Benefits of having a summer garden

Feeling stressed or anxious? Get gardening! A quiet morning or afternoon spent gardening can save you cash, contribute to a healthy weight and relax the mind and body. Read more about the benefits of tending the garden below.

Source of fruits and vegetables

Skip the produce aisle and retrieve fresh fruit and vegetables from your own yard. Growing your own nutritious food not only saves you money, it also feels rewarding when you can point to a dish and say, “I grew that,” when your family sits down for dinner. Children may be more willing to eat their greens if they help grow them! Plan your garden with the Texas Vegetable Planting Calendar.

Improves physical health

Working up a sweat in the garden offers a good workout. Gardening is considered an aerobic exercise and provides endurance, flexibility and strength. Carrying bags of mulch, pushing a wheelbarrow, picking weeds, planting seeds, moving pots, pushing a mower and digging provides a whole-body workout for your heart and your muscles.

Relieves stress

Yes, gardening is a natural way to relieve stress and make you happier! Gardening may not always be thought of as a go-to stress relief activity, but spending time outdoors and tending to greenery can create a positive impact on stress. Exposure to sunlight, breathing in fresh air and allowing ourselves to escape within nature promotes a sense of well-being and good mental focus.

If you find yourself looking for fresh produce outside of the garden, don’t forget to stop by the Harker Heights Farmers Market (located in front of SMCHH) every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.