On the Benefits of Gardening
You don’t have to have a “green thumb” to know that gardening can be very rewarding. As AquaGrove growers have experienced firsthand, there are numerous benefits gained from starting and nurturing your own garden. While the obvious benefits are having fresh, organically grown food at your fingertips, there are numerous other benefits that go far beyond daily nutrition.
To better understand its many benefits, here are seven ways that gardening can improve health and wellness, as well as the environment:
- Environmental Benefits: Gardening promotes environmental stewardship by supporting biodiversity, conserving resources like water and energy, and reducing carbon footprint. This aligns with sustainable practices that benefit ecosystems. Additionally, an aquaponic garden such as AquaGrove offers growing space in urban areas where soil-based gardening wouldn’t be possible; additionally, an aquaponic garden uses up to 90 percent less water than conventional gardens and can be powered by solar to conserve energy and operate completely off-grid.
- Improved Nutrition: Growing your own fruits, vegetables, and herbs encourages a healthier diet. Research from the American Journal of Public Health suggests that gardeners consume more fruits and vegetables than non-gardeners which makes sense considering that nutritious food is readily available
- Cognitive Benefits: Engaging in gardening tasks can improve cognitive function, particularly in older adults. A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found that gardening can reduce the risk of dementia by up to 36%.
- Stress Relief and Improved Mood - The Journal of Health Psychology conducted a research study to provide scientific evidence for the psychological benefits reaped from gardening. In the study, stress-relieving effects of gardening were hypothesized and tested in a field experiment, compared with the stress relief provided by reading. Gardening and reading each led to decreases in cortisol (stress hormone) during the recovery period, but the gardening group exhibited significantly stronger decreases. It was also noted that positive mood was fully restored after gardening.
- Sense of Achievement: Successfully growing plants and seeing the results of one’s efforts can boost self-esteem and provide a sense of accomplishment. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals experiencing low self-esteem or depression, as well as students of all ages who are gaining knowledge and skills in a classroom environment.
- Increased Social Connection –Gardening is an activity that brings people together and can enhance social connections. Whether online or through local groups, there are many ways to connect and network with the gardening community. With AquaGrove, bonds and friendships have formed in the classroom when students work together to grow, tend to, and nurture their gardens.
- Creative Expression: Designing and arranging garden layouts opens the doors for creative expression and personalization. At AquaGrove, we have enjoyed seeing the many ways teachers and students work together to create unique gardens. By giving students control over choosing which plants to grow, designing tracking methods, and decorating their gardens, they gain access to opportunities for self-expression and creative thinking.
The above listed benefits of gardening are just a few of the many that can be discovered through AquaGrove aquaponics. Getting started has never been easier with the start-up guide and online customer care. To learn more about learning and growing with AquaGrove, contact a team member today.