The Garden Goods: Basics And Benefits Of Gardening

Thinking about gardening, but not sure where to start?

We’re gardeners ourselves and are here to help with our new monthly email series, The Garden Goods.
Each month we will dispel gardening myths while providing tips and tricks to get you started and
building your confidence so you will be growing and gathering before you know it.

This month let’s talk basics and benefits.

The benefits to gardening are tremendous!
Reduced stress levels, increased happiness, self-esteem, and brain boosting are just a few of the many
benefits that gardening can provide you. Did you know there is a healthy bacterium, Mycobacterium
vaccae, that lives in the soil and when exposed to it, it can increase levels of serotonin and reduce
anxiety. Plus who isn’t looking for increased physical activity, better heart health and an improved diet?
A garden can provide all these things and so much more. Even if you think you don’t like vegetables, I
promise when you grow it yourself, it tastes 100 times better than anything in the store.

Myth: I don’t have a green thumb and kill plants

False! Gardening is a skill that can be learned and fine tuned just like anything. We can a green thumb
through the act of gardening, getting in the dirt and learning as we grow!

Myth: I don’t have the space to garden

You don’t need acres of land, a huge yard or even a yard to garden!
There are many ways to garden:
In ground – growing plants directly in the ground. This can be on as large or small as scale you have.
No till – layering compost, organic material on top of the ground. Great option if you don’t want to use
heavy equipment to break up the soil, there is also added benefits to this method (more on this later)
Raised beds – can be made from materials you have or purchased, creates an instant garden, great
option if your native soil isn’t great also if you want to make gardening more accessible.
Container gardening – if it can hold soil, it can be a garden. Containers are great for patios, driveways,
anyplace that you can place a container.

Felt grow bags – these also can be placed just about anywhere and the added benefits to these are you
don’t need to crate drain holes the excess water naturally drains out.
Hydroponic gardening – this is growing plants in a sterile medium such as sponges or clay stones in a
water base. No soil involved. there are many great systems available now from small units that sit on a
counter to larger ones that stand upright and hold many plants.

Now, that we know anyone can be a gardener ask yourself, what does my space look like? How much
time do I want to commit to this? Even if you have two acres to use, do you necessarily want to have
that big of a garden.
My tip would be top start small, gain the confidence and get bigger as you go. Trust me, you will end up
going bigger, us gardeners can’t help it.

Hot Tip:

Remember the most important part to remember, is to just start. The very best way to learn is through
doing, we believe in you!

Stay tuned for next month where we will discuss, setting your garden space up for success, choosing the
right plants and timing.

“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to
feed not just the body, but the soul” – Alfred Austin

Please pass along to a friend that may be thinking about gardening too, gardening is even better with a
buddy!