In our world today, it can be easy to go stir-crazy and get in a mental funk with seemingly endless lockdowns and quarantining. This past year has been a year of unprecedented isolation and we have all had to find ways to stay sane and preoccupied.
The problem with isolation is that it effects our health. Not just emotionally, but physically as well. We stop wanting to get out of bed, depression and loneliness kick into high gear, and we stop taking care of ourselves.
Since we are stuck inside for our own safety, the side effects of isolation are bound to happen – even if you don’t live alone, but especially if you’re flying solo.
Granted, we don’t have a cure for loneliness or isolation, but we have thought of a great way to combat both – container gardening!
Are you new to container gardening, or just getting started? No problem! Check out our Container Gardening for Beginners for getting started tips.
Though this may not be a cure-all, container gardening in isolation can give you something to take care of and give you a reason to get out of bed again. The health benefits of gardening in isolation are undeniable and may even surprise you.
- 1) Something to Keep You Busy in Isolation
- 2) Stay Safe By Social Distancing
- 3) Regain Control When the World Is Out of Control
- 4) Rearranging & Creative Potential
- 5) Less Work Than Normal Earth Gardening
- 6) Rewarding – See Your Hard Work Pay Off
- 7) Refreshing & Fresh Ingredients For Cooking
- 8) No Seasonal Restraint
- 9) Save Money
- 10) More Colorful & Fresher Environment
- 11) Community Benefits & Sharing
- For Further Reading
- 12) Beginner Friendly – Anyone Can Start a Container Garden
- Final thoughts on the health benefits of container gardening
The most important benefits to container gardening however, are the mental health benefits. You will reduce your stress, feel like part of something, gain control again, stay safe, and even save money. There are so many reasons to start container gardening during this pandemic isolation and here they are.
Here are 12 surprising health benefits of container gardening in isolation that you should know!
1) Something to Keep You Busy in Isolation
Staying busy in isolation can be challenging after you’re mentally spent with cooking, cleaning, working, and working out. The mental drain of having nothing to do and no where to go can take a real tole on your quality of health.
If, however, you can find something to occupy your time, your mental health can be preserved.
Something like…container gardening.
Whether you are container gardening outside in your yard or inside near a window, you will have something to keep you busy in isolation and prevent a drain on your mental health.
2) Stay Safe By Social Distancing
We all know how important staying away from others is during this pandemic. So, finding activities that keep you busy AND keep you safe are very important.
Container gardening offers both!
Gardening in isolation is a solitary activity that doesn’t require contact with others. Again, whether you’re indoors or outdoors, you will be kept safe.
3) Regain Control When the World Is Out of Control
In these unprecedented and uncertain times, there’s a pretty universal feeling of a lack of control.
There are few things in our world nowadays that we have control over, so when an opportunity to gain control in an area of your life comes along, it’s wise to take it. Container gardening offers this opportunity for control.
You have control over the types of plants, the arrangement, the schedule, etc.
Give yourself a sense of control in a world where a sense of control is scarce and start container gardening today!
4) Rearranging & Creative Potential
This item is a perfect follow up to the previous reason to start container gardening: rearranging potential. When you garden in containers, you have the flexibility to change the arrangement of the pots and/or containers.
Rearranging potential gives you the control to be creative with how your plants are arranged. Not only does this give you creative freedom, but if you’re gardening indoors, it gives you a change of scenery – or as close as you can get when you’re isolated.
5) Less Work Than Normal Earth Gardening
The benefits of container gardening is that it is far less work than regular gardening.
With container gardening, you don’t have to spend time weeding or adjusting soil content to make up for nutrient drain caused by connection with the earth and you don’t have to water as often because there are less plants absorbing the water.
Not to mention, there’s less chance of fungus or other diseases latching onto your plants because they are isolated and safe from potential threats.
Even if you garden outdoors in containers, these benefits still apply!
6) Rewarding – See Your Hard Work Pay Off
Container gardening is very rewarding!
You can give each plant its own container that fits it perfectly so it has more room to grow, thus allowing for optimal growth and production of veggies or fruits.
Also, if you’re gardening herbs in your containers, the special attention you can give to each plant on an individual basis will help each plant grow to the max.
These benefits result in more bountiful harvests of veggies, fruits, and herbs. When plants grow with less competition in the surrounding soil or none at all, the plants do their best. With a better harvest, you will feel a greater reward. Any produce you can grow will give you a rewarding feeling that can help your mental health while in isolation.
You May Also Be Interested In… Mastering Shampoo Ginger Lily Planting and Care
7) Refreshing & Fresh Ingredients For Cooking
In isolation, cooking can be a real chore – even more so than before. Luckily, with container gardening, cooking can be more refreshing. With fresh ingredients from your container garden that haven’t been picked over by other shoppers is wonderful.
You can add freshly picked herbs (basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary, thyme, mint, etc) to your dishes. Nothing tastes better than freshly picked herbs or freshly cut fruits and veggies in a meal.
8) No Seasonal Restraint
One of the perks of container gardening is that you don’t have to wait for fall or spring or summer to plant. You can plant whenever you want (if you’re planting indoors) because your indoor containers are in a temperature-controlled environment.
This helps with your isolated mental health by not making you wait to start planting. You can start this beneficial activity right away.
9) Save Money
One of the BEST benefits of container gardening in isolation is that it can save you money. With so many loosing jobs and having hours cut, the financial strain has been difficult to handle for many. By container gardening, you not only save money on cooking supplies, but you also save money on gas.
By producing your own herbs, fruits, and veggies as best as you can in containers, you will save some money that may make the difference between paying a bill and not.
Every little bit helps!
10) More Colorful & Fresher Environment
We all know that having plants inside freshens and purifies the air in your home. This benefit alone can benefit your mental health during this isolation.
Though it does freshen the air, it also gives you a fresh and natural environment full of color. Whether you plant flowers full of beautiful colors and wonderful smells or plants that produce edible goods, you will add a splash of color to your rooms.
11) Community Benefits & Sharing
Though we have to stay socially distanced, the benefits of planting a container garden outside can create a sense of community. Those who pass by your garden will get to enjoy the beauty of your efforts. And any extra produce you cannot consume on your own can be safely given to neighbors through contactless delivery.
This sharing of produce can create a sense of community during these isolated times. Though it’s not like it was, by container gardening, you can create a nostalgic community and neighborly feeling.
“The things to remember is if we’re all alone, then we’re all together in that too.” – PS I Love You
For Further Reading
- How Stay-at-Home Moms Can Cultivate Tranquility in Their Own Backyards!
- Divorcees’ Guide to Container Gardening and Self-Renewal
- Unlock the Joy of Mindful Gardening
12) Beginner Friendly – Anyone Can Start a Container Garden
Finally, one of the things that makes container gardening so perfect for those of us struggling in isolation is that you don’t have to know how to garden to start a container garden.
This style of gardening is very beginner friendly and error proof.
Even if you mess up and kill a plant, it’s a lot easier to start over and give it another go. With no seasonal restriction for indoor container gardening, starting over if you oops is easy and there’s no pressure or rush.
The likelihood that you will fail is pretty low because of the amount of control you have in a container compared to earth gardening – amount of water each plant gets, soil content, and pest control. This level of control makes messing up with a container garden far less likely.
Final thoughts on the health benefits of container gardening
If you’re looking for something to make this pandemic isolation more bearable, you will be amazed by the benefits of container gardening – both mental health and physical health benefits.
So, if you want to try something new and purely beneficial to you and your environment, give container gardening a try and let us know what you think!
References
- Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis
- Home garden use during COVID-19: Associations with physical and mental wellbeing in older adults
- Therapeutic experiences of community gardens: putting flow in its place
Darrell has a passion for gardening that he inherited from his father. Go here to read more about the influence his father played in his love for gardening. If you want to send Darrell a quick message, then visit his contact page here.