The Benefits of Gardening

Caring for plants is good for us. Our attitudes toward health and nutrition improve, children perform better in school and community spirit grows. Consider building a garden at a local school, in your neighborhood or even in your own backyard. Check out these 10 benefits of working in a garden:

1. Better health. Producing your own food can increase your family’s fruit and vegetable consumption and improve their attitude toward healthy eating.
2. Access to fresh food. Fruits and vegetables that you grow yourself are often more flavorful because they come straight from the garden to your plate. Supermarket produce is often picked before it has the chance to fully develop flavor.
3. Burn calories. Working in a garden is a great form of low-impact exercise. According to the American Council for Fitness and Nutrition, you can burn around 150 calories in just a 30- to 45-minute garden session.
4. Feel accomplished. Gardening can help build self-esteem and confidence. A healthy harvest produces a sense of achievement when you see the results of your time and effort.
5. Save money. Growing your own fruits and vegetables will help cut down on your grocery bill. Plant crops that you enjoy eating and use often such as tomatoes, lettuce, peppers and squash.
6. Improve your child’s development. According to the Center for Ecoliteracy, studies have shown that garden-based education improves academic performance and may lead to higher test scores (especially in the areas of math and science) with overall improvement on standardized achievement tests and improved positive attitudes toward learning.
7. Ease stress. Gardening can be therapeutic and relaxing. A garden can serve as a peaceful retreat from the demands of everyday life.
8. Get the whole family involved. From selecting the types of plants, to preparing the earth, planting and finally harvesting, gardening is a wonderful outdoor activity that your family can enjoy together.
9. Enhance your creativity. Designing a garden provides an outlet for creativity and expression. With the wide variety of seeds available, it’s easy to experiment with new plants or change the color scheme of your garden annually.
10. Beautify the area. Gardens enhance any outdoor setting. Flowers add color and warmth to a home; trees and shrubs provide shade and shelter for birds and other wildlife. 

Garden Calendar

April

• National Garden Month (National Gardening Association)

October

• National Farm to School Month (National Farm to School Network)

For More Resources on Gardening, Please Visit:

• National Farm to School Network
• National Gardening Association