of squats and lunges that results in plants and a stronger body.
This spring, as you start your garden, remember that you aren’t just investing in your yard. You are investing in your health and well-being this season!
