Gardening in the Time of COVID-19

The Quarantine Garden One side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic is a boom in the gardening industry. Green thumb and amateur gardeners alike are heading outdoors.

With many of us working from home or experiencing reduced hours, working in the dirt feeds a need to be productive. Tending to a plant and watching it grow, gives a sense of purpose that some of us have lost during this season of quarantine.

The stay at home orders across the country have fostered a strong sense of family. What community we are lacking form the outside world is building within our own four walls. Staying at home more has also caused us to take stock of our environment. We want to tend to it and take deeper root. Working in the earth, literally planting ourselves, is part of that growth we are experiencing with our families right now.

Starting a garden with vegetables or flowers is great for learning a new skill and your mental health. Of course, with vegetables there is the advantage of growing your own food. Planting and tending to flowers result in a beautiful view! Play with bright colors or add a touch of art with garden décor.

Try container gardening if this is all new to you! When our son was young, we grew tomatoes and peppers in a pot on the patio. I had little hope of being successful, mostly due to my own user error. But thought it would be a neat experiment and we carried on. It worked! We had a nice little crop and our son was so proud.

Herbs are also neat and can be grown indoors or out. Helpful for a new gardener, they are sometimes sold in a kitchen herb kit. Parsley or Oregano are a great place to start. If you have questions, your local garden center will be happy to help.

What are you planting right now? We would love to see your handiwork. Comment on our FB Post and show off your skills.