Get gardening to reduce stress

It is thought that over three million people took up gardening over the past twelve months. Lockdown certainly gave us more time to do some things we may not have done otherwise.

Gardening can offer some incredible physical and mental health benefits, no matter the size of the garden you have to work with. Getting outside helps fill your lungs with fresh air, and you can absorb some of that lovely Vitamin D from the sun (Vitamin D makes you happy)! There is also some manual work involved with gardening, which helps get your blood pumping - all brilliant things to help relieve stress.

Fun fact - did you know that sitting in a garden reduces stress more than reading a book?

So this Stress Awareness Month, we thought we’d give you our top tips for getting into gardening, reducing stress, and helping your garden flourish.

Research

Before you can get yourself in the garden, you’ll need to do some research on the type of plants you are hoping to grow. Are you looking for garden plants, fruit and veg, or houseplants? Every plant is unique and requires different care in order to grow. For example, when is the best time to sow the seeds and the ideal location in the garden to place them? By taking the time to do a little research, you're more likely to have successful growth and also grow the type of plants suitable for your lifestyle.

Label, label, label

Labelling is the most important thing you need to do when your sowing seeds. You can't rely on your memory alone to remember what seeds you planted and where. To label plants, all you need is a lollypop stick and pen. Write down the name of the plant and the date you sow it. That way, you can track the progress of your new plants.

Remember to water

It may seem like a silly tip, but it is easy to forget to water your plants. Water is food for your plant and helps them grow. Make sure you water your plant deeply, getting down to the roots. When the soil starts to look dry, water them! There are apps available like Planta that send reminders to your phone when it’s time to water.

Use fertilizer and compost

As well as water, plants need other food sources to make sure they grow big and strong. Fertilizers and compost add nutrients into the soil that the plants feed off. You can buy both of these from your local garden centres, or you can request a compost bin from your local council and make your own.

Learn frost dates

Even though it’s starting to get warmer, there are still a few frosty and cold nights. Keep an eye on the temperature. If the forecast overnight is cold, bring plants inside to keep them warm. Frost damage can kill your plants.

Be patient

Growing plants takes time. They don't grow overnight. Plants can take weeks to start sprouting, so don't give up on them! It will be worth it when they grow and flower.

Prune your plants

Once they start to flourish, you should give them a haircut! Cut off the dead parts, which is anything going a bit brown and droopy. Cutting off the dead areas will help your plant grow and not have the dead areas spread across the plant. So don't be afraid to take a pair of scissors to your plants.

Have fun with it

Gardening will be your new favourite hobby. You’ll start to enjoy every aspect of it, and soon enough, it’ll be your go-to way to relax. Feel free to get creative and make it colourful. Beautiful colours will make you smile!

p.s. How lovely is the header image for our blog! One of our former Illustrations students, Louise Wells, kindly designed it for us! Check out more of her work on her Instagram page.