Some people love gardening, for others, it’s a chore they have to endure if they want a nice garden. For many who start in the latter category, they soon find out that once you get going, gardening can be so much fun. Especially when you start to notice the rewards.
A truly beautiful garden will always be something to be proud of but let’s be honest, they are hard to maintain, and if you slip and become lazy, your hard work can and will easily unravel.
There’s so much more to gardening than just planting a few plants. This article is going to explore them.
Plants
I know we said there’s more to gardening than plants, but it’s the most basic of all the tasks and is a good place to start. It can be so therapeutic just being alone in the garden digging up old roots and planting new ones.
Let’s start with weeding. Weeds are pesky things that most gardens can’t escape. If you leave them to grow, they’ll be one of the most unsightly additions to your garden. Wear some thick gardening gloves and pull them out from the root. Do this for every little weed you can see, then spray the outside of your grass and any areas they’ve appeared within the grass.
The outside lining where grass meets the patio is the most likely place for them to appear. After a few days, you’ll need to give the lawn a fresh cut and lay down some grass seeds. Even if your grass is fine, it’ll help it grow nice and healthy and green. If you’re going through a time without rain, water the grass everyday to keep it healthy. Then onto the actual plants.
You first need to uproot any old and dead flowers. The next step is bringing up the soil to reveal the fresh layer underneath. You’ll need a fork pitched shovel, and a lot of elbow grease. Keep digging and flipping until moist looking soil is revealed.
Go and pick some of your favourite flowers and plant them in the fresh soil. Be sure to get an array of colours and sizes to fill the space. Maintain these flowers by watering them every other day and you’ll have the perfect garden in no time.
Animals/Food
Gardening isn’t all about the plants and grass side of things, it can be the perfect sustainable resource. If you’re an avid gardener, you’ll know how beneficial chickens can be for your home. If your garden is big enough, consider either some chickens or ducks, or both if you can.
Chickens are the most popular and are pretty easy to maintain. You’ll need a flat garden, and will have to pick the perfect chicken coop location.
If you’re on a slant, or too far away from the house, it can affect their production of eggs and their overall happiness. The [amazon_textlink asin=’B00RXUVMFM’ text=’pens’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’mygardening411-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’dbb4d1c5-b8ae-11e7-9b97-670aa90243ad’] aren’t that expensive to buy, and neither are the chickens. After a while they’ll be producing lovely eggs, and it’ll save you money in the long run.
If you have children, then getting them to help with the maintenance and health of the chickens is such a good learning curve. They’re really friendly animals, so getting them to understand the importance of their health will benefit you both in the long run if you’re hoping to keep them.
Plots Of Land
Let’s step outside your garden for a bit, and enter into the world of extreme gardening. Some people find such a passion for gardening that they take it to bigger and better plots of land. In the UK and other parts of the world these are often referred to as allotments. This is where the food part of gardening really comes into play.
There’s so much that can be achieved on a plot of land, but they are a lot harder to maintain. If you have a spare few hours a week however, this option is perfect for you. Plots of land aren’t too expensive to buy, and you can get a few where you’ll be able to rent them instead. The possibilities of food growth here are great. Pick your favourite vegetables and put them down.
As long as the soil is fertile, pretty much any veggie will be able to grow. You’ll need to return near enough daily to water and maintain the patch. After a few months you’ll have the perfect vegetables blooming. If you can get a patch that’s big enough to grow multiple types, the money it’ll save in the long run will be nice. The reward of being able to cook and eat your own vegetables is lovely.
Chances are, they’ll taste a lot better too. Most of the veggies from the supermarkets nowadays are spray with pesticides, and the soils filled with antibiotics. Home grown organic food is the best way forward.
Health Benefits
Being out in the fresh outdoors obviously has a lot more health benefits than being cooped up in front of the TV.
On average, gardening burns around 200-400 calories per hour depending on what you’re doing. That’s the same as a 30 minute spin class at the gym. We know what we’d rather be doing. Even though it is only a light aerobic activity, it still does wonders for your heart and lungs, and muscles.
It can however be quiet strenuous on your back. After you’ve been out in the garden, try doing some stretches, or even lying on a hard flat floor for 30 minutes to sort your posture out. That is literally the only downside of gardening, but if you stretch and treat your posture right you should be fine.
You have an increased exposure to vitamin D, so it’s always wise to wear some sunscreen even if it isn’t that sunny. The main benefit of vitamin D being healthy bones. If you’re getting your children involved, it’ll also help them become more active and find a love for the outdoors rather than a love for the TV.
Gardening is an enriching way of life for anybody. The benefits outweigh the negatives, as there really aren’t many downsides to gardening. Whether you’re maintaining your own garden or a patch of land, you’re guaranteed to have fun.
