Thanks to coronavirus, many now can discover the wonder of gardening

With the coronavirus crisis and so many people unable to work and with children at home, and those self-quarantining for health reasons, this may be a good time to try gardening.

Plants are forgiving, will not lecture you or give away your secrets, nor request money or the car keys. Those plants in your yard or patio or on the balcony might just need a little love, and right now you have the time.

Wander around your space and reacquaint yourself with what is planted there. This might be a good time to weed, trim, or remove shrubs or plants that are no longer looking their best. Check the irrigation system.

All the health experts tell us that spending time outside is good if you are healthy and if you do not congregate with those not in your home. Including young people in the exploration of your garden or yard is a wonderful way to talk to them in a relaxed setting. Listen to their fears, interests, and frustrations.

If there are no young people in your home, this might be a perfect time for a solo garden experience. Review the things you wished you had said. Practice what you will say to friends, co-workers, or someone you find interesting. I find that I can solve all the problems of the world, of my family, and make lots of plans while pulling weeds. Most of the time my heated solo discussions make my garden cleaning speed along.

Invite that person who shares your home to join you outside, to keep you company while you work. A change in routine and space can produce surprising results. Sharing this time might make communication easier and perhaps alleviate fears and anxieties about COVID-19 and the future.

Getting away from all those screens and looking at something besides the inside of your home could be beneficial to your mental well-being. If you have a patio or balcony, you can still garden and have the benefits of exercise, stress reduction, beautification, education, and possibly a food source.

Children are especially excited when the seeds they plant in containers begin to sprout little green leaves. You might already have some containers that can be used for your small-space garden.

The next time you make a trip to purchase supplies at a grocery or variety store, add a container, some soil, and a package or two of seeds. It is amazing how your gardening experiment will be interesting, challenging, and have the bonus of the “I did this” factor for adults as well as for young people.

Although some resources have been curtailed, the Internet has many sites that can give you gardening advice. A good source is Modesto-based University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Stanislaus County. Master gardeners are volunteers who have completed rigorous classes, and who welcome your questions and offer free advice and encouragement. Leave a message for us at 209-525-6802, or email ucmgstanislaus@ucanr.edu.

Adding gardening and outside time to your schedule might help with some of the long and possibly boring days ahead. None of us wants to be stuck in our homes, but expanding our horizons just might make this time more interesting and give you some new skills and interests.