{"id":49243,"date":"2024-05-15T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-15T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/?p=49243"},"modified":"2026-09-15T00:51:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T07:51:13","slug":"why-is-gardening-good-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/blog\/why-is-gardening-good-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Is Gardening Good for You? Health Benefits of Gardening"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most things in life come with trade-offs. The old car that\u2019s cheaper to buy \u2014 but comes with hefty repair bills down the road. Spending more time in the office means less time for leisure. And so on and so on. Oftentimes, in order to get something, you have to give up something else.<\/p>\n

One glaring exception to this rule, as I see it, is gardening. It can get you outdoors and connected to nature. It produces fresh, tasty, and healthy food, sometimes in staggering amounts, from tiny seeds and seedlings. (If you\u2019ve ever grown zucchini or had a neighbor who has, you understand the \u201cstaggering amounts\u201d bit.) Gardening is good exercise and can be fun.<\/strong> It can positively impact your physical and emotional health. It can be good for the planet, supporting soil regeneration and the \u201clocal foods\u201d movement. And you can garden on a large property or in a few pots and containers on a windowsill. Talk about win-win-win-win-win! (I may have missed a \u201cwin\u201d or two there.)<\/p>\n

One of the founders of the regenerative approach to agriculture and life (known as permaculture), Bill Mollison, used to say, \u201cAll the world\u2019s problems can be solved in a garden.\u201d As co-founder of Food Revolution Network, I get what he\u2019s talking about. Food insecurity and poverty? Start more local gardens. Pesticides? Start an organic garden. Loneliness? Join a community garden. You get the idea\u2026<\/p>\n

Throughout history<\/a>, gardening has been many things to many people: a hobby, a career, a way of life, a non-discretionary means of sourcing food, and a way of connecting with nature and spirit.<\/p>\n

In parts of the world where many people get all their food from local supermarkets and restaurants, gardening is pure pastime, meeting needs beyond physical survival. The nature of those needs became clearer during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic when many people turned to gardening<\/a> to deal with stress. They began digging in the dirt to improve their mood, engage in satisfying physical activity, socialize with neighbors, and gain self-reliance skills.<\/p>\n

Whatever the initial motivation, many people who garden report better moods<\/a> and greater life satisfaction than non-gardeners.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The physical and psychological benefits are so striking that some doctors are now prescribing gardening<\/a> as part of a \u201cgreen prescription\u201d to improve mental health.<\/p>\n

So what is it about gardening that\u2019s good for your health and well-being? Let\u2019s examine the ways by looking at three categories: physical health, mental health, and communal and social well-being.<\/p>\n

Physical Benefits of Gardening<\/h2>\n
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First, let\u2019s look at some of the physical benefits of gardening for your health.<\/p>\n

Exercise and Activity<\/h3>\n

Gardening is a form of moderate exercise that can be an enjoyable way to increase your fitness and activity level. Depending on what you\u2019re doing \u2014 bending, digging, hoeing, raking, weeding \u2014 you may engage a bunch of different muscle groups, build core strength, and improve your agility and flexibility.<\/strong> It\u2019s kind of like yoga, but with \u201cpulling carrot\u201d and \u201creaching for that inaccessible cherry tomato\u201d pose instead of cat-cow or down dog.<\/p>\n

Gardening is also, for most people, a low-risk physical activity. Because of the many and varied movements required, it\u2019s less likely to cause a repetitive stress injury the way that exercises like running can. And because no one is trying to tackle you or ride their bike past yours, you\u2019re also much less likely to suffer an acute injury.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say that it\u2019s impossible to hurt yourself in a garden. One way to turn gardening into a high-risk activity is, as I\u2019ve discovered more than once, to weed thistles or blackberries with your bare hands. It might take a few moments to get a shovel, but that\u2019s better than hours or days spent pulling out prickers and waiting for irritated skin to recover.<\/p>\n

Great Britain\u2019s National Health Service<\/a> has been prescribing gardening for health since 2019. And the US Department of Health and Human Services agrees: Gardening is mentioned favorably five times in the second edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans<\/a>. It also notes that gardening is a \u201cmulticomponent activity\u201d (meaning that it calls for many different types of movements) and can improve physical functioning and reduce the risk of falls.<\/p>\n

The guidelines identify \u201cheavy gardening\u201d (which can include shoveling and wheelbarrowing large amounts of soil, amendments, and mulches) as a form of strength training, which can increase bone density and muscle strength.<\/p>\n

Gardening at a moderate level can also serve as cardio exercise. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, a person weighing 154 pounds can burn up to 330 calories per hour<\/a> while digging, planting, weeding, and otherwise tending to plants.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nutritional Gains from Gardening<\/h3>\n
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It\u2019s true that you can easily consume way more calories than gardening burns by eating highly processed foods and foods of animal origin. But that brings us to one of the other great health benefits of gardening. To quote \u201cGangsta Gardener\u201d Ron Finley<\/a>, \u201cIf kids grow kale, kids eat kale.\u201d<\/p>\n

In other words, people who grow food in their gardens are more likely<\/a> to include fruits and vegetables in their diets. And partly on account of freshness, the food you grow yourself is probably going to be of higher quality than equivalent store-bought produce.<\/strong> You\u2019ll receive the benefits of the crops\u2019 potential for higher nutritional content<\/a>, absence of pesticides<\/a>, and lower risk of microbial contamination<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Gardening can also improve your nutritional prospects if you are subject to food insecurity<\/a>. Having your own local food garden can protect<\/a> you against compromised access to healthy food, and can supplement what you\u2019re able to buy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gardening can also give your body a chance to synthesize vitamin D<\/a>, the \u201csunshine vitamin,\u201d during mindful sun exposure while you\u2019re outdoors. I say \u201cmindful\u201d because there are risks of overexposure. And you don\u2019t need a huge amount of time or lots of exposed skin to get the benefits during long spring and summer days. But getting enough vitamin D is important for bone health and a well-functioning immune system.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s<\/a> a comprehensive article on the health benefits of vitamin D<\/a> if you\u2019d like to explore the sunshine vitamin in greater depth.<\/p>\n

Gardening for Disease Prevention<\/h3>\n

And all these benefits of gardening aren\u2019t just theoretical; they show up in the health outcomes of real people. A 2023 study of almost 150,000 US adults 65 years and older found<\/a> that those who gardened had, on average, better cardiovascular health and less risk of developing type 2 diabetes.<\/strong> They were also 60% less likely to die over a 10-year period, which is pretty impressive!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just cardiometabolic health that\u2019s improved by gardening, however. Being out there in the dirt, among all its little critters (that\u2019s a fancy word for \u201cmicrobiota\u201d), can increase the diversity<\/a> of your skin and gut<\/a> microbiome. And greater microbial diversity can help fight immune system disorders and the development of chronic disease.<\/p>\n

Mental Health Benefits of Gardening<\/h2>\n
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Next, let\u2019s look at the mental health effects of gardening outdoors.<\/p>\n

Stress Reduction and Relaxation Benefits<\/h3>\n

Many who garden will tell you all about how relaxing and good for the soul gardening is. It\u2019s not all in their heads, either; there\u2019s more and more evidence coming out about how gardening can significantly reduce levels of stress<\/a> and anxiety<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Gardening can help people who are dealing with challenging living situations. A 2021 study of more than 200 caregivers of people with dementia found<\/a> that those who gardened had fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress than those who didn\u2019t.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A number of studies<\/a> have also found that gardening may alleviate some of the mental stress caused by living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).<\/p>\n

Brain Health Improvement<\/h3>\n
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Gardening also can positively affect the physical brain in ways that benefit emotional health and mood. Senior citizens who garden show increased neurotransmitter metabolism<\/a> (including serotonin, the \u201ccalm and happy\u201d molecule) and production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor<\/a><\/strong>, which, since we\u2019re talking about gardening, you can think of as fertilizer for neurons.<\/p>\n

A 2020 meta-analysis of eight studies concluded that gardening can help people with dementia<\/a> manage their symptoms and live fuller, more satisfying lives. The studies show that gardening reduced emotional agitation and helped people spend more time engaged in activities.<\/p>\n

Emotional Well-Being<\/h3>\n

Gardening can increase how happy people feel and how satisfied they are with their lives. Another meta-analysis study found<\/a> that communal gardeners (people participating in community gardens) had greater \u201clife satisfaction, happiness, general health, mental health, and social cohesion\u201d than their neighbors who were not involved in the gardens. Interestingly, a 2020 study found<\/a> that vegetable gardening produced greater improvements in emotional well-being than ornamental gardening.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the minimum \u201cdose\u201d of gardening that\u2019s been found to produce these wonderful results? It turns out you can\u2019t just plant a bean in a paper cup and water it for 10 seconds a week to reap the full psychological benefits of gardening. A 2023 study of adults in Brisbane, Australia, found<\/a> that the magic number for full benefit was 150 minutes of gardening per week, which is (doing the math in my head and checking it on a calculator\u2026) two and a half hours. And the effect was even more pronounced in seniors over the age of 64. But I\u2019m pretty sure that if you only get to 149 minutes, you won\u2019t miss out on all the fun. And even spending a couple of minutes on gardening now and then \u2014 for example, growing sprouts on your windowsill once a month \u2014 can still confer some lovely effects.<\/p>\n

Increasing Social and Community Wellness with Gardening<\/h2>\n
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There\u2019s really no such thing as a healthy cell in an unhealthy body. And you could argue (and I do) that healthy humans require healthy communities. When it comes to building healthy communities, there\u2019s nothing like a garden to get people working, playing, and sharing together.<\/p>\n

Fostering Connections<\/h3>\n

Especially in shared spaces like community gardens<\/a> or garden clubs, gardening fosters connections and combats loneliness. A 2022 literature review found<\/a> that simply living near green space in an urban setting could significantly reduce loneliness among residents.<\/strong> A lovely 2021 study also collected stories<\/a> from participants in community gardens (these stories had lots of plots, haha) and identified a narrative not just of accomplishment but empowerment. That is, the community garden helped people take greater control of their lives and have a greater impact on the wider community.<\/p>\n

Providing Educational Opportunities<\/h3>\n
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Gardens also afford educational opportunities to those who work in them. Anyone who puts a seed in the ground and takes care of it naturally learns about the science of plants, and can contribute to \u201ccitizen science\u201d by experimenting with innovative ways to do it better.<\/p>\n

Those who garden tend to adopt other pro-environmental behaviors<\/a><\/strong> (and I\u2019m a big fan of people caring about stuff like the water, air, and soil that we depend on for life).<\/p>\n

School gardens also provide compelling learning opportunities for children. If you did the \u201cbean in the paper cup\u201d activity in kindergarten, do you remember how excited you were for the first bit of seedling to emerge from the crumbly dark loam?<\/p>\n

In addition to kindling a love of learning through the magic of life, school gardens are associated with other positive outcomes. Kids who garden<\/a> tend to eat more fruits and veggies, thereby consuming more dietary fiber and vitamins. They also have higher well-being, as evidenced by better social skills, more confidence, and a strong feeling of belonging.<\/p>\n

Not only do people who garden know more about plants and eat more of them, but they actually prefer eating fruits and vegetables<\/a> more than non-gardeners, too.<\/strong> That\u2019s a huge deal because it means their plant-eating isn\u2019t just a temporary thing caused by proximity to a garden. Since it\u2019s a preference, it\u2019s likely to get reinforced and strengthened throughout their lives.<\/p>\n

Therapeutic and Rehabilitation Benefits of Gardening<\/h3>\n

Gardening can also help people who are institutionalized in many ways. A 2020 study of 28 people with developmental disabilities who were given 8 weeks of horticultural therapy found<\/a> that they had improved hand strength and dexterity, social skills, and emotional behavior.<\/p>\n

Some prisons are even using gardening as a form of therapy, leading to improvements in mental health and providing a sense of purpose and achievement. A 2021 case report on 12 prisoners who were given 90 minutes of horticultural therapy a week for 12 weeks found<\/a> that their depression decreased, and their self-esteem and life satisfaction rose.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hospital administrators have known for a while that green spaces can help in healing. Even the view from a hospital room\u2019s window can affect recovery. Way back in 1984, researchers looked at outcomes of cholecystectomy patients in one hospital and discovered<\/a> that those assigned (pretty much randomly, they assumed) to rooms with views of a natural setting recovered better and faster than those given rooms with a view of a brick wall.<\/p>\n

And the natural settings are even more healing<\/a> when they are gardens that patients can access<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Give Gardening a Try \u2014 for Your Health!<\/h2>\n
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Gardening significantly benefits people\u2019s physical health, mental and emotional well-being, social connections, and overall life satisfaction. And the act of gardening can connect us to the earth, our communities, and ourselves. It teaches patience, care, and the value of nurturing life in all its forms. The benefits we reap from gardening reinforce the idea that when we care for our gardens, we are, in turn, caring for ourselves. And as we do so, we are working together to cultivate a greener and more sustainable world.<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note:\u00a0<\/b><\/b><\/b>If you’re short on space or looking for a\u00a0low-maintenance way to start growing your own food, the <\/span>Gardyn Studio<\/a> is a smart, self-contained solution. This vertical garden uses a <\/span>hybriponic system <\/span>that combines aeroponic and hydroponic technology to grow herbs, leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables using <\/span>95% less water<\/span> than traditional methods, all in just <\/span>1.4 square feet<\/span> of space. It\u2019s an easy, efficient way to bring fresh produce into your home \u2014 no green thumb required. <\/span>Click here to learn more.<\/a>

If you make a purchase using that link, Gardyn will contribute a portion of the sale to support Food Revolution Network\u2019s mission. Thank you!<\/i><\/div>\n

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