Does anyone else find gardening therapeutic?

[Spearmint]

I'm attempting to grow some of my own food as I really like the idea of being self sustainable.

Being outside, connecting with nature, watching my plants grow and produce food over time brings about a sense of peace and purpose.

Does anyone else find gardening helps with depression/mental illness?

What are you all growing?

I'm still a beginner, I spent months watering a plant that turned out to be just a weed haha.

I have some capsicums getting nice and fat, also I have planted broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and cabbage seeds a couple of weeks ago.

🙂

[geoff]

hello Spearmint, a good post because it's always something that is mentioned to help with depression, for me I only found sitting on a ride on mower helpful, while I also was happy painting the outside windows, where I could just get up and start painting them again, even though they didn't need to be. Geoff.

[Quercus]

Hi Spearmint,

Yes gardening is the best kind of therapy I think.

I don't tend to grow veggies though I like trees. Fruit trees and ornamental trees and pretty much anything I can grow long term. I've just cracked some sandalwood seeds in a vice today and potted them up. Probably the wrong time of year but I don't care. I love growing things from seeds I find on a walk or cuttings from friends. There is a lot of joy in watching something grow over months and years.

What is your favourite thing in your garden so far? At the moment I'm enjoying my tiny little agapanthus seedlings I'm growing up for a family member.

Have you read the thread Kanga's virtual garden? Maybe you'd enjoy it too.

[startingnew]

hi everyone

while im not much of a gardener myself i do love gardens and the many different aspects of nature

im a drawer and when i draw i get most of my inspiration from nature. 🙂

[Guest_128]

Hi ya,

watching my garden grow is more enjoyable then my kids!

my plants don't speak back to me.😂🤗🌻🌽🍉🍓

Then get chooks,they are such funny things.🐣

Later

[Guest_128]

Hey Spearmint,

hows the garden going.

Later

[Spearmint]

Sorry for the late reply, been trying to keep more occupied.

Maybe it's not necessarily gardening that's therapeutic but just being outside in general. In nature and in the sunshine, I've heard that not getting enough time in the sunshine can make depression worse.

My garden is going well so far, I've picked a few capsicums and they were so good! So fresh.

[Guest_128]

Hey good to hear from you,

Its rain at Michael ne ATM,which is good as we nearly ran out of water last week and had to buy some in.

I had an awesome vegie garden bout as big as 2 tennis courts,we loved watch the produce grow and we had immense pleasure giving it to family. It's a bit sad now as we have issues from the Raff with spilt milk so to speak. So for now I have my delightful chooks and white duck in there.

I go stir crazy if I'm inside for to long and find much more pleasure outside (I do go crackers if it's windy.)

I love all my other plants,I have bullnose veranda all the way around.

I am forever cutting,trimming,feeding,watering them. I like the artistic shapes of plants.

Do you have other plants?

Later

[Mr_Walker]

Yes I do! I only recently got into gardening when we bought our house - never bothered when we were renting.

Enjoying the nice weather, nurturing and watching things grow, the bugs, birds, peace and quiet, the sense of achievement...

Glorious!

(I'm not very successful with veges but we have fruit tress and lots of bulbs and flowers)

[Quercus]

Hi Spearmint and anyone reading...

Woohoo you were on to something with the idea of gardening as therapy!

Check this out...

www.beyondblue.org.au/media/media-releases/media-releases/nurseries-and-garden-suppliers-hold-garden-releaf-weekend-to-raise-funds-for-beyondblue-and-promote-gardening-for-wellbeing

Awesome!