A cat behaviorist I follow on Instagram recently explained why she doesn’t like laser pointers as cat toys. (Hey, I thought this was about gardening! Bear with me!)
She says that chasing the laser light doesn’t complete the search-hunt-catch cycle for the cat. It’s based on the way a cat would hunt for prey. They search, then hunt, but they never “catch” the light, and that, she says, leaves them stressed.
I thought about this when information was published last week regarding humans and gardening. The plant-tend-pick cycle must be part of why some of us find gardening so soothing. I don’t do a lot of it; two raised garden beds, some perennials, and a few annuals in planters. But it’s satisfying to see things grow and flourish. And it’s even sweeter to eat what you grow.
The Science of Gardening
A common trait among 100-year-olds is a love for getting out into a garden. (The ones who say they take a shot of whiskey every day are less common!) A neurosurgeon from the Cleveland Clinic says there are lots of reasons why gardening can help you live a longer life.
First, Dr. Deborah Benzil tells TheHealthy.com that it gets you outside. I could easily live my life like a mushroom, buried in the darkness of my basement recording studio. Seriously. Sometimes, I have to force myself to go out. Having a skin condition that’s made worse by even a bit of sunlight is my real reason. But I also have sunscreen, hats, and shades. Making sure the plants are watered and picked is a responsibility that requires stepping outside of the house.
The doctor also says gardening is good exercise with lots of bending and squatting. Getting up and down repeatedly can help strengthen the core and guard against falls. And a third benefit is reaping a tangible result from all that work. Seeing flowers bloom and eating food you’ve grown yourself offers a tremendous level of satisfaction. There’s a huge difference in taste between the cherry tomatoes at grocery stores and the ones from the back yard. By comparison, my own make the store-bought ones taste like cardboard.
Hurrah for the Houseplant
A medical doctor told me that if you can’t get outside, there are other ways to get the outdoor benefit. Even having a houseplant or looking at a poster of a nature scene is beneficial. The human brain doesn’t know whether or not you’re actually in that scene. So, it does your brain and body good. And if you don’t like to garden, you can walk, cycle, or sit and enjoy the leafiness outside. It all counts.
This year, I’ve planted cherry tomatoes again, plus some lemon thyme. Then it’s all flowers and a few more perennials. Derek moved one of the raised garden boxes (no easy feat) and I hope for a better tomato crop this year with more sunshine on them. And like the cat that gets to catch its prey, clutching those little red tomatoes completes the cycle for me. Maybe it will even help me live longer.