Plant trees. Planting trees helps to store carbon from the atmosphere into the soil. Trees can also cool your home in summer and let in the winter sun. If you don’t have room for trees at your place, volunteer with a local landcare group. There are many organic options for preventing and controlling garden pests and diseases, so you needn’t go down the pesticide route. Animal critters running amok in the garden can be hard to handle, but often fencing or creative deterrents can solve the problem. Putting down roots― find out which perennials, trees, shrubs, fruits, and berries give year-round impact Whether it’s the cost-effectiveness, the environmental sustainability, or the sheer damn nutritiousness of it all, food gardening is becoming the frozen aisle of the future. Garden to table: A five year look at food gardening in the US. (2014) https://garden.org/special/pdf/2014-NGA-Garden-to-Table.pdf This information is especially useful for growing perennial plants — that is, plants like trees, shrubs, and many flowers that can live for several years — because often it’s the coldest winter temperatures that determine where these plants can thrive.

To better understand your climate, get familiar with the plant hardiness zones. They’re based on the coldest winter temperatures, which will help you determine which plants are likely to do best in a particular location. Community gardens provide another great alternative for people with limited space to get their hands dirty — or for those who’d rather not get their hands dirty alone. New Zealand Christmas tree ( Metrosideros excelsa): A New Zealand favourite, this great tough tree, with bright red flowers in summer, is just right for a garden near the sea. Gardening doesn’t only boost the health of your geraniums. The simple act of pruning a hedge can also provide significant health benefits. Be realistic about how many vegetables your family will eat. Be careful not to overplant, as you will only stretch yourself thin by trying to take care of tons of plants! (You could always give excess veggies away to friends, family, or the local soupkitchen.)

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Heat-loving vegetables: These vegetables can take the heat: beans, corn, eggplant, melons, okra, peanuts, peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and watermelon. Blue fescue ( Festuca glauca): These small, blue, tufted grass plants provide a nice contrast in the garden and lizards love to hang around them. Consider the availability of veggies at your grocery store. Maybe you want to grow tomatillos instead of cabbage or carrots, which are readily available in your area. Also, certain veggies are so far superior when homegrown that it’s almost a shame not to consider them (we’re thinking of garden lettuce and tomatoes). Also, homegrown herbs are far less expensive than grocery-storeherbs. Keep your garden clean. By cleaning up spent plants, weeds, and other garden debris, you eliminate hiding places for many pests and diseases. Growing a garden encourages people to engage in other behaviors and activities that promote wellness. For example, gardeners consume more fruits and vegetables than non-gardeners. Hale J et al. (2011). Connecting food environments and health through the relational nature of aesthetics: Gaining insight through the community gardening experience. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21596466/

Once your plants are flourishing, one of the biggest challenges is keeping weeds, pests, and diseases out of the garden. They’re your new kids now — and Mama and Papa Bear must protect!Many bugs and diseases that cause damage to plants are more likely to occur when plants are stressed, so a good supply of sun, water, and nutrients will reduce other gardening difficulties. This is less important in terms of growing veg, although doesn’t help, according to research. Nas FS et al. (2018). The effect of lead on plants in terms of growing and biochemical parameters: A review. http://medcraveonline.com/MOJES/MOJES-03-00098.pdf Getting the dirt on container gardening― discover the advantages of growing plants in containers and learn how to maximize your garden conditions to help plants thrive