Why the big fuss over gardening? Aside from pretty shrubs and scenery, it’s a way to boost your health, save money, and even lift your mood. So if you’ve been itching to flex your green thumb—or grow one at all—here’s everything you need to know to get started, from safeguarding against joint pain to fielding flowers without a yard. Happy planting! The health benefits of gardening We’ve already mentioned how gardening can boost your health and mood, but that only begins to, ahem, rake the surface. Here, more benefits to reap, including whittling your waist and saving the planet. Feel great while gardening All that standing, stooping, leaning, kneeling, weeding, and crouching can catch up with you. Learn how to prepare your beds—and your body—for pain-free gardening and maximum enjoyment. DIY seed starting Instead of buying transplants this year, you can save a ton of money by growing your own seedlings without buying expensive seed-starting setups or kits. Here’s how. Grow your own medicine Even black thumbs can grow lush, green healing herbs! Don’t think you’ll take the time to harvest and use the herbs? Grow anyway. Research suggests just being in the same room as plants can help lower your blood pressure. How to garden organically Dousing your garden in chemicals defeats the whole healthy purpose you were going for. You can go organic and still keep the pests away; Prevention advisor Dr. Andrew Weil tells you how to get started. A floral mood booster Not all plants are created equal. In fact, researchers from Kansas State University find women who sat near a bouquet of colorful flowers relaxed during a 5-minute typing assignment as opposed to those who sat near a foliage-only plant. Find out which blooms can help you chill. Let your garden heal you To gain a garden’s restorative benefits, all you really need is a tiny swatch of green, say experts. But if you’d like to surround yourself with your own healing garden, here are 11 tips on how to make it happen. No yard? No problem! You can’t grow veggies without the sun, but you can grow them without a yard. Container gardening is easy and convenient as long as you follow these few simple rules. (Not convinced yard-less farming is fresh? Check out these elegant, easy-to-cook container recipes.) Go green indoors While it may be gardening season now, it won’t be once winter rolls back around. In which case, we round-up you need to know about indoor gardens. Yep, you can do it! Allergy-proof your yard Got allergies? That could put a damper on your gardening. Or, at least it will if you skip these outdoor sneeze-proof tips. Dig in You didn’t think we’d make a gardening guide without including tasty ways to enjoy your seasonal haul, did you? Good! Because this backyard tomato soup recipe captures the essence of spring. Other great recipes to try: Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Dressingor Farmer’s Market Pasta Salad.
