During these trying times of staying inside all day, especially when the weather is nice out, it can be hard to stay put. When it’s all blue skies and sunny, what can we do to keep busy? A fairly cheap and fun activity to do is gardening. While thoughts come to mind of tilling a huge patch of land in your yard or dealing with weeds, gardening doesn’t have to be complex to be fun. A few good clay pots, a bag of potting soil, and some flowers and herbs are really all that’s needed to have a little garden of your own. Hanging baskets and planters are also great for saving space (especially if you live in an apartment), and it isn’t hard to grow a few tomato and basil plants on a balcony. 

Another thing to note is that planting a garden is not just an activity to occupy time, it might prove to be beneficial when the winter months return this year. Many suspect COVID-19 could have a second wave and want to be prepared for food shortages if and when that happens, “Gardening could trim retail demand for produce…Canada-based Stokes Seeds, which ships to the United States and Canada, received 1,000 online orders during the weekend of March 21, four times more than normal…” (Walljasper, Polansek, Reuters). 

Even if planting a garden won’t save everyone from avoiding the store altogether, having a supply of dried herbs for seasoning or frozen berries from a garden  might come in handy if there are food shortages again in the future. Overall, getting outside to plant a few pots of flowers or veggies can definitely be a fun activity after being stuck inside for months. You can buy plants and seeds from the local garden centers right here in North Arlington (just wear your mask while you shop!), and if space at home is an issue, there is the option of using the community garden in Fisher Field, which is open as well. Check their Facebook page for details. It’s a great time to get outside and get growing!