Yes, fall is here! And I know the days are getting cooler, but don’t let that take away your desire to work in your garden. If you’re a gardening lover like me, you know there are different plants for every season. Mindful Gardening is about spending more time outside and connecting with nature. It’s key to reducing stress and reconnecting with ourselves. But it’s not all about beautiful flowers; today, we’re also going to talk about our vegetable gardens. Are you ready?
What’s Mindful Gardening?
Mindful Gardening is a practice that combines the art of horticulture with the principles of mindfulness meditation. But what exactly is mindful gardening, and how does it differ from traditional gardening?
At its core, mindful gardening is about being fully present and aware while engaging in gardening activities. It involves paying close attention to the sensory experiences, thoughts, and emotions that arise as you work with plants and soil. This practice encourages us to slow down, observe, and connect deeply with nature and our surroundings.
I personally enjoy spending valuable time in my garden. It’s a time for connecting with nature, but also with myself. It helps me reduce stress, anxiety, and also improves my creativity. I try to save at least 15 or 20 minutes for this activity every day. So… A few minutes is all we need. I know we all have busy schedules, but I assure you, you’ll thank yourself later.
What Are the Benefits of Mindful Gardening?
Key aspects of mindful gardening include:
- Focusing on the present moment: Instead of rushing through tasks, mindful gardeners take time to notice the details of their environment.
- Engaging all senses: Feeling the texture of soil, listening to rustling leaves, smelling fragrant flowers, and observing the vibrant colors of plants.
- Cultivating patience: Accepting that growth and change in the garden happen at their own pace, mirroring life’s natural rhythms.
- Practicing non-judgment: Approaching gardening tasks without criticism, allowing for imperfections and unexpected outcomes.
- Fostering gratitude: Appreciating the beauty and bounty of nature, no matter how small.
By incorporating these mindfulness principles into gardening, practitioners often find that their time in the garden becomes a form of moving meditation. This approach not only benefits the plants but also promotes mental well-being, reduces stress, and deepens one’s connection with the natural world.
Whether you’re tending to a vast landscape or nurturing a few potted plants on a balcony, mindful gardening offers a way to transform a simple hobby into a profound practice of self-awareness and environmental stewardship.
Here Are Some Tips and Tricks for This Fall
When to Plant
The 2024 gardening calendar from Almanac tells you the ideal times WHEN TO PLANT vegetables, fruit, and herbs in your area. The chart lists:
- The SPRING planting dates
- The FALL planting dates
While you don’t have to plant the very first date available, you don’t want to wait too long, or you won’t get your crops matured and harvested before the first fall/winter frost. (Usually, the “Days to Harvest” are present on the seed packets, but you need to add in time for picking.)
Having more weeks to grow means that you can plant some crops more than once. For example, lettuce grows quickly and can be planted every week or two for a long time, especially as you change varieties for higher bolt resistance.
The-How-To
- Seeds left over from planting the spring garden may be used in planting the fall garden if the seed is stored in a cool, dry location or in a refrigerator or freezer.
- Seeds that are stored in the freezer properly should remain viable for many years. Immediately following planting, return surplus seed to the freezer.
- In order to get early established growth, supplemental irrigation is desirable. Most vegetable crops will benefit from supplemental irrigation. Information on drip irrigation may be available from garden centers and county Extension centers. This technique allows an efficient method of irrigation.
- In order to conserve on water usage, water only the furrows or rows and wait for rainfall for general watering.
- Soak seeds overnight for planting (except beans and peas). This will hasten germination and seedling emergence when soil drying is most critical to plant growth.
- Cover seeded rows to reduce soil temperature and drying (Figure 1d and 1e).
What to Plant in Fall
According to Cornell University, some plants to consider for your fall garden include arugula, beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, parsley, peas, radish, spinach, and turnips. Succession planting works in the fall, similar to how it works in the spring. Succession planting is planting seeds on multiple dates throughout the season. It’s an easy way to avoid having your entire crop ready for harvest at the same time. For example, lettuce is a great candidate for succession planting. Plant just enough lettuce seed to supply a couple of weeks of salads. Two or three weeks later, do the same thing. You’ll eventually fill up the place you have designated for lettuce in your plot. You’ll harvest the lettuce in the same way -starting with the first seeding you did. After a few weeks, you’ll begin to harvest the second planting and so on. This technique can provide you a continuous supply of lettuce until frost. This garden practice also works well with many other veggies included in the chart below.
My Personal Advice
It’s time for you to start prioritizing yourself. We know we often forget to take moments to nurture our well-being. But your time is just as valuable as everything else that demands your attention. If gardening is a passion of yours, it’s not just a hobby—it’s a powerful way to reconnect with nature and yourself. Taking a moment to be mindful while you work in the garden can be incredibly healing, providing both physical activity and mental peace.
As this new season unfolds, let it be a reminder to engage in activities that nourish your mind, body, and soul. Mindful gardening is more than just a task; it’s a practice of giving back to yourself. It’s about being present, appreciating the simple joys, and embracing the beauty of slow growth—not just in your garden, but within yourself. Are you ready to take the first step?
