Coronavirus Florida: A guide to gardening your way to improved health

Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic can be taxing on one's mental health. Experts find that a lack of routine, habits and time spent with friends and family can lead to feelings of anger, depression, anxiety and grief.

With many social gatherings on pause, face-to-face connections with other human beings have been replaced with an onslaught of digital efforts like Zoom meetings and Netflix and Chill sessions quarantine-style. And with the overshadowing of stay-at-home mandates, lack of outdoor activities and human connections, it's been harder for us to feel like ourselves.

So what can be done to combat the intense feelings of disconnect brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic? Try gardening. Studies show that exposure to plants and green spaces, especially gardens, may be beneficial to our mental and physical health. As easy and tempting as it can be to binge-watch "The Office" all day, stepping into a sunshine-filled garden may help to lower blood pressure while increasing your vitamin D levels.

Embracing your green thumb can offer a proven, cheap and easily accessible means to help to improve your overall health. Here are some of the many ways gardening can have a positive impact on your well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Soothing stress-relief

Starting a therapeutic garden project is an easy DIY solution that can help those affected by the pandemic. The combination of physical activity and exposure to nature can help diminish negative feelings brought on by social isolation.

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It has been found that sitting inside all day without getting sunlight can have a negative effect. Indoor spaces can contain air contaminants from benign sources such as furniture, drapes, carpets, and machines, which may cause respiratory irritation, dizziness and headaches. You can help to clean the air you breathe by placing live plants throughout your home and office, according to research conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The leaves, roots, soil, and microorganisms of plants have been shown to help decrease indoor air pollutants like toxic cigarette smoke.

A study conducted by environmental psychologists Roger Ulrich and Craig Zimring showed incorporating plants into the lives of patients may even potentially reduce hospitalization times by improving their moods, surgical complications, and length of stay. Simply viewing nature, trees and photos of nature has been shown to help reduce hospital length of stay and result in fewer medications for patients by creating a positive, holistic environment.

Best Florida plants to grow

With Florida recently reporting that more than one million workers -- nearly 10 percent of the state's workforce -- have applied for unemployment benefits, developing your green thumb is a relatively inexpensive hobby. Produce can be pricey, so taking ownership by cultivating vegetables in your backyard can be financially and personally rewarding in the long run.

The Sunshine State is an ideal place to grow vegetation with warm temperatures and a tropical atmosphere year-round. Even with the recent debates over whether local governments should regulate vegetable gardens on residential properties by telling people where they can and can't grow their own produce, you can officially grow your own garden in Florida. The Florida Senate passed HB 145 in July 2019, which prohibits local governments from regulating vegetable gardens on residential properties except as otherwise provided by law.

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Here is a list of some of the best plants that can be grown in your own Florida backyard:

Spring season

Sweet Corn (varieties like 'Sweet Queen')

Cucumber

Tomato (varieties like 'Better Boy' and 'Celebrity')

Watermelon

Summer season

Sweet potatoes

Southern peas

Cherry tomatoes

Okra

If you're looking to embrace the true Floridian in you, try planting a native Florida plant. The following plants are low-maintenance and are valuable to native birds, insects and butterflies.

Coreopsis (Florida's official state flower)

Lavender (Lavandula)

Ox-eye Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)

Firebush (Hamelia patens)

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)

Black and Blue Salvia (Salvia guaranitica)

Pentas

Mexican heather (Cuphea)

Plants for delivery

Don't want to go out shopping for plants and seeds during the pandemic? Order online and have them delivered to you.

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Whether you're interested in indoor or outdoor plants, Florida-based companies such as Plant Vine, will ship you plants that are already in the process of growing, saving you work and time. From anxiety-relieving orchids to air-purifying snake plants (Dracaena trifasciata), a variety of plants can be ordered.

If you want the run-down on how to be a plant parent and the best indoor plants to buy that are virtually impossible to kill, check out this Plant Parent Guide.

Get fit in the garden

Being trapped indoors all day during the quarantine can leave many unmotivated to workout. With gyms closed because of coronavirus, getting down and dirty in the garden is a fun and relaxing and way to stay fit.

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Working in a garden can restore agility and strength by requiring muscle-building tasks like digging, raking, and mowing. Gardening can burn between 200 and 400 calories per hour, around the same amount you might burn doing certain aerobic exercises in the gym, making it a good way to lose weight, according to WebMD.

Researchers from the University of Arkansas found that women aged 50 and older who gardened at least once a week showed higher bone density readings than those who performed other types of exercise such as jogging, swimming, walking and aerobics.

Physical activity can help to improve mental health as mood-enhancing endorphins are released in your brain when you get moving.

Connect with other gardeners virtually

While large social gatherings are on hold, link up with other aspiring and professional gardeners on social media. Start with Facebook groups like "The Black Gardeners," "House Plant Growers," and "Edible Gardening By Black Girls With Gardens."

If Facebook isn't your thing, consider making virtual connections with other plant parents on Instagram accounts like @blackgirlswithgardens, @plant_aholics, @blackgirlgardening and @helloplantlover. You can also head over to GardenWeb, where you can chat with other plant fans in forums regarding just about every gardening topic imaginable.

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Apps like Planta can help you discover which plants work best for your lifestyle. Snap a pic of a certain plant and Planta can help you to identify it. The app also offers care instructions and lets you set reminders for watering times. Other apps that can help you on your plant journey include Happy Plant, PlantSnap, SmartPlant and Florish.

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