Exercising and eating healthfully are critical to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a svelte physique, however, you should also nurture your emotional wellbeing to stay motivated and have some fun with your new, healthier lifestyle! Outdoor activities are a great way to burn calories while nurturing your inner self, and gardening is one outdoor hobby that can help you lose some padding around your belt buckle while adding some padding to you wallet!

Gardening can work in many ways to your benefit; it can help improve your families health by introducing more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet, it can help you save money on produce at the grocery store, it’s a wonderful workout, it’s incredibly satisfying and a great source of self achievement.

Researchers estimate that gardening burns an average of 300 calories per hour, so grab your spade and hop to it!

HERE ARE A FEW STEPS TO GET YOU STARTED:

1. Plan where you’ll plant your garden and what type of plot would work well. Make sure to plan a plot that gets sun nearly all day or for at least 6 hours (raised-bed gardens work well in Tucson). It’s also beneficial in Tucson to have a bit of natural shade in the morning, so if you can plan your plot near a tree that is great, if not, you may need to supplement with shade cloth, which you can buy at local nurseries or online.

2. Prepare your soil; it’s best to use a mix of native soil, potting soil and compost or other organic material, this will provide your seedlings with a lot of nutrients.

3. Plan which vegetables you’d like to grow. Select varieties that you like to eat and plan to plant some companion plants that will help the others grow (most herbs are good for this). Figure out how much growing space you have and plant accordingly. Growing instructions are usually listed on seed packets.

5. Schedule plantings around the two main growing seasons: cool (spring and fall) and warm (summer). Common cool-season vegetables include: lettuce, beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, spinach, peas, potatoes, radishes, and turnips. Warm-season crops include corn, cucumbers, beans, melons, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, swiss chard and squash.

6. Shop for starter plants, which can be purchased at most health food stores, farmers markets and nurseries, and are sold in flats, packs and pots. These can be easily transplanted into the garden when your soil is prepped and you’re ready to plant. Keep the starters well watered and in a sunny location until planting. Be sure to select healthy looking seedlings, look out for yellow leaves, bug holes, signs of fungus and bug invested leaves. You can also opt to plant seeds yourself in starter containers or sow them directly in the ground.

Another great source if you want to start your garden from seedlings is Native Seed S.E.A.R.C.H. here in Tucson. Native Seed S.E.A.R.C.H. stores seeds that have been grown in the Southwest for centuries. These seed require less watering than conventional seeds, and are well suited for our arid climate. You can find out more at: http://www.nativeseeds.org

7. Make sure to water and care for your plants, it’s a lot of work but can be very satisfying when you see how quickly they grow! A good idea is to install a watering system to run on a timer to ensure your plants are watered regularly. Read desert-specific gardening books on watering guidelines and plant maintenance. A good online resource for Tucsonan Gardeners is Tucson Organic Gardeners; http://www.tucsonorganicgardeners.org.

8. Harvest and enjoy! After toiling away in your new luscious garden, you’ll have a plethora of veggies and herbs to use for all your healthy recipes. You’ll be eating more whole foods and your body will be sure to thank you!