5 Reasons to Get out and Go Garden
Posted by Donna Mae Scheib on June 15, 2018
5 Reasons to Get out and Go Garden
Gardening has long been a part of our culture as both an art and a science of plant cultivation. With the hustle and bustle of daily living in the 21st century, gardening offers a way of slowing down, working with your hands, and watching a patch of soil turn into an array of colors of various plants and produce to be enjoyed. Gardening can be a wonderful experience at any age, and for seniors, it can offer various health benefits that may help you decide to pick up some soil and seeds for this growing season!
Benefits of Gardening
Relieves Anxiety. For those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, gardening offers a peaceful way to enjoy being outside walking in a garden and can be a calming sensory activity. If physical limitation makes it difficult for a person to participate, consider setting up a few wooden boxes on a table outside or pots close to a window or a door for easier access to help with planting and watering.
Community. For senior centers, adult day care services, or senior living facilities, consider creating a community garden that allows seniors to work together and share in the fun and responsibilities of maintaining a garden. This is a great activity for socialization and can even be an intergenerational activity for seniors gardening in a neighborhood community garden.
Decreased Dementia Risk. Various forms of research suggest that activities such as gardening is a great physical and mental activity that may decrease the risk of the onset of dementia.
Good Form of Exercise. Bending, stooping, planting, watering, weeding, etc. doesn’t sound like your typical work out routine at a gym, but over time you will find that gardening is a way to work out and strengthen muscles.
Improved Mood. Gardening helps to lower stress hormones and while working with soil, we are exposed to a harmless bacterium that also helps our bodies to release serotonin, a chemical and neurotransmitter that helps to regulate our mood (low levels of serotonin are often linked to depression). Also, being outside exposes us to the sun’s rays, a natural source of vitamin D. Be sure to protect your skin by wearing appropriate clothing and sunscreen!
How to Start Your Gardening Adventure
Start Small. Although you may be picturing your gardening pursuit with a large plot of soil and a variety of plants and produce, starting small may be best for learning and keeping up with your garden.
Check your Zone. The United States Department of Agriculture offers an interactive map to help growers get an idea of what to plant and when to plant according to your location. The U.S. has an array of climate zones and various plants and produce will do better in some locations than others. Make sure you do your research and keep a gardening journal to help improve your gardening skills for subsequent years.
Pick Easy Plants. Some plants will just grow easier than others and need less care. It might be a good idea as a beginner to choose some of these easier plants to have success while you continue to learn about plants that are harder to maintain and grow. Consider starting with tomatoes, peppers, onions, herbs like basil or mint, cucumbers, radishes, potatoes, and green beans. For flowers, consider hardier plants like sunflowers, roses, dahlia’s, petunias, pansies, and marigolds.
Be Patient. Your first growing season will be all about learning and having patience to let nature do its work! Instead of stressing about what is growing and what is not growing, just enjoy working on the project and eating and sharing your fruits of labor for what does manage to grow!
Use Proper Equipment and Technique. For seniors, a raised bed offers an easier way to garden without having to bend over to ground level to work. A similar tool would be a cushioned seat for a place to rest your knees or to sit down while pulling weeds. To avoid putting too much pressure on your back, lift with your legs and don’t lift too much at once. Make sure you have a good pair of pruners that does the work for you and decreases the chance of inflammation in your wrists and fingers. Remember to water younger plants well at the root rather than focusing on the leaves and to use a good source of soil and compost!
Check Out Your Local Farmer’s Market. Farmer’s markets have grown considerably in the last decade and offers a great community activity for locals to interact with farmers in their areas and to buy fresh produce and other products. Consider arranging a group trip with your senior center or senior living facility once or twice a month during the summer for a nutritious and fun activity.
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