There’s something about gardening that makes you feel happy, rejuvenated and in control. There’s nothing better than going outside on a hot day and picking your own fruits and veggies to snack on that you grew yourself! The feeling of satisfaction that doing that gives you is something you cannot get many other places. So, we know that gardening makes us feel good, but did you know that gardening is actually, scientifically, good for your health? The science behind how gardening affects your health is actually quite beautiful and it gives you just another reason to start digging and planting this coming spring.

Gardening Improves Health

How gardens affects your health positively

As technology has grown…and grown (and grown some more!) this past decade, we as humans have lost touch with the outdoors and have become disconnected with the Earth. Being able to, quite literally, get your hands dirty and create something out of nothing is a beautiful thing. It’s that creation of something that wasn’t there before, that feeling of doing your part to keep the world a beautiful, green place, that impacts your health positively. Heath.com states that this positive feeling comes from a sense of re-connecting to one’s primal state. It’s a return to simplicity, one that our body and mind welcomes after a long week sitting in a desk.

Along with rejuvenating our mental state, gardening also helps reduce stress. Gardening releases endorphins, which reduces the amount of cortisol (the stress hormone) that pumps through our body. With this stress-reduction comes a lower blood pressure. Any type of moderate physical activity can help to reduce your blood pressure, so if you love gardening, why not make that your activity? Gardening also has the ability to work as a form of exercise, says Good Housekeeping. You can burn up to 330 calories per hour of gardening! That’s like going on an hour run! So, long story short, if you’ve had a bad day, pick up a spade! Finally, gardening has the ability to brighten your mood, lift your spirits and all-around make you a happier person. Think of the last time you got a flower: did a smile not creep up upon your face just by smelling them? So, long story short, if you’ve had a bad day, pick up a spade!

 Sources:

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/womens-health/health-benefits-gardening

http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20507878,00.html

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Having bamboo as a part of your garden adds beauty and a bit of exotic flair to your yard space. There are so many amazing benefits to adding bamboo to your garden that’s it is hard to name them all! First of all, bamboo is extremely eco-friendly and sustainable. This is because it has the ability to repopulate itself after being cut. Bamboo also grows new shoots every spring, so a bamboo gardener can expect new, more dense and populous shoots each year! Bamboo can either be planted in the ground or in a pot, making it a very versatile and hardy plant.

Learn how to grow and maintain bamboo

How to plant and maintain your new bamboo shoots 

When planting your bamboo, making sure you place garden compost or manure around your new plant. Bamboo does well in partial shade since it is a forest plant so keep that in mind when placing your plant in your yard. If you will be growing your bamboo in a pot, remember that every 3-5 years your bamboo should be repotted. Container bamboo should be watered at least 3-5 times during the summer months and bamboo that is not in a container needs to be watered at least 1-3 times per week. Some hardy forms of bamboo that have been in place in the ground for a few years only need water a few times a month! With that being said, Bamboo Garden tells us that you should water your bamboo plants frequently until they reach full growth, at least. However, what bamboo will not tolerate is poorly drained fertilizer. Gardening By Step reminds us to include gravel or grit in your soil to allow for opening of the soil and drainage.

Keep in mind that you will need to prune your bamboo plants from time to time as they do grow rather quickly and because it grows new shoots each spring. You should take care to trim the old, dead shoots as you see them. Many times, bamboo plants are pruned to create beautiful yard fixture in different shades and forms. One way to do this is to trim all of the branches that are lower to the ground, which makes for the plant’s culms’ beauty to be fully appreciated!

All in all, bamboo is a great plant to have and is extremely easy to grow and maintain. The biggest thing to remember is to water frequently when growing and to avoid putting it in direct sunlight or intense heat.

Sources;

http://www.bamboogarden.com/care.htm

http://gardeningstepbystep.com/how-to-grow-bamboo/

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Growing your own fruits can be extremely rewarding, as well as healthy and organic. However, what happens when you can’t grow plants in the ground because you live in an apartment or don’t have enough space outside to do so? How about if you live in a climate where you don’t get the right weather and temperature to grow fruit well? Thankfully, there’s an easy answer to this. There are tons of fruits that can be easily grown in containers, inside and outside! Although planting in containers may not get you as many fruits as a full-grown fruit tree outside would, the bounty will be plentiful still! You’ll be able to get a little taste of the tropics from your own home grown plant even on a snowy day with these tips.

Types of fruits grown in pots

Most citrus trees do very well in containers and can even be kept inside during the harsh winters months with little to no effect on them. Home Guides recommends the “Dwarf Redbush” grapefruit tree as a great fruit to plant in a pot and even keep indoors. This tree gets to be about 8 feet tall which is a height that can work inside and outside in a large container. This type of fruit is extremely hardy and can withstand being indoors with sunlight and in a container. Other citrus trees that also do well in pots are lemons and limes.

There are some fruits that need to be left outside all year because they actually do best with a winter freezing. This is great for people who live in cold temperature places for half of the year. “Black Jack” fig trees are one of these fruit types that do better if left outside during the cold. With regular pruning, it can be kept small at only 6 feet and produces some delicious figs! Another fruit similar to the fig tree is the “Tropic Gold” apricot tree, which does well in mild winter areas. It requires 350 hours of less than 45 degree weather temperature, so this tree is best planted in a container is areas like the south or west coast.

Keep in mind when you are planting your fruits in their containers that you will need at least a 15-gallon pot to hold most sizes of fruit trees and Garden.org recommends fertilizing each month. Also, never let the soil dry out completely and make sure to water more in the summer months than the winter!

Do you know of other fruits grown in pots?

Resources:

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fruit-trees-can-grown-containers-59229.html

http://www.garden.org/subchannels/landscaping/containers?q=show&id=99&page=2

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When it comes to gardening, 2015 is the year of bold colors. The trends for this year will consist of gorgeous, bright hues of bright pinks, purples, yellows and blues. Along with colors, gardening for the birds and the bees (actual birds and bees, where’s your mind people?!) is going to be extremely popular, as well. Planting butterfly bushes and and bee-attracting colors will be seen in many gardens this year. Another trend that has been becoming more and more popular the past couple years has been sustainable living and growing eco-friendly gardens. Susan McCoy, who is a part of Garden Media Group, says not only do gardeners look for plants that they enjoy and that will be reliable each year, but plants that are environmentally friendly, including being safe for humans and animals a like.

Here are the top gardening trends for 2015

Types of flowers that you’ll be seeing in gardens this year

1. The ‘Blue Eyed Beauty,’ more uncommonly known as Osteospermum, HGTV tells us, is a gorgeous flower that is bee-attracting as well as vibrant and beautiful. The pedals are a beautiful contrast of purple and yellow, with purple being towards the center and fading out to bright yellow. You don’t see a lot of these flowers in gardens, but expect to see these beauties a lot more in 2015!

2.  ‘L.A Dreamin’ Hydrangeas are some of the most gorgeous flowers you’ll ever lay eyes on. The pedals range from pink to blue and white and fade throughout each pedal into these three different colors, making for the perfect combination of spring colors for your garden. Looking at these flowers, all I can think of is Easter and sunshine and spring! (As I watch the weather channel and it predicts 20 degree weather next week where I am…brrr.)

3. Finally, another great, trendy flower you’ll be seeing a lot of in 2015 is the ‘New Day Rose Strip’ Gazania and boy, oh, boy is this a flower! I can only imagine someone bringing me a bouquet full of these suckers (automatic swoon). Each white pedal has a vibrant stripe of magenta in the center of it, with a bright yellow middle.

So, the gist of it is, color is in full swing in 2015, so get with the program and add some brightness to your life!

Sources:

http://www.hgtvgardens.com/flowers-and-plants/garden-trends-for-2015

http://grow.gardenmediagroup.com/2015-Garden-Trends-Report

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There is a new trend sweeping the nation when it comes to planting and gardening. That trend is air plants. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a trend in home decor: hanging plants and beautiful terrariums. It’s become a bit of a stylistic mark to have your home filled with foliage hanging from the ceiling, but there’s a bit more to it than style! Air plants are the specific name of the group of plants that have become so popular for indoor use. This is because these types of plants do not need soil to thrive! They subsist on air and their roots alone. How cool is that?

Information: Air Plants

Maintenance and care for air plants

Taking care of your air plants could not be easier. Better homes and gardens states that the key to maintaining an air plant is to allow them access to constant air circulation (hence the name air plants). As for watering, don’t do it. You only need to mist the plants once a day in the summer months, once a week during the winter. Also, don’t mistake air plants for cactuses! Most air plants do not need full sunlight and do better in partial light in a cool place, which is why they are so perfect as indoor plants! If you live in a cold weather area, keep these plants strictly indoors. Does it stay warm all year where you are? You should be fine to keep it outdoors, as long as you are making sure to keep it mostly dry throughout the year.

Using glass globes as your air plants’ home

Glass globes are by far the most popular way to keep air plants indoors. If you are thinking about trying this look, you must make sure that your globe has a large area cut out from it so that the plant can breathe and get proper air circulation. Before placing your plant in it’s globe home, Air Plant City says that you should make sure it is complete dry and mist every 4-5 days (1 spray per globe). If your plant ever starts to lose it’s form or perkiness, remove it from it’s globe and let the roots soak in water for about twenty minutes. This should perk your air plant right back up! Happy air planting!

What’s your take on air plants?

Sources:
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/houseplants/care/grow-air-plants/
http://www.airplantcity.com/care.htm

Image: iStockPhoto

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Even though it’s winter, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be preparing and educating yourself on how to take care of your garden this summer so your plants thrive! If you are like me and live in the deep south, you know how hot it can get in the summertime. Here in Georgia, we get temperatures of over 100 degrees frequently through October! Crazy, right?

How to heatproof your garden:

High heats and little precipitation can make your plants suffer greatly. That’s why it’s very important to heatproof your garden in preparation for high temperatures. When it gets to be Spring and Summer, you never really know when a heat wave is going to strike, so being prepared is the right way to go.

First of all, take care to water your plants frequently: at least twice a day during the hot months. You should water your plants once before it gets hot, 9am or earlier, and once in the evening. However, if you know anything about evaporation, you know that hot temperatures d not allow plants to absorb water as well as they should be. That’s why you should think about purchasing a soil-wetting agent, which will allow the soil to absorb water better and feed your plants.

Also, remember to not over-fertilize. When it gets too hot you feel like your plants need the extra boost, however take care to not feed them too much fertilizer, because the nitrogen in it can actually cause your lawn and plants to contract diseases and die off. Make sure to only fertilize in the fall and spring, when temperatures are more moderate.

Another tip is to choose plants that are more heat-tolerant than those who thrive in moderate heat. If you set yourself up to fail, then you probably will in this area! Choose plants that are native to Australia, which thrive in high heat and little rain. Examples of plants to choose would be Kangaroo paws, lemon myrtle hedges, dwarf eucalyptus and Sydney rock lily.

Finally, remember to mulch your garden regularly so that your plants can absorb as much water as possible. Use bark for the best effect, which helps to control the temperature of plants and helps to keep them moist.

Knowing what to do to keep your garden as healthy and happy as possible for the Summer months is important. You never know when a super hot day will come along and before you know it, your plants are wilting and your left vegetable-less! Be prepared and reap the benefits of your garden for months to come.

Sources: 

http://thenewdaily.com.au/life/2015/01/05/summer-proof-garden/

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When you think of the month of January, starting to plant your vegetables is probably not the first thing that comes to your mind. If you live in the southern or west coast of the United States, you should be okay to plant some vegetables, but make sure to be aware of any impending frosts so you can make the necessary arrangements. If you are unsure of how your weather is going to be during January, a small potted vegetable patch by a sunny window works perfectly.

Vegetables to Plant in January

Tomatoes and peppers are perfect to plant indoors this January. They are super easy to grow and they can be transported outside when it gets warmer. It takes about 6-8 weeks for them to mature, so by that time it should be warm enough for them to take root in your backyard! Another vegetable that you can start this month is onion. If you’re in a warmer zone, plant now indoors. They should be matured and can be transported outside in only two months. Make sure that if you’ll be keeping your onions inside to cut the tops off so they only grow to about three inches instead of their normal 5-6 inches.

For outdoors lovers, there is a vegetable you can plant this earlier in the year that won’t die outright! The Broad Bean is a hardy bean that is able to subsist in less than warm temperatures. The Broad Bean grows easily and steadily and will be ready for harvesting early this year if you plant in late January. If you live in a place that doesn’t get a lot of freezes, this vegetable will thrive in your environment and you can plant it as your first vegetable of the year! Did you know how easy it is to grow mushrooms? If you’re a fan of mushrooms and love to garden all year long, mushrooms are extremely easy to grow in the winter months and grow quickly.

January is the perfect time to start planning for your spring and summer vegetables and flowers that you will be planting. Get out the gardening catalog and plan which seeds you’ll be purchasing this year in advance so you’ll be ready to “sow” when the spring comes around!

Now that you know which vegetables to plant in January, what’s your pick?

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