Gardening - A Nurturing Hobby

by Janet Shapan

As time rolls by, even the most ardent city dwellers are often attracted to the pleasures and joy found in growing a garden.  Sometimes a bit of assistance and creativity are needed but there is little to stand in the way for seniors discover a form of gardening that soothes the soul and give other lasting health benefits.  For example, gardening is a wonderful form of exercise.

Even the doctors are acknowledging the value of gardening and other daily activities and hobbies to provide low-exertion exercise. Keeping your muscles and joints moving, stretching when you bend down or standing up, increased strength required when carrying, and digging are all important movements as we age. Kick in a little fresh air and light and good results happen.

First, don’t take on more than you can handle.  This kills motivation fast. Design or redesign your garden space to meet your capabilities. If you can’t bend down, try hanging pots or small containers that can be placed on a table.  If you can’t deal with the garden every day, select vegetables and flowers that don’t demand a lot of attention.

Get rid of old tools that are heavy. Find tools that are light and comfortable to handle.
Don’t hesitate to do a little stretching and warm-up exercise if needed to avoid injury and joint damage. Bend your knees, roll your shoulders, shake your hands and warm up your shoulders and neck.

Gardening may involve lifting. If so, know your limits.  You should be beyond trying to impress someone.  Carrying the right amount of weight will help preserve bone density and keep muscles toned.

When you are out and about, remember to breath.  Good breath work while walking, digging and planting will promote heart health and circulation.  Do only what feels right for you.

And most of all be alert.  Feel the sun, be aware of the outdoor smells, enjoy the colors and be thankful you are a part of this amazing world. A good cup of coffee while watching the daily growth in your garden offers great personal fulfillment.

Connecting with nature is connecting your nature.  It can be done alone, with a spouse or friend or with children and grand kids.

Many seniors that have dismissed gardening because they didn’t have room are learning about Container Gardening and jumping in to the world of gardening for the first time.

Container gardening offers some wonderful benefits especially for seniors.  Containers can be set at different heights making them available to people in wheelchairs.  And containers can be mobile so they can be moved or repositioned as needed.

When you use containers, you have prime control of the soil and growing conditions. You will likely face less plant disease and fewer insect infestations. And feeding a container based garden is much easier than the traditional garden. Watering is easier, fertilizing is controlled and weeding is a snap.

Finally, with containers you can extend the growing season unlike the traditional outside garden.  Some have moved the containers inside to a greenhouse environment while others wrap or insulate containers to ensure the best possible growing climate for the plants.

Next steps
Whether your motivation is grow some fresh vegetables or some beautiful flowers take some action and see if you have a green thumb. Enjoy the exercise and the learning. Gardening is a perfect hobby for seniors at almost any age.

For more tips on gardening visit: http://www.gardeningnewsandreviews.org