I highly suggest chaos gardening if you have to use your brain all day and want a hobby that allows you to reconnect with nature without much stress or effort. For me, this boils down to not using my phone to look up the optimal way to germinate, grow something, or manage a problem (pest, disease, other.)
It’s fine to garden in a more intentional way, and I do sometimes, but it’s also nice to get to rediscover the hard lessons that have been passed down generations (my own chain of farming knowledge only breaking with my parents’ generation) and learn the “vibe” of what makes plants thrive more or less.
Native plants are also going to be the most chill—- evolutionary fitness does most of the work you would otherwise have to, and you’ll be helping to restore native habitat and ecosystems a tiny bit.
Bonus points for home composting. Closing the loop on personal food waste while restoring soil health is by far the most rewarding bit of gardening for me. It also makes me a little neurotic about the waste and disconnection from nature that default mode urban and suburban living results in.
Absolutely correct about online advice! I know how youtube or other online advice is often very specific to the creator's region. It's best to connect with competent locals with decades of experience. Gardeners are very generous with hard won local knowledge and tips.
Being in an arid place, I keep a three gallon plastic bin in the kitchen sink to capture all dishwater. Several times a day, I carry it outside to water some lucky plants. It would be even better to get the shower and washing machine drainage to be plumbed such that more "gray water" makes it outside to the trees. Most soaps and detergents are pretty safe to vegetation nowadays.
gardening is different, as there is a persistant, but unproven, suggestion that bieng in contact with soil and plants, changes your personal biome in a benificial way
I am the youngster volunteer at a local demonstration garden. The elder volunteers in their 70s are all very sharp. They usually don't stop until arthritis or back problems force them to stop. But their minds are agile, and they are all very social, cooperative, and upbeat.
The key seems to be enjoying it all, and not being too aggressive. Moderation. Going with the perennials, especially natives to the area, can produce unexpected large displays of very vibrant flowers that attract a lot of pollinator and bird life. A high tolerance for failure helps greatly. You'll know when something is working in your niche microenvironment.
I highly suggest chaos gardening if you have to use your brain all day and want a hobby that allows you to reconnect with nature without much stress or effort. For me, this boils down to not using my phone to look up the optimal way to germinate, grow something, or manage a problem (pest, disease, other.)
It’s fine to garden in a more intentional way, and I do sometimes, but it’s also nice to get to rediscover the hard lessons that have been passed down generations (my own chain of farming knowledge only breaking with my parents’ generation) and learn the “vibe” of what makes plants thrive more or less.
Native plants are also going to be the most chill—- evolutionary fitness does most of the work you would otherwise have to, and you’ll be helping to restore native habitat and ecosystems a tiny bit.
Bonus points for home composting. Closing the loop on personal food waste while restoring soil health is by far the most rewarding bit of gardening for me. It also makes me a little neurotic about the waste and disconnection from nature that default mode urban and suburban living results in.
Absolutely correct about online advice! I know how youtube or other online advice is often very specific to the creator's region. It's best to connect with competent locals with decades of experience. Gardeners are very generous with hard won local knowledge and tips.
Being in an arid place, I keep a three gallon plastic bin in the kitchen sink to capture all dishwater. Several times a day, I carry it outside to water some lucky plants. It would be even better to get the shower and washing machine drainage to be plumbed such that more "gray water" makes it outside to the trees. Most soaps and detergents are pretty safe to vegetation nowadays.
I want to get into gardening, but “to boost brain health” seems like a weird way of medicalizing it, of needing to justify it
Why not do it because it seems fun and interesting?
Doesn’t doing anything boost brain health? Like exercising, playing an instrument, volunteering, etc
gardening is different, as there is a persistant, but unproven, suggestion that bieng in contact with soil and plants, changes your personal biome in a benificial way
everything's like that lately, we always need to be optimizing.
Yup, anything does boost brain health, except possibly excess screen time, and in that note, I'll sign off now ;-)
Getting outside is great
I suggest it is not the gardening but the sun that is giving this benefit.
agree 100%
I am the youngster volunteer at a local demonstration garden. The elder volunteers in their 70s are all very sharp. They usually don't stop until arthritis or back problems force them to stop. But their minds are agile, and they are all very social, cooperative, and upbeat.
The key seems to be enjoying it all, and not being too aggressive. Moderation. Going with the perennials, especially natives to the area, can produce unexpected large displays of very vibrant flowers that attract a lot of pollinator and bird life. A high tolerance for failure helps greatly. You'll know when something is working in your niche microenvironment.