Gardening can be very relaxing, and even when it’s hard work, the rewards will always make up for all the time you spend on your plants. Spending time in your garden can also help promote a healthy lifestyle.
If you’re unsure whether a garden is a good idea for you, stick around. In this article, we’ll look at the reasons why you need to start making gardening part of your lifestyle as well as how to get started!
Benefits of Gardening
About 69% of US folks feel that the smell and sight of flowers can improve their mood, according to the Society of American Florists. And who doesn’t like to have their mood improved with the help of fresh flowers and beautiful plants? A gardening-focused lifestyle has many great benefits, and you’ll feel much better once you have a strong garden. Let’s check out some of the best benefits you can expect to enjoy.
Improved Immune System
This may seem like an unlikely benefit, but if you spend time outdoors and in the sun (wearing sunscreen, of course!), you can help improve your immune system. That’s because a healthy amount of exposure to the sun increases the absorption of Vitamin D, which helps to absorb calcium and keep your immune system healthy.
Helps Burn Calories
Gardening can be surprisingly exhausting, and digging around in your garden can help you burn up to 300 calories an hour, sometimes more. You can easily exchange your gym membership for gardening activities and still benefit from it. It is also believed that gardening can help you maintain muscle tone.
Can Relieve Stress
A great benefit of gardening is how much it can help you relax and relieve stress after a difficult day or week. You release feel-good hormones (endorphins) when you garden because of the physical activity, which can help you feel much more relaxed and satisfied. And spending time outside in the sun is excellent for your mood!
Can Reduce the Risk of Stroke
Studies have shown that gardening can help lower the risk of heart disease and stroke while also prolonging your life by up to 30%. Spending as little as ten minutes a week with your plants can positively impact your health and reduce your risk of suffering from a stroke or heart disease.
How to Get Started With Your Garden
Right, now that you know why it’s an excellent idea to garden, it’s time to look at the main points to keep in mind so you start strong and will have a good chance at having a charming garden.
Don’t rush into your gardening activities, or you’ll have too much to do later on. Start with only a few plants, and once you know more about gardening, add more plants.
Choose Your Garden Type
You have many garden types, such as natural in-the-ground gardens, raised beds, potted plants, and even greenhouses. A greenhouse is a great idea for growing plants that need protection from the cold.
Fun fact: tempered glass can become four to five times stronger than before if heated to 1,200 degrees, according to glass.com. This makes tempered glass a better option for greenhouses than annealed glass.
Don’t Forget Your Lawn
It’s easy to focus on your plants and lose sight of your lawn, but if you do, you may have a patchy, brown lawn surrounding beautiful plants. It would be best to consider hydroseeding to get the best-looking lawn possible.
Hydroseeding is the most cost-effective, fastest, and highest-quality method of lawn seeding and erosion control practices. Your grass starts to grow within a week, and it should be well-established after three to four weeks.
There you have it—all the reasons you should start gardening and the best ways to begin your garden. Now you need to decide which plants you want to kick off with and find out exactly how green your thumbs are!