Guest Post by: Catie
Catie loves to write, and try new things (and wrangling her loved ones into the process). She currently works for a marketing firm in Kentucky where she plays skee-ball, drinks hot chocolate and, oh, writes all day long.
Ready to start a garden? Not sure your thumb is green enough? The first reason you should start a garden is because you want to. But if you haven’t found a love of gardening just yet, that’s ok, because I’m not sure I have either! So let’s discover the benefits of it together.
From the research I’ve done and my own experience over the last few weeks, here are some of the things I’ve learned.
Nature is a blessing.
Bugs, dirt, all of the things I normally try to avoid, are blessings! Certain bugs help keep other bugs at bay. A little dirt on my hands means my plants are cared for and are staying healthy. The right mix of sunlight, water and nutrients can bear beautiful fruit for me to enjoy and share with others.
It pushes you out of your comfort zone.
Or at least it did for me. I would consider myself a responsible person. I have a full time job, a part time job, I volunteer and I am currently debt free. However, the thought of knowing I have to water something almost every day seems a little daunting. Why? I brush my teeth everyday, I take a shower every day, I never, ever forget to eat (seriously my desk drawers are filled with snacks!). So, why is this so different?! I think it’s simply because it’s something else to add to my routine.
Plus, it forces me to get outside, play in the dirt and possibly be attacked by mosquitoes or bees… As my mom so kindly put it, “Catie, you touched nature. Doesn’t it feel great?!”
I’m beginning to learn, that yes, it is.
Each morning I sit looking out my balcony window and admire how they’ve grown from the day before! The squash especially has gotten so big, so fast. I’m fully expecting my balcony to be a jungle by mid-June. Now, granted, I may get to the end of summer and have 6 plants that bear very few vegetables, but for now I enjoy waking up to plants that have grown! So be sure to follow my story all summer long and share with me YOUR garden pictures on Facebook. (container, backyard or larger!)
It’s relaxing.
Though I don’t have enough plants to spend hours out in my garden, even just the few minutes it takes to water them is relaxing. It’s a break from my morning routine where I spend outside, listening to the birds, watching the sun rise a little higher and seeing the progress of my little vegetable corner.
The experts say it’s a good thing!
Working in a garden is considered a moderate-intensity level activity which the CDC says you should do for at least 2.5 hours a week. Now, working with my few balcony plants probably won’t give me this kind of exercise, but if you have a larger garden, I bet it would be for you! Gardening could also help improve mental health and decrease stress.
Gardening is also a popular hobby for many Cook portable building owners! Cook Portable Warehouses knows everyone has a need for more room and so builds quality sheds to fit any purpose. So, whether you need a potting shed or a She Shed, take a look at Cook sheds.
If you’ve missed any of our series on container gardening check them out here:
My Adventures in Container Gardening [VIDEO]
How to Start a Container Garden [VIDEOS]
Adventures in Container Gardening: Meeting an Expert
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