The benefits of gardening are as numerous as the seeds found on the face of a sunflower – from good exercise and a sense of purpose to producing pollinator habitat and fostering creativity. You’ll learn when and where certain plants are meant to flourish and provide the best nutritional value. Digging in the dirt can also provide a positive impact on your mental health and well-being. This is due in part to a bacteria found in soil, mycobacterium vaccae, which stimulates the body’s production of serotonin, a chemical that can reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and enhance concentration. So let’s get those hands dirty!
Come join us this Saturday, April 5th, for Mama Ida’s Community Garden Plant Party from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Learn about preparing beds for planting through composting, weeding, and watering. We’ll be planting lots of summer herbs and veggies, including an amazing purple tomato seedling found at Pepperona Peppers, as well as pollinator/wildflower seedlings.
If you’re also looking to dig in at home, turn to Amigos Compost at The Shed. Alex Rocha will be happy to show you the ins and outs and the importance of starting with healthy soil. Good, fertile soil requires the right mix of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (NPK). It’s challenging to gather these elements naturally unless you have a highly concentrated compost. “Composting” food scraps or other biodegradables is a great way to help the environment rather than sending items to the landfill; however, utilizing it for your garden may not be as beneficial as you would want as the optimal NPK balance is difficult to achieve.
Amigos Compost harnesses all the elements needed to make your soil engine run by gathering compost material that is all organic and what the soil and vegetation are accustomed to, such as cotton burr, as well as adding browns not greens, like tree bark, coffee grounds, or dead dried vegetation. And since it’s made with the same consistent materials, every bag of Amigos Compost (available in 40lb, as well as a convenient 5lb apartment size) strikes that perfect balance of NPK nutrients and traces of minerals needed for optimal soil health.
Once you acquire your compost, create a mixture which consists of the ideal compost to soil ratio – 25% compost to 75% soil. If you prefer to move aside all the measurements and get straight to planting, Amigos Compost Garden Blend comes with that composition already present. With this balance, you’ll reward your plants with better moisture retention meaning your soil will no longer be leaky or runny when it rains, or go dry and die when you go on vacation. It basically gives your plants the power to raise themselves.
You might be more of a single houseplant person versus a full veggie garden curator, but no matter your flora style, get something green and growing in your life by visiting the Dallas Farmers Market for inspiration and starters. Your body and soul will thank you.
