Gardening Can Improve Your Health

Posted on 24/06/2020

How Gardening Can Improve Your Health

Gardening is not everyone’s favourite interest, but for those who do take pleasure in it, it can be rewarding in more that growing plants and vegetables. In addition to having an outdoor area to admire as and when you want, it is also a good and active way of staying healthy. Gardening is a fairly physical pastime, with all the bending, weeding and lawn mowing. Plus, there is the part of spending time outdoors too. Many studies have been done and it has been shown to improve health and fitness, reduce stress, and help with depression. It also helps improve muscle tonus and helps keep your brain healthy; after all there is a fair amount to know about the health benefits of gardening.


Keeping fit with gardening

Many gardeners are moderately fit and healthy. Why, you ask? Well there are various jobs that need doing regularly including digging, weeding, planting, patio cleaning and carrying water and garden waste. In fact, if you are not in good shape you can find yourself damaging a body part such as your neck, arm, back or leg if you go too mad at it when you first start out. It is a good idea to get used to it and do a little every day. Many gardeners keep on top of the garden care in the hot months by doing a little every day, either early in the morning before the hot midday sun or when it gets cooler in the early evenings. Many people find they rush it on a day off from work and then end up laid up and unable to work simply because they have overexerted themselves when they first ventured into gardening work. Start with 30 minutes 3 times a week, rather than all day at a weekend.


Get prepared with the proper kit

Having some good tools for the job will help. If you invest in gardening tools they will last you indefinitely if you take care of them. That means cleaning them after each use, drying them and putting them in a dry place. Some tools might need a little more care than others but basic cleaning and keeping dry will prevent them from rusting or becoming seized up. You can help make things easier when working outdoors by having tools that have longer handles which may reduce bending. Choosing aluminium ones is a better decision than steel as they are lighter. A pad to knee on can be a good support if your knees are sensitive. There are many tools available for those who have physical problems; even bright coloured handles which makes them easier to find if your vision is limited. Some tools have easy to grip foam handles which makes it easier if you have arthritis. Gloves are an important part of your gardening kit but make sure they are padded to prevent blisters and sores. Hoses are a lighter option than carrying watering cans to water plants and flowers. Wheel barrows are a useful tool to help manoeuvre weeds and soil to other parts of your garden.


Adapting your garden

Having raised beds to weed and tend to will help reduce bending and the onset of a bad back. Other ideas are containers which limit the size of weeding to be done. Though containers need care and attention, you only need have sizes that you are comfortable with. Many window sills and patios are ideal for pots displaying colour. They are easy to tend to without digging and weeding a great patch of your garden. Growing vines and climbing plants up trellis means colour at a vertical height and means that you can take care of them easier. You can also grow cucumbers, melons, beans and other vegetables on trellis and save on bending over.