With the sun shining, it is a great incentive to take advantage of the vitamin D and enjoy some gardening
It is officially summer, and with the sun gleaming and temperatures rising, it becomes more tempting to spend most of your time enjoying the weather and safely soaking in the sun. And what better way than spending time on a garden?
Gardening can be a low-cost, productive, and exciting hobby to take on during the spring and summer, and anyone can do it. But what if you only have a yard? Concrete yards are no problem when it comes to gardening, there is a wide range of plants that have no problem with being contained to a pot. The Gardener’s Path has a list of veg that you can grow in plant pots. Plants are the perfect way to decorate outside your home and give yourself something to spend your spare time on. They also come quite affordable from supermarkets and local garden centres with herbs and spices from as little as 75p, and flowers from £1.
And why not add to the fun? Get handy and DIY your own plant pots. Garden Toolbox has an article on making a budget-friendly wooden planter. This gives a lot of creative freedom, allowing you to decorate your garden how you like it and use items that you probably already have or can get your hands on either free or at a very low cost.
Starting your gardening journey is not only fun and beautiful, but it also has many benefits:
Plants play a big part in our fight against climate change. Naturally, plants photosynthesize, this is the process where they take in carbon-dioxide and turn it into food for themselves. Less CO2, more healthy plants. Plants are naturally great carbon sinks, no matter how small, it all adds up and makes a difference.- Grow your own groceries. Growing your own veg creates less of a need for shopping. Seasonal veg and organic tastes so much better, and when you grow your own you know it’s free from pesticides or any other chemicals related with artificial or out of season veg. This can save you money and reduce your carbon footprint all the while having nutritious seasonal food.
- It keeps your body active and helps with your mental health by releasing good endorphins from being physical and soaking up much needed vitamin D.
- Plants create a new zone for biodiversity to bloom, encouraging a beautifully diverse ecosystem right at your doorstep. Learn how to increase biodiversity in your garden with the Woodland Trust.
- Make use of your food and household waste, try composting. Composting is easy to do and can be used to fertilise your garden and enrich your soil. Learn how you can compost at home by visiting Recycle Now’s website.
With heat it means your garden will need more water, so keep track of your plants and ensure they are hydrated. Watering them late in the evening or early hours of the morning will help keep them lively. And don’t forget when you’re out in the sun to keep yourself hydrated, use SPF and wear a hat. When gardening is also good practice to always choose peat-free soil. Peat is a carbon sink and is vital in order to protect our environment, you can read more about its importance in one of our articles: The Carbon Sink Beneath Our Feet.
We love sharing action from residents and groups across County Durham. If you have a garden, are working on a community garden, a vegetable plot, or this article inspired you to start one; share some pictures of your hard work and blooming plants for a chance to be featured on our Facebook and website.
We would love to hear from you and share your project. You can get in touch through our website form or send your images via our Facebook page.
