Why It Makes Sense to Garden

By: Belinda J. Bullard, MBA Author/ Founder, A Blessed Heritage Educational

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Anyone who has gardened long enough to survive the scrapes , pain, and general frustration of that initial bed can appreciate the transportive effect of being around plants. Just ask any of the 55% of homes that maintain a garden (https://www.rubyhome.com/blog/gardening-stats/, accessed April 22, 2024). There are a number of reasons that so many have turned, or rather, returned, to the soil around them as a source of pleasure and purpose:

There is scientific evidence that placing your hands in dirt releases dopamine and serotonin—two chemicals in our brains that are known for anti-depressant properties. Also, if you research the term “grounding,” you will see similar positive effects associated with walking barefooted. C. Austin Miles, who penned “I Come to the Garden Alone” in 1913, understood this transformation from a spiritual perspective; scientists later attempted to quantify the joy and peace he described through laboratory trials. However you get there, the elation is real.
Anaerobic exercise. Pushing small equipment, lifting bags of soil, getting up and down, or just walking all require physical activity. In fact, gardeners who utilize best practices stretch before they go about their tasks. Gardening will not provide the workout intensity of Zumba or Boot Camp, but it will give the heart a boost and most major muscle groups an opportunity to develop.
Food scarcity. I could not talk about the many benefits of gardening without addressing the sad reality that exists in the United States and the world. With a significant amount of this nation’s food coming from one or two states, any localized disaster can quickly shut down the produce section of a grocery store. Not only are regional plant diseases threatening, but international conflicts drive the prices of transportation, and even gardening supplies like fertilizer, through the proverbial roof. Additionally, the plight of many Americans who live without a grocery store within a mile of home (commonly called a food desert) is a horrid stain on the fabric of such a wealthy nation. Lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables is foundational to infection and diseases that can impact whole communities. For a growing number of people, gardening is no longer a hobby; it is a means of securing foods that can quickly become unavailable.
Achievement and reward. One mistake beginner gardeners make is attempting to grow vegetables that are temperamental to produce. But once the lettuce, or the beans, or the radishes, i.e., easier crops to grow, pop out of the ground, little compares to the joy of seeing that seed become a plant. Moreover, even fewer joys exist than using that lettuce and radishes for your own salad. The taste of homegrown vegetables, free of commercial chemicals that take away from the organic nature of the crop, is indescribable. The intensity of flavors is much more potent than the blander grocery store variety.

I could go on about becoming a tomato snob after growing my own tomatoes. I could write entire articles that focus solely on the plight of those in food deserts. The statistics regarding why it makes sense to garden are startling. Instead, I will encourage you to invest in a pot, a bag of soil, and a seed pack or plant. Take in the feeling of dirt in your hands, think about the potential to enjoy your results, and even to share. Enjoy all that this adventure has to offer.