Spring Gardening

Garlic, planted in the fall, is beginning to sprout in one participant’s garden

From the sound of peepers in a nearby pond to forsythia blossoms dotting the landscape in a bright shade of yellow, we’ve seen many signs of spring recently here in Maine. The warmer springtime weather has amplified our excitement about the growing season here at Nature Links! Whether participants live in an apartment in an urban area or on a nature-driven homestead deep in the woods, they’ve each made plans for growing food or flowers this season. So far, as a Nature Links community, we’re planning on growing rosemary, chives, potatoes, asparagus, popcorn, kale, tomatoes, peppers, celosia flowers, sunflowers, garlic, spinach, peas and more!

Not only will Nature Links participants have the chance to enjoy the physical fruits of their labor when they harvest what they’ve grown, but they’re well-informed about how gardening can benefit our mental health as well. Growing our own food and flowers can help boost our self-esteem and our mood, provide a form of physical activity, improve our attention span, and get us outside where we can reap the benefits of experiencing time in nature. These benefits are helpful for all of us, but they can become especially crucial for adults with disabilities.

So what will you plant in your garden this spring? If you need just a bit more inspiration to get you going, check out the video below, which features Asia Pratley from “Yellow Door Urban Homestead”. Asia, a single mom of two children, began gardening in her small backyard during the height of the pandemic, and now produces nearly 100% of her own food while inspiring others through her social media presence. Asia’s gardening work is impressive in that she uses a small space and inexpensive materials to grow healthy food for her family. So get out there and get your hands in the dirt. Happy gardening!