It has been a long, cold, dark winter in more ways than just the weather. With the spring months, though, comes the hope of warmer days and sunshine. All which spells seed catalogs in mailboxes, and garden implements in the hardware stores. April is National Garden Month, and there are many health benefits associated with gardening.

Gardening is an easy thing to learn how to do. One can start out simply by finding a suitable piece of ground that receives at least six hours of sunlight per day, waiting until danger of frost has passed and the ground has warmed before planting the selected seeds. Once you have prepared your garden earth by turning it over and incorporating some compost into it to provide nutrients to your plants, you can plant the seeds, following the instructions on the packet. Most nurseries also have seedlings of vegetables and herbs that are available for home gardeners. The staff at the nurseries are also knowledgeable and willing to answer questions for beginning gardeners.

For beginning gardeners, green beans, chives, sunflowers, lettuce mixes, spinach and zucchini are all good choices as they tend to grow well with minimal effort. As you build on your experience and successes, you will find what works for you and what you like, and you can begin branching out to try different seeds and plants. Container gardening is also an option if you are short on space. Patios and decks lend themselves well to containers of cherry tomatoes or other types of tomatoes, herbs and flowers.

Along with the satisfaction of seeing the fruits of your labors, is knowing you are developing a lifelong skill. There are also several health benefits to gardening. One is growing fresh food that you can eat. Your food is steps away from your kitchen to your table, rather than traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles from farm to store to your house. Therefore, gardening promotes healthy eating.

Gardening also encourages children to try different fruits and vegetables. Studies have shown that children who grow their own food are more likely to eat what they have a hand in growing.

Robert Hutchins, MD, writes in an article for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s website “UNC Health Talk,” that gardening can also build self-esteem.

“Maybe you don’t think you were born with a green thumb, but after tilling, planting, nurturing and harvesting plants, you might see a slightly different person in the mirror: a person who can grow things and is a little more in tune with the earth,” Hutchins writes.

Since gardening is a physical activity it is good for your heart, builds muscle mass and is a weight-bearing activity which helps build bone strength. It also burns calories and can help you lose or maintain weight. It also helps reduce stress, which can help with depression and anxiety and may help you sleep better; with so much negativity the last few months and years, it is important to see things growing and thriving.

Being outside in the sun also helps you get a good dose of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is important for bone health, too. Vitamin D is also called the “sunshine vitamin” because it takes sunlight on our bare skin for our bodies to produce Vitamin D. It is important to remember to apply sunscreen before going outside, even on days that are overcast. The period with the strongest sunlight is between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

With the onset of COVID-19, and families becoming overwhelmed with “screen fatigue,” gardening provides an outlet. The physical activity of putting a shovel in the soil, weeding and planting helps release natural mood-boosting chemicals in the brain, helping to reduce stress. Gardening is an activity the whole family can enjoy.

The website Alliance for a Healthier Generation points out that gardening offers opportunities for experiential learning saying that gardening can provide teachers with a way to integrate different subjects with nutrition including math and social studies. In addition, gardening also fosters social and emotional skills. The website’s article, “Health Benefits of Gardening,” states that gardening helps children develop skills such as sharing and taking turns. Gardening helps children develop self-confidence, learn how to work as a team, and take responsibility. It also encourages children to learn about the environment and take care of nature.

So, as mailboxes start filling up with seed catalogs and the gardening sections of stores start stocking all those rakes and hoes, we can all start dreaming of sunnier days and what we can plant in our own gardens. Spring will be here before we know it….