Up the garden path - Vegetable gardening for exercise

I first took up gardening after I had a surprise medical problem – a DVT – the consultant at the time told me that I had to find a moderate form of exercise that I could do which would help me to get fitter and thinner as well.

Now, I have lost some weight over the last two years of gardening, and am a bit fitter – though there is still a long way to go.

People often seem to fret a lot about whether they are doing enough exercise, or whether they can become healthier. Obviously, gardening isn’t a cure all for everything. As you do it more regularly, you find that by gardening regularly you can do more all the time, your body gets fitter albeit at a very slow rate.

Gardening can be a pleasant way to spend the hours. Especially when it is a bit hotter out than it is at the moment. And it has even been used by psychiatrists as a form of therapy with people who are seriously depressed. It is hard to be really unhappy when you are pulling up weeds, listening to birdsong, with the hot spring son caressing your back.

Of course... it is not a miracle cure.

But it can be a start, and I am sure that it makes the world a better place in a lot of ways.

What I noticed in the garden today.

This is an up the garden path post, so I will tell you what I noticed a lot in the garden today was the bird song. There are a few nut hatches in the garden, and I was trying to work out what part of the song they make. I wasn’t really raised to recognise birds, but I try to learn every now and again. I’m now able to recognise a lot of tits, chaffinches, and trusty wood pigeon, but it is still a bit beyond me to recognise the more obscure birds in the garden.

The fox was on the prowl again today. I think it must looking for food, so we will have to keep an eye out on the chicken a bit more than normal.  

One aspect this year that has been unusual is that, unlike previous years, everything came as a bit of a surprise. All the crocuses are in vibrant bloom, whereas you normally see different varieties coming out at different times. I think the bad weather stopped me being about as often as normal.

Like a lot of gardeners I am struggling with whether to sow... Because there is forecast of snow again later this month... I want to sow but am not sure whether it is time.

The soil is still not really workable, making weeding less pleasant than during the latter spring... the soil here is still wet and clammy, mostly mud and we need a lot more goodness in it to get the results we want.

So, I think I have written enough for one day... see you again tomorrow.