The best gardeners in the world have learned from their mistakes, but there’s no reason to repeat them. Learn from the mistakes of others if you’re just getting started in gardening. You can avoid a lot of problems, save time, and prevent the sad death of plants by learning some common and easy-to-make gardening errors before you make them.
A raised bed is a great way to start a vegetable garden. It allows you to create the perfect environment for your veggies, with just the right soil mix and good drainage. You can generally grow any vegetables in this way, but some are superstar producers in a raised bed.
Research increasingly shows that exposure to natural environments enhances gut microbiome diversity, improving immune function and overall health. A Finnish study found that children playing in forest soil for 28 days experienced significant increases in beneficial gut bacteria and immune markers. This suggests that even short-term interactions with nature can profoundly influence health.
1. Daily Outdoor Play and Walks
Spending time in natural environments such as parks, forests, or gardens exposes you to diverse microbial communities. Aim for at least 30 minutes of outdoor activity daily, whether it’s a nature walk, hiking, or gardening.
2. Gardening and Soil Interaction
Hands-on interactions with soil, especially organic compost and plant-based materials, can transfer beneficial microbes to your skin and gut. If you don’t have a garden, consider potted plants or community gardening.
3. Bring Nature Indoors
Houseplants, such as spider plants, increase microbial diversity in indoor spaces. Studies show that introducing just one plant can significantly enhance indoor microbial environments.
4. Choose Nature-Rich Recreational Activities
Instead of the gym, try trail running, biking, or yoga in a park. Camping and picnicking also increase contact with nature and its microbial benefits.
5. Natural Play Spaces for Children
Encourage children to play in natural environments rather than artificial
playgrounds. Sandpits enriched with natural soil can enhance gut microbiota and immune function in young children.
6. Engage in Forest Bathing
Inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, spending mindful time in forests can enhance mental well-being while exposing the body to beneficial airborne microbes.
By making these small but effective lifestyle shifts, you can support your gut microbiome naturally and enjoy long-term health benefits.
It’s spring, and for many gardeners around the country, it is time to prepare garden beds and start planting. One of the best things you can do for your plants is to supercharge your soil with rich, nutrient-dense compost. Don’t have time for composting? Don’t fret; there is one really neat compost trick that takes little time and effort but pays off big – building up the soil and making nutrients available to hungry plants and beneficial critters deep inside the soil.
The USDA reports that in just one year, the U.S. lost 14,950 farms and 2,100,000 acres of farmland. This continues a decades-long trend, bringing the total loss to 150,000 farms since 2017.
A generational shift is underway. With the average American farmer over 60 and nearly 40% now over 65, farmland is changing hands at an unprecedented rate.
Are you ready to be a successful potato gardener? This versatile starchy tuber is easy to grow and can be cultivated by anyone with great success, even the novice gardener. The best thing of all is that there are endless possibilities when it comes to growing potatoes so everyone can get in on the action.
Peat is a fibrous material made up of partially decomposed plant materials and natural forms in the earth in locations that fulfil particular requirements. For instance, the climate has to be mild (not rising above a certain temperature), stagnant water must be present, and it will only form in anaerobic conditions, which essentially just means the the absence of oxygen. Peat is most commonly found in Russia and Canada.
Yes, I get it; pests can be a problem. In just a few hours, pests gone wild can destroy your beautiful cabbage crop, annihilate your cucumbers, and leave your lettuce looking like it went through a war. All of this is heartbreaking, and I have had it happen to me more than once. There is a solution to this problem, and it is not to pour a vat of toxic chemicals into your garden either. Once I got the formula down – the best method to repel nasty pests – my garden has never been so beautiful. If I can do it, so can you.
Microgreens are one food anyone can grow with minimum space, minimum effort, and a minimum investment of time and money. They are tasty and nutritious to boot. There really isn’t any excuse not to grow them.
If young children are left to their own devices, they would happily play in the mud for hours. Dirty hands, feet, and faces don’t seem to bother the young or the young at heart. These people may be on to something. According to research, playing in the dirt could be one of the best prescriptions for happiness.
Why would you want to sprout an avocado seed? Well, the most simple answer: because you can! There are not many fruits and vegetables that are near as fun to grow from seeds as avocados. Some seeds are a real pain to get started. For instance, seeds of peaches, plums, and apricots need to be either subjected to cold stratification or their hard pits broken mechanically before planting.
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