For many of us, spring is about sunlight and a breath of fresh air. Yet, spring always seems to fly by so quickly and we sometimes forget to take embrace all it has to offer. So, let’s step into spring on the right foot and start planting before it’s too late! Spring is the perfect time for growing herbs and vegetables on your landscape. Nothing beats fresh food straight from the ground and we’re going to tell you all about the best way to enjoy the process.

Many veteran gardeners know the best time to plant for the spring is in the fall and this is particularly true when it comes to tulips and other specific plants. No need to worry if you have not done this because not all plants have to be planted or prepped that far in advance. You can plant different plants almost every month of the year and find some success, you just need to look up what plants do well this time of year in your area.

Let’s investigate the process of enjoying your gardening endeavor.

1. Focus on the process. It is easy to be hard on yourself if your garden isn’t as green as you’d hoped. Gardening is a challenge for many and can be difficult for any number of reasons. So, give yourself grace if your efforts don’t produce absolutely stunning results. Remind yourself that you are growing plants for your enjoyment and maybe for a little food on your table as well, but it’s not the end of the world if it’s not successful. If you learn something in the process, that is a success and there will be numerous chances in your life to try again. Take the time to plan, execute, and nurture the growth of your plants and enjoy the process!
2. Start small. Get everything you need to successfully grow one type of plant and go for it! Tomatoes are an excellent choice because they grow with flare. No need to pick thirty different plants and fruits and veggies only to feel totally overwhelmed with all the variety of their needs and for all of them to perish. This is especially true if you don’t have all the time in the world to be tending to so many living things but have a minute or two each day or so to relax with your plant in the sunshine. If you are gardening for relaxation purposes, then definitely narrow your focus right from the get-go.
3. Add a Little Outdoor Decor. Nothing wrong with making the place you do your gardening look nice and spiffy. Landscaping is more than plants and flowers. Lawns need to be mowed, buildings need updated paint jobs, and there’s room for furniture or other decorative choices too. If you make the place your own with specialty rocks, paths, and patio furniture, you will want to spend more time outside and you will want to tend to your plants.
4. Soak in the Vitamin D. Winter has been dark and dreary for far too long, and now’s your chance to get all the benefits of all-natural sunlight. Wear a little sunscreen to protect your skin and then try to spend time outside. Just being outside in the sun will likely lift your spirits and rejuvenate your immune system. Sun and plants equal lots of health.
5. Enjoy Your Produce. If you grew a tomato or a cucumber or an herb, then enjoy everything it has to offer. Enjoy the vitamins and minerals. Enjoy the knowledge that you grew this yourself and you know exactly what went into the process of growing said plant. Enjoy the taste and the smell of the produce and admire the fact that you know exactly where that piece of food came from. We don’t often see where our food came from or have an idea of how it got to our table. Growing food ourselves, allows us to connect better to our lives and how and why we can survive and thrive as we do.
6. Imagine and Plan for Beauty. If you do have some gardening ambitions, write it down. Create a sketch and plan for what you want your outdoor space to look like. One can always dream. Nothing is wrong with taking the time to organize a dream. Dreams are much easier to achieve when we have a future goal set in place as opposed to planting a few plants in random places because we like the look. Cohesiveness may not seem important until you are slightly disappointed by the output. Do yourself a big favor and dream a garden dream.
7. Monitor Progress. Remember in school when you did a science project and monitored the status? Maybe this is a good time for you to dig out your film camera and snap some photos of your progress from the beginning to the big transformation, whether that be one small plant or an entire garden. We live in a world of immediate gratification and instantaneous results and yet gardening is still gardening. You can’t will plants to grow when you want them to. They take consistent effort and time and in the middle of the growth or even in early fatality, it’s easy to be disappointed. But even just taking pictures of a plant that is dying has the potential to bring joy, because you are observing and appreciating something happening, whatever that might be. This is why many people who travel take pictures along the way of random buildings and signs; they are enjoying the process of traveling rather than merely the end destination.
8. Step Away from Tech. Technology is a blessing and a curse. It opens doors to learning opportunities, but it also closes doors because we can waste precious time watching someone else live their lives rather than living our own. There comes a time when we may realize that electronics are eating up our lives and taking a step outside away from it all can free up space in our brains to breath and release stress and tension more than any tv show or movie ever could. Gardening is well-known for improving mood.
9. Take it Inside. No space for a garden? There are herb garden set-ups for indoor use and lots of indoor plant options that need minimal maintenance. You can make a garden work for you and your space, even an indoor space.

Regardless of what you decide to plant this spring, try to enjoy the process for what it is instead of stressing over the result. Remember you don’t need to plant every green thing under the sun to have a happy little garden and boosted mood.

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