When my children were young, I wanted them to learn healthy eating habits. My purpose was to have them learn how to plant and grow fresh food on our own. So, we built a fourteen-foot by fourteen-foot raised garden in the far back corner of our backyard. My youngest loved to eat at his own leisure by going and grabbing tomatoes and green onions, eating them while he sat in his swing set treehouse. We grew lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini, and carrots.
One summer, our Labrador/Pitbull kept eating our tomatoes before they were ripe and red. I guess she loved green tomatoes! She also would dig up our carrots and eat them whole. We found out she was not only eating the carrots, but she was digging them up for another reason as well. I know this may sound like a fictional story; however, I promise I cannot make this up…we found that a mama rabbit had made a nest with her babies in our carrots. How apropos!
Besides eating and cooking healthy, healing was going on inside them, and they didn’t even see it coming! Yes, I am a very sneaky little mama. Gardening or horticultural therapy, as it is technically named, shows improvement in memory, cognitive abilities, task initiation, language skills, and socialization. In a physical rehabilitation setting, horticultural therapy helps to strengthen muscles and improve coordination, balance, and endurance.
Naturally occurring bacteria found in the soil we gardened actually activates brain cells to produce serotonin, in addition to grounding us in the present moment with a mindful state of being.
According to a Today Show article, “A third of the 2,000 chefs surveyed by the National Restaurant Association named gardens the top trend. Chris Moyer, who leads sustainability programs for the group, said it costs restaurants less to grow their own produce than to buy it elsewhere and have it shipped. It also gives them more control over quality, he said,”.
At an Italian cuisine franchise restaurant, they have a rooftop garden with zucchini, yellow squash, Roma tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, radicchio, arugula, and artichokes (all of my favorites!). They are used in their pasta dishes, as toppings on their pizzas, in soups, and in their sauces.
Other studies found that chefs who garden are more likely to use fresh ingredients on their menu items, are more likely to cook more meals at home, and are more likely to have a higher intake of fruits and vegetables.
As far as the environment is concerned, gardens have a natural ability to cleanse the air and soil, create bird and insect habitats, erosion of the soil is prevented, reduce CO2 emissions, better manage stormwater, and, in most cases, provide a buffer against flooding and water pollution.
Heath-conscious and forward-thinking companies offer employees on-site gardens as a wellness perk. For example, Google has tens of thousands of square feet of gardening space at its Mountain View campus in California, which has stocked kitchens with the harvested produce. Furthermore, giving employees opportunities to take cooking classes to learn how to utilize this gardening benefit best.
Benefits of gardening
From the National Institute of Health, “Horticultural therapies are part of an emerging strand of social prescribing known as ‘green prescribing,’ and this paper identifies military veterans with PTSD and continuing/debilitating psychological and mental health concerns as an identifiable study group who can benefit from this alternative approach,”. Here are some more health benefits of gardening/horticultural therapy:
- Helps fight disease
- Builds strength
- Improves memory
- Reduces stress
- Helps addiction recovery
- Fosters human connections to combat loneliness
- Heals and empowers
- Helps to manage eco-anxiety
- Exposure to vitamin D
- Decreased dementia risk
- Mood-boosting benefits
- Enjoyable aerobic exercise
Additionally, activities like raking or cutting grass fall under light to moderate exercise, while shoveling, digging, and chopping wood could be considered vigorous exercise. Either way, when working in a garden, we use nearly every major muscle group in the body.
How do you keep a herb garden in your kitchen?
Since I live in Michigan, there are only a few months to reap the benefits of an outdoor garden, so I would like to know how to keep an herb garden in my kitchen or, at least, in an area of my home where I get the most light from the sun. Below are some tips on how to best make an inside herb garden:
- Make sure to provide plenty of light
- Ensure quality air circulation and cool conditions
- Watch watering; be sure not to over or under water. Balance!
- Rotate often
- Fertilize monthly
- Prune regularly
Five easy-to-grow herbs:
- Basil
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Mint
- Oregano
These herbs can be incorporated into a myriad of dishes, enhancing flavors and serving as healthy garnishes. Imagine the satisfaction of plucking fresh basil leaves for your homemade pesto or adding freshly chopped chives to your morning omelet. To truly maximize the potential of your indoor herb garden, consider experimenting with new recipes inspired by your home-grown bounty.
Additionally, keeping a journal to track growth patterns and any issues that arise can be both informational and rewarding.
For those new to gardening, joining a local gardening club or online community can provide valuable insights and support. Sharing successes and learning from others’ experiences not only enhances gardening skills but also fosters a sense of community, enriching the therapeutic aspects of this activity.
Getting children involved in gardening can be particularly rewarding, as seen from personal experiences. Introducing them to the basics of planting and growth can instill in them a lifelong appreciation for nature and self-sufficiency. Moreover, gardening can be subtly infused with learning opportunities about science, nutrition, and even patience as they watch seeds transform into edible plants.
Investing in quality gardening tools and equipment, even for small indoor gardens, can make the process more enjoyable and efficient. Ergonomic tools, grow lights, and hydroponic systems are worthwhile considerations for serious enthusiasts wanting to perfect their craft.
What Makes Gardening Therapeutic?
In conclusion, whether you have a small windowsill garden or a sprawling backyard plot, the physical and emotional benefits of gardening are plentiful. It’s about more than just cultivating plants; it’s about nurturing a connection with the earth, enhancing well-being, and embracing a more mindful, grounded life.