Gardening 101 for Active Seniors
Outdoor Gardening Helps to Exercise Both Body and Brain
Apr 13, 2009
Finding a new exercise routine can be challenging. Of course, there’s the gym, but that can be a hassle to get in the car and drive all the way across town. There are exercise classes and equipment you can use at home, but this can get cumbersome as well. For a green, back-to-nature exercise routine right in your own backyard, consider outdoor gardening.
Benefits of Outdoor Gardening
For many retirees, outdoor gardening is a very relaxing activity. There’s just something about being in nature, soaking up some sun, and digging in the dirt that has a beneficial effect on general health and mood. Activities such as hauling and mixing soil, preparing the soil for planting, and spreading mulch stretch the muscles and get the blood flowing. Other benefits of gardening include:
- burning calories
- lowering blood pressure
- increasing flexibility
- relieving stress
- greater sense of purpose and peace
- community involvement
- providing produce for self and others
Types of Gardens
Seniors can enjoy growing and tending various types of gardens. For example, a vegetable garden can contain tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, onions, and green beans. An herb garden can contain basil, parsley, rosemary, mint, and oregano. A flower garden can contain roses, hibiscus, tulips, daffodils, and marigolds. Either way, the retiree is able to enjoy the fruits of his or her labor and take great pride in a job well done.
Gardening Tips for Seniors
When beginning a new gardening routine, retirees must keep in mind basic safety procedures including wearing sunscreen, protecting the knees with knee pads, keeping hydrated, wearing gardening gloves, wearing long clothes to protect against bug bites, protecting the back, keeping properly hydrated, and taking breaks. Other gardening tips for seniors include:
- growing produce for meals (e.g., delicious summertime BLTs)
- cutting flowers to use as a centerpiece or in arrangements (flowers can be dried as well)
- taking horticulture classes and joining gardening clubs
- sharing gardening tips with neighbors
- community and volunteer gardening
Bottom Line on Gardening for Seniors
Gardening is a fun, interesting, and easy way to keep fit for seniors. There’s just something about getting back to nature and enjoying the outdoors that is very relaxing. With a few safety precautions, retirees can reap the many rewards of gardening whether flower cuttings or fresh home-grown tomatoes. And, the senior can pat him or herself on the back for a job well done.
See related articles, “How to Keep the Mind Sharp During Retirement,” “How to Deal With the Emotion of Retirement," and "Best Towns for Baby Boomer Retirements.”
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