Gardening is a hobby that’ll never go out of style. In fact, more Americans are participating in this pastime than ever before: home goods and garden product online sales have increased by 63 percent in the U.S. Whether you decide to plant flowers, vegetables or both, gardening can leave a positive impact on many aspects of your life. And you only need a couple hundred dollars to get started. If you’re just starting out or want to reclaim your green thumb status, there isn’t a wrong time to begin. Here’s why right now is the best time to start gardening.
gkrphoto / ShutterstockGardening Gives You Exercise
As enjoyable as gardening is, it’s also tough work. You can break a serious sweat just by starting and maintaining the goods in your garden. In fact, the CDC categorizes gardening and yard work as moderate physical activity that can burn anywhere from 165 to 330 calories. It can also help lower your blood pressure.
A 2013 study from the American Public Health Association even found that people who garden have a lower body mass index compared to people who don’t. There are plenty of tasks within gardening that you might not realize count as exercise. Pulling weeds, shoveling dirt, carrying bags of mulch — every part of it is a workout.
It Gives Your Home Curb Appeal
If there’s one thing that can spruce up the exterior of your home, it’s a garden. You can greatly increase your home’s curb appeal simply by adding some flowers and greenery to your front yard. Curb appeal is the overall attractiveness of your property when it’s viewed from the street. This is especially important for homeowners looking to sell their property and make it more appealing to potential buyers.
Gardening Can Boost Your Mental Health
Not only can gardening be good for your physical health, but it can also improve your mental health. Your serotonin levels can be naturally increased thanks to the fresh air you’ll be getting outside. It’s been linked to make you happier and increase your quality of life.
Stress and anxiety can be hard to control, but gardening is something that gives you all the control. Some people might not feel they have a purpose or value. Gardening requires you to survive, and it can give you something to care for and look after. Plus, it can be a real confidence booster to develop a new skill.
It Can Be Eco-Friendly
You can design your garden to be eco-friendly. It’s easy and all you have to do is follow some easy steps. Start by not using any toxic chemicals, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides in your garden.
You can also use water wisely to be eco-friendly. Do this strategically by disconnecting your downspouts from the sewer system and redirect the water into your garden, or into buckets which you can use to water them later. Feed your garden with water during the coldest part of the day, which can allow water to seep into the ground before evaporating.
You can also feed your garden with nutrient-rich food simply by composting your kitchen scraps. Instead of dumping unwanted leftovers in the trash, start a compost pile and let your garden take care of it instead.
Gardening Can Encourage A Healthy Lifestyle
Prioritizing physical activity and mental health are two ways that can help you live a healthy life. And if you decide to use your garden to plant vegetables, then you’re already giving yourself the push to start implementing that healthy lifestyle into your diet. Many people aren’t eating the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day. By growing these foods in your own backyard, you’ll be more motivated and excited to eat the healthy food that you grew by yourself.
Find Tools Online To Get Your Garden Started
It’s easy to get your home garden started. There are tons of resources you can find online that will guide you through what materials and steps you can take to make it flourish. Go onto YouTube and search for some basic tutorials, or search for some gardening websites for the best tips and tricks.
You’ll quickly discover the benefits of gardening once you get into the swing of it. It will give you home-grown goods, provide some exercise, and become a relaxing part of your routine that can boost your mental health.
