Editorial: The positives of gardening

It’s that time of year when you feel it should be spring, but when temperatures are still around or below the freezing mark at times, resulting in snow flurries.

While there was a lot of snow this winter, that mid-winter thaw and heavy rain took its toll on a lot of it and caused some damages in Western Newfoundland.

Now what’s left of the snow is mostly what was plowed up and has a lot of dirt in it from the sanding and salting that took place. It’s not the greatest to look at.

While it’s a little early yet for gardeners to start digging in the ground, it is time to start making preparations — from figuring out what’s going to be planted, to ordering seeds.

For those fortunate enough to have greenhouses, it’s getting close to the time to get some plants started early.

In the world we are now living, food safety is an issue and anything that a person can produce themselves and know exactly how it was grown is a good thing.

In fact, getting out and doing your own gardening — whether it’s growing vegetables or planting flowers — is great exercise while spending time in the outdoors.

Community gardens are catching on in many towns and it gives people the opportunity to socialize and compare ideas on what works and doesn’t. Often the more seasoned gardener can provide tips to the novice gardener.

There is nothing like having your own root and leafy vegetables for everything from a cooked dinner to summer salads, in which homegrown herbs can also be used.

Some people are into growing berries and trees bearing fruit like apples, pears and cherries.

It’s surprising exactly how much a person can grow here in Newfoundland despite a short growing season.

Home gardeners will also tell you that you don’t need acres of land to grow a sufficient amount of vegetables and herbs for a small family. A small plot at home or in a community garden will do the job.

So for those with an interest, prepare to break out the gardening tools and get your hands dirty while making your yard pretty and putting some food on the table in the process.

Spring is certainly a welcoming time of the year as plants and trees start budding, a reminder of new life and growth.