Are you searching for a fulfilling hobby that can make you happy and help you pass the time? Well, look no further than organic gardening. If you think you have a black thumb and feel like this is not the right choice for you, look at all the fantastic benefits that it comes with before you give up. Not only will you feel fine, but you can also help the planet.
Benefits Of Organic Gardening
Here are the fantastic perks of organic gardening for your healthy organic food.
You will be eating healthier
First of all, one of the significant benefits of organic gardening by growing your organic food is knowing that you are eating healthily. Starting a garden usually means that you will first do a lot of research, as you want to ensure you are producing food that is free of various harmful chemicals and steering clear of carcinogenic foods. That includes finding the perfect soil and looking for some natural ways of controlling pests.
If you have kids, you can easily include them in gardening and make this a fun family activity, as that will surely encourage them to eat more healthily. What is more, by producing fresh fruits and veggies and having them within reach, you will lessen the temptation of grabbing unhealthy snacks.
Gardening is a great workout
We all recognize the importance of physical activity. However, we are sometimes so busy during the day that we cannot schedule a trip to the gym. Luckily, taking care of your garden is an excellent source of exercise.
Did you know that light gardening can burn about 330 calories in an hour?
That is more than walking at a moderate pace does. As you will be digging holes, shoveling dirt, dragging heavy bags around, and constantly bending over to harvest your plants and get rid of pests, you will be working out various muscle groups and increasing your flexibility.
Another great idea about organic gardening is that it is a low-impact type of workout. It will not put much stress on your body, which means that even older individuals and those with an injury can make the most of this opportunity.
It helps your body fight off disease
Gardening comes with a wide range of health benefits. For instance, you probably already know that only thirty minutes of exercise a day can help lower high blood pressure.
As organic gardening can be considered exercise, you can use it to prevent high blood pressure. Then, organic gardening outside will provide your body with the much-needed vitamin D. This vitamin helps the body in various ways. For example, it can lower the risk of breast, prostate, bladder, and colorectal cancer.
Moreover, it also reduces the risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple sclerosis and preserves the strength of your bones by aiding in the absorption of calcium. While it will depend on your skin color and how many layers of clothes you have on, anywhere between eight and fifty thousand international units of vitamin D can be produced in just 30 minutes. Of course, you still need a hat and sunscreen to stay safe when organic gardening.
Taking care of a garden can boost your mood
The health benefits of organic gardening are not only physical but psychological as well. According to several studies, organic gardening is a fantastic way to boost your mental health as it can lower your anxiety and depression levels.
This is another perk of vitamin D, which is linked to the release of serotonin – a hormone that stabilizes our mood and makes us more productive. What is more, physical activity also releases endorphins so, by organic gardening, you both get a mood boost and some necessary exercise.
It’s excellent for relieving stress
In addition to relieving anxiety and depression, organic gardening can also help relieve stress. If you’ve experienced a stressful event, going home to your garden and taking care of your plants can help you relax and feel better.
Some studies link quick recovery with gardening, which is why you can see organic gardening as a form of therapy in hospitals. Individuals can use gardening as a tool to recover from certain conditions and injuries.
You will sleep better
Besides boosting your mood and overall mental health, organic gardening can improve the quality of your sleep. This is yet another great benefit of vitamin D. It stimulates the production of melatonin, a hormone in charge of our circadian rhythm.
Moreover, melatonin can also manage your blood pressure, cortisol levels, and immune function and improve eye health, provide acid reflux relief, and reduce seasonal depression symptoms. Something else to consider is that some flowers like lavender can also improve your sleep, so consider growing these in your garden as well.
It can help you feel empowered
In case you’ve been feeling down or not sure of your accomplishments, organic gardening is a great hobby to cheer you up. On top of helping you battle anxiety and depression, getting you back in shape, and improving your sleep, gardening can also help you feel more empowered.
Once you start taking care of your veggies, flowers, and herbs, you will aim and get more agency in your life. You will have a daily responsibility of watering them and checking upon them, which can give your day meaning if nothing else seems to be working in getting you out of bed.
By putting effort into organic gardening, you will also get to see some fantastic results of your hard work. Even if one batch is unsuccessful, another one will be better once you see which mistakes you made and learn from them. Plus, you might get a need to prove to yourself that you are capable of succeeding.
Your friend group might expand
Something else you might experience as a consequence of taking up organic gardening is making more friends. Many people share your hobby, and you will undoubtedly be able to find some like-minded gardeners you can connect with.
For example, if you’re talkative, you can talk to the people you meet at your local nursery and see if you can pick up some tips and tricks from them. On the other hand, you can also chat with people online, whether on social media or organic gardening-related forums and learn some skills that way.
What is more, maybe you can get your friends and family members involved and spend more time together.
You will feel better about your carbon footprint
If you’re increasingly concerned about the state of the planet, you might be struggling with eco-anxiety, like many people. The great news is that you are lowering your carbon footprint by producing organic food. For example, if you have all the food you need growing in your backyard, you will not have to go to the market as often.
Moreover, even if you walk or ride your bike to the supermarket, the food still traveled half the world before it made it to the shelves. While you might not be able to grow every single food you consume, dedicating a part of your yard to this practice should make you feel better in your eco-anxiety.
Gardening lowers your energy use
Besides reducing your carbon footprint, you can also use less energy if you start producing your food. For example, if you opt to grow some fruits in addition to veggies, you can also plant a few trees in a strategic place to lower the cooling costs of your home.
If you are forced to use the air conditioner every summer because the sun heats your home quickly, this is an excellent method of keeping the indoor temperature more pleasant. That way, you are also reducing your use of fossil fuels that would generally power your home.
What is more, when you take care of your garden, you should avoid using gas-powered tools and opt to do these tasks by hand if possible. Look for quality garden tools like secateurs, loppers, and multipurpose garden knives to further lower your impact on the planet. Lastly, when installing lights in your yard, opt for solar-powered ones or LED bulbs.
You are helping clean the air and soil
Taking up organic gardening helps the environment by cleaning the air and soil as well. As plants can produce oxygen and take in carbon dioxide and clean the air of various toxins, starting a garden can create a much healthier environment for everyone living on the planet.
Moreover, plants also clean the ground and groundwater. The roots can absorb heavy metals and chemicals they come into contact with and create much healthier soil. But, keep in mind that this also harms the plants. If you see that your plants are struggling, you should have your soil tested.
Fewer chemicals are being released
Even though plants can filter chemicals, this is not enough for having a healthy planet. Instead, you should pay attention to something you are putting into the soil and how you affect it. If you’re starting an organic garden, you will undoubtedly use suitable fertilizers and pesticides. In terms of fertilizer, opt for organic kinds that will not further poison the planet.
Furthermore, you can also consider starting your compost as that is a great way to ensure you are not using any dangerous chemicals. Then, when it comes to tackling pests, you should look into various natural ways of dealing with them. From attracting wasps and ladybugs to planting certain aromatic herbs, there are many methods for keeping harmful weeds and insects away.
Producing your food reduces waste
Choosing to start your garden will also help you reduce your waste and the size of landfills worldwide. For starters, making your compost is a great way to do this as nothing from your kitchen and garden will be wasted.
Leftovers can easily be used to feed your plants. In addition to having no leftovers, you will also minimize your use of plastic containers as you will be purchasing fewer products in stores.
You are conserving water
Water scarcity is a big problem, but you can help by consciously watering your garden. First of all, you can start collecting rainwater as then you will not have to use tap water for this purpose. Then, you need to learn how to water your plants properly.
Rather than giving them a light sprinkle daily, opt for adequately soaking the soil every few days. Finally, to prevent evaporation loss, you should do it in the morning.
Organic Gardening can prevent soil erosion
Properly watering your plants encourages them to develop deep and strong roots. This, in turn, prevents soil erosion as the roots bind the ground together and prevent it from washing away due to heavy rains.
Plants lower noise pollution
Another big problem that the world is facing is noise pollution. Fortunately, this is something else that plants can help combat.
For instance, if your neighbors seem too noisy or you live next to a busy road, you can plant some shrubs and trees to reduce noise. As plants absorb sounds, you can use them as a natural sound barrier and make the world a little quieter.
You are helping preserve the local wildlife
Finally, if you care about the planet, you indeed care about all the little creatures that inhabit it. More and more wildlife habitats are being destroyed and turned into urban spaces, but you can do your part by providing a safe space for all sorts of species.
Moreover, not using chemical pesticides is also very helpful as all insects and critters have their place in the food chain. While you can use various methods to keep them away from your crops, you don’t want to eliminate them.
Conclusion:
From improving your physical and mental well-being to conserving water and preserving the local wildlife, it’s easy to see the benefits of organic gardening to everyone. If you’re interested in starting, do some research into the best practices, and you should have a very successful organic garden.
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