FOR YOUR HEALTH ENJOY BENEFITS OF GARDENING THIS SUMMER As the days get warmer, you may be looking forward to doing more activities outside or picking up a new hobby. Consider taking up gardening as a new hobby. Gardening offers physical health benefits. It’s also a great way to improve your emotional wellbeing.
The Montana State University Extension offers a simple guide for planning a successful vegetable garden.
There is satisfaction in growing and harvesting your own nutritious fruits and vegetables. Gardening provides opportunity for you to exercise while doing something you enjoy. As you plant, weed, and water, you are working many different Eden Sowards RiverStone Health Clinic muscles without putting too much strain on your body. You might be so focused on your lovely plants that you don’t even notice you’re breaking into a sweat.
Consider using raised garden beds. The raised beds help reduce back strain, prevent soil compaction, extend the season, and serve as a barrier to pests like slugs and snails.
Keely Ehmann
RiverStone Health Clinic
Gardening enhances mental health. Getting to work among the plants can help lower stress levels, keep us connected to nature, and provide us with a sense of responsibility and reward. Being out in the sunshine boosts your mood and increases your vitamin D exposure, which improves bone health and your immune system. Remember to stay hydrated by drinking water and to protect yourself from the sun by wearing sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. 6
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First, the essentials: Invest in good soil and choose the right location that yields six to eight hours of sunlight daily. Organize your vegetable rows in a north-south direction to ensure the sunlight is distributed evenly. For example, tall vegetables like corn should be planted on the north side to reduce shading.
Be aware of the timing in which seeds and transplants need to be planted to give them the best chance for success. Some warm-season vegetables that are typically planted by direct seed in Montana include beans, cucumbers, squash, and sweet corn. If you’re looking for warm-season transplants, you might try eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes. If you grow more in your garden than you can use, don’t worry. Consider selling your excess produce this summer. The Healthy By Design Gardeners’ Market welcomes farmers and backyard gardeners to sell their produce in beautiful South Park. There is no fee to participate, but vendors are required to go through a short orientation. To learn about becoming a vendor, call 406.651.6444 or email market@hbdyc.org. Whenever you can, choose to buy food from other local producers. Purchasing food from Montana producers through local markets also provides a unique opportunity
