14 Reasons To Take Up Gardening This Year

By Tim Gamble

   Between Shadows and Light.

Gardening season is almost upon us. I want to encourage people to take up gardening this year. Here's why:

1. Grow a Portion of Your Own Food: As a hedge against inflation and supply chain issues, growing your own food can ensure availability and affordability.
2. Know What's in Your Food: Gardening allows you to control what goes into your food, ensuring it's clean and free from unwanted GMOs, chemicals or pesticides.
3. Learning to Grow Food: Gain skills that could become essential if food production systems face disruptions in the future.
4. Healthy Exercise: Gardening involves physical activity that benefits your health.
5. Relaxation and Stress Reduction: Working with plants can be a soothing and calming activity, helping to reduce stress levels.
6. Environmental Impact: Reduce your carbon footprint, promote local biodiversity, and contribute positively to the environment.
7. Mental Health Benefits: Interaction with nature can enhance mental well-being in addition to reducing stress, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
8. Community Building: Share your knowledge and garden's bounty with others, strengthening community ties and support networks.
9. Educational Value: Teach children or learn yourself about biology, ecology, and environmental stewardship.
10. Economic Savings: Potentially save money on groceries by growing high-cost or organic produce.
11. Aesthetic Pleasure: Enhance your living space with beauty and personal pride in your garden's design and health.
12. Physical Health: Beyond exercise, gardening can boost your immune system and contribute to a healthier diet through fresh produce.
13. Seasonal Awareness: Become more connected with natural cycles, enhancing your understanding and appreciation of seasonal changes.
14. Creative Outlet: Use gardening as an artistic expression, experimenting with different plants, designs, and landscapes.

Don't know where to begin? Here are two books that can help:

The Old Farmer's Almanac Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook (Amazon link) - Created for novices, aspiring growers, green thumbs, and old hands alike, Contains step-by-step advice for successfully growing 32 vegetables; scores of timesaving tips and proven veggie-growing techniques; more than 150 stunning, full-color photos; insightful and entertaining anecdotes from experienced gardeners; recommended varieties; essential reference tables and charts; dedicated pages for recording ongoing observations; and much more! 

Plant Science for Gardeners: Essentials for Growing Better Plants (Amazon link) - Excellent book for serious gardeners (or those that want to be). This book empowers growers to analyze common problems, find solutions, and make better decisions in the garden for optimal plant health and productivity.