After Quarantine: Why Home Gardening Matters More In 2020

As the sanctions finally begin to lift and the sunlight of summertime intensifies, it’s become nearly impossible to ignore the growing trend of home gardening in a post-COVID-19 world.

Of course gardening is popular among hobbyists and plant lovers alike every year, but the aftermath of this pandemic has left many with a desire to exert greater control over their own livelihood, leading to a rise in the popularity of home gardening and residential property vegetable gardens.

In this installment of our Landscaping Trends series, Green Way Pro takes a look at how home gardening truly can provide a better and more sustainable means of providing for oneself while also staying safe from future waves of coronavirus or similar crises. We’ll also highlight some of the advantages of having a garden on a residential property! Hopefully, at the end of this article, you’ll feel a bit less concerned about infection from “superbugs” and more concerned about the aphids that may infest your Roma tomato plants!

For more information on best practices for gardening, hardscaping, and professional property management services in a post-corona climate, please contact Green Way Pro, the Western Slope Region’s most trusted team of competent landscaping professionals!

Why Quarantine Has Us Thinking Green

When the COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing policies reached their peak intensity several months ago, some people were afraid to leave their homes, let alone get down and dirty in the soil to do their usual spring gardening tasks. But as the weeks passed and case numbers began to slow their rate of increase, even those at high risk of contraction could begin to breathe a bit easier — and just in time, too!

Summer is now in full swing, providing a pleasant contrast to what seems to be a gradual — and hopefully permanent — loss of momentum in the once-incessant swinging of the pandemic pendulum. In other words, the darker days of quarantine seem to be behind many of us for at least some part of the foreseeable future, so plenty of folks are taking advantage of this shelter-at-home hiatus to get outdoors, soak up the sun, and possibly sow some seeds in their home gardens as well! 

Please note: When discussing home gardening in the context of this article, we are not condoning any behavior that ignores or disregards the safety guidelines put forth by trusted international health institutions like the CDC and the WHO. Rather, we wish to highlight an activity that can be practiced outdoors, with appropriate space between participants, that provides both greater peace of mind and improved sustainability of the essential crops needed to support a healthy immune system.

What Are The Benefits of Home Gardening?

Obviously, home gardening is not just a new hobby or pastime that cropped up in the last six months, as if it were a way to cope with the boredom of a stay-at-home order. Indeed, gardening and plant cultivation has been a part of human culture for more than 10,000 years — and it’s still going strong today for good reason. 

There are many benefits to adopting a home gardening routine. Not only are they easy to get started, but they’ve been shown to afford the following advantages as well.

Grown-At-Home Produce Is Better For Your Overall Health

Produce grown in a personally cultivated plot tends to retain more nutrients than the vast majority of fruits and vegetables found in a standard grocery store, thereby giving growers an easy and delicious way to enjoy more essential vitamins and minerals. This is because the soil used on residential and even some commercial properties is fresher, generally free of added pesticides or herbicides (upon purchase), and composed of a more balanced pH profile that plants prefer. 

Sunlight Helps You Grow Too!

Vitamin D is a vital nutrient for many facets of health including bone, muscle, and dental wellness — but its absorption is also highly contingent upon adequate sunlight exposure. During periods of quarantine or prolonged instances of indoor living, vitamin D levels can drop significantly and cause severe health problems. 

But don’t worry! All it takes is a balanced diet and a daily dose of sunlight to counteract most of these risks. When you enjoy working in your home garden, whether you use it to cultivate flowers or a half acre of harvest vegetables, you can feel good about planting and landscaping outdoors, knowing that you’re growing and thriving in a similar way to the plants you know and love.

Home Gardening Saves You Money

The plot where you broadcast those kale seeds won’t be the only area of your life to see an influx of green! By growing vegetables, fruits, and even flowers at home, you’ll find that you save a large amount of money that would have otherwise been spent on chemical-sprayed grocery produce and overpriced bouquets from a company that’s more factory than florist. 

Whether you’re on a budget or not, everybody likes to have a little extra cash on hand, so why not till the soil and plant some seeds of success by getting started with a garden plot on your property? 

Supplement Your Home Garden With Landscape Management Services

Even the most bountiful home garden could still use a professional touch to give it that extra element of curb appeal. Whether you’re in favor of xeriscaping that accommodates the dry and arid climates of southern Colorado, or you’re interested in expanding your outdoor living space with aesthetically pleasant hardscaping techniques, there is a service to suit every budget and every property here at Green Way Pro, one of the most reputable and respectful landscaping service providers in the Western Slope.

To get a better understanding of what our team of yard contractors and architects can do to enhance your residential or commercial property, please visit our website or give us a call at (970) 964-4610 to speak with a representative from our Top Rated® Local landscaping company’s office in Montrose, CO. We look forward to working with you in designing the yard, garden, or outdoor living area that you’ve always aspired to own. The summer planting season won’t last much longer, so please reach out and contact us today!