How Popular Is Gardening Among Youth

According to statistical research, many young individuals aged between 15-35 find gardening incredible. Bizarrely, it turns out that half of the interviewed persons would instead visit a garden centre than a nightclub. Also, the popularity among youths allows so many young adults to spend about two hours tending to their house and garden plants every week.

However, these assertions are reasonable enough as youths derive a high level of emotional maturity and intelligence by caring for living creations like garden plants. Likewise, gardening aids the gain of better physical and mental health through a variable means of exercise in the beauty of nature, instead of a gym room.

Regardless, gardening, be it among youths or adults, goes beyond the ability to bury a plant seed beneath the soil. Usually, the youthful persons or aging adults would require other skills, like organization, planning, problem-solving, and a little bit of science every here and there. Even after a successful gardening experience, financial management, communication prowess, and other business skills like garden lighting are required to sell this gardening produce. Adults may possess these skills. However, the youth should be taught how to wield the power of gardening knowledge and, in turn, apply these skills to make their gardening experience more manageable.

Statistical Analysis of Gardening Interest Among the Youthful Generation

A poll of 2000 individuals aged between 15-35 during the 2020 pandemic lockdown period has confirmed a significant increase in interest in horticulture and botany-related activities among youths. First, we shall list the most common indoor and outdoor plants adored by these individuals. The most popular house plants would include:

1. Cactus;
2. Aloe Vera;
3. Orchids;
4. Basil;
5. Spider plants;
6. Peace lilies;
7. Tomatoes;
8. Money plant;
9. Parsely;
10. Chilli.

More than half of the poll had confessed that having gardening as a hobby had kept them going during the pandemic. Sixty-six percent of the poll population enjoyed shopping for gardening items, be it plant seeds or gardening tools. As a hobby, there has been a light of positivity among Millenials, as 72% confessed to engaging in gardening activities, 79% to growing at least one plant, and 75% to enjoying all these gardening activities.

Based on the preference between indoor and outdoor gardens, 60 percent of these people would like access to a bigger outside space than they currently have. However, a more significant percentage strongly believes that humans do not require an outdoor space to enjoy the benefits of gardening. However, the most common outdoor garden plants would include:

• Daffodils;
• Roses;
• Lavender;
• Tulips;
• Mint;
• Hydrangea.

Gardening Means More Than Just a Hobby

However, all of the above reflections have been based on gardening being a fun pastime or a hobby. However, considering having a career in horticulture, it is seen that a very minimal number of youths have an interest in pursuing plant biology as a career option. This may be because only about 7 in every 100 schools suggest that students consider a career in botany or horticulture. Most youths of today are now driven toward the technology sector rather than basic sciences.

However, a small number of the young generation is interested in career options involving plants, and an improved percentage have confessed to considering a horticulture career later in life. It could happen after retirement or when they are no longer interested in pursuing their current business ventures. The table below classifies gardening plants with a few examples included.

Garden Plant Classifications	Examples
Hardy/Herbaceous Perennials	Phlox, Dianthus, etc.
Half-Hardy Perennials	Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, etc.
Tender Perennials	Caladiums, Calla lilies, etc.
Hardy Annuals	Cornflower, Sweet pea, etc.
Half Hardy Annuals	African marigolds, Lobelia, etc.
Tender Annuals	Butterfly flower, Celosia, etc.
Trees	Horse chestnut, Christmas tree, etc.
Climbers	Rose, Fire thorn, etc.
Bulbs	Lily, Tulip, Hyacinth, etc.
Corms/Tubers	Dahlias, Begonias, etc.
Rhizomes	Lily of the valley, Solomon’s seal, etc.
Shrubs	Lilac, Camellia, etc.

What Benefits Are Gained From Engaging in Gardening as a Youth?

Post pandemic, it is pretty impossible to make the youths ditch their phones, video games, or computers to come to tend to house or garden plants. It is always about having no time and being too busy for such a down-to-earth activity. However, in this section, we have taken it upon ourselves to discuss the various benefits all youth and individuals of all ages generally stand to gain from partaking in gardening activities.

Learning Responsibility

One of the few lacking characteristics among the Millenials would be responsible. Therefore, gardening may help the younger generation develop a sense of responsibility. From there onwards, they gain other insights of accomplishment and self-confidence by attaining successes in the little gardening they partake in. Learning what is best for the excellent health of plants allows these persons to feel much closer and care more for these plants. This can also extend into the real-life situation, as young individuals can utilize lessons learned from gardening to make better and more robust relationships between individuals.

Although, youths of legal age have developed several interests in different areas. Aided by technology, a good percentage of the youthful population spend most of their time on online video games and quite a big percentage of players prefer gardening and farming theme to shoots and races. Fortunately, there are lots of different games, where young people may practise, taking care of the garden or farm. Another option to start with is gambling, there is a huge variety of slots on this theme on the Internet.

Improvement of One’s Mental Health 

The growth and maintenance of one’s mental health are essential, and tending to plants may be of excellent help. Plants are practical therapeutic tools for improving one’s mental health. Horticultural therapy has been used in many therapeutic programs for youths dealing with one trauma. 

With the youths being more drawn to their electronics and social media, taking a break to explore the green spaces may help improve their shrinking attention spans, helping to rehabilitate their focus and concentration. Younger generations dealing with an addiction can also delve into gardening to keep their mind occupied, rather than quickly giving in to temptations that may come along.

Getting Somebody to Exercise

Instead of being pinned to the sofa all day and staring at white screens, a break to the gardens could offer healthy doses of fresh air, reigniting sunshine vitamin D, and a little exercise. If you are not a fan of going to the gym or running a mile, you can opt for gardening, and you will sufficiently remain as fit as needed. 

It might not seem like a lot, but little activities such as planting seedlings or sowing seeds, watering plants, and eradicating weeds translate to some form of exercise. So instead of spending your whole day in your basement playing computer games with friends, why not go outside and see what the plants have to offer today.

Promoting Interpersonal Relationships 

Partaking in gardening with your family, for instance, may improve connections. But unfortunately, today’s youth have made it a mission to dissociate themselves from the adult population, including their parents. However, to correct this error, why not take up a hobby you can enjoy with your siblings instead of arguing all day long about who will babysit the last born.

Engaging in team activities helps to grow physically and mentally in healthy spaces rather than in a toxic environment. So instead of getting screwed up for life, why not make a little endeavour to not be by dedicating some yard space to a family garden. It will not hurt you, and it definitely will not damage the soil.

Eating Healthy Becomes a Priority

Growing simple food plants like tomatoes will likely improve a youth’s eating habits. But, kicking back at the ‘no time’ ideology, most Millenials would prefer to feed on junk, which is a grave danger to their health. 

Homegrown plants such as tomatoes and raspberries can be simple and healthy feeding sources for the younger generation. Also, tasking the fruits of one’s gardening labour would give a sense of satisfaction, and you would automatically get hooked on planting what you eat.

What About Just Having Fun?

There have been several mentioned benefits in the previous section, but you should know that gardening can be fun too. This is, however, a good point of discussion as all youths want to do is have fun. Who says gardening can not be fun? However, when you make your own rules, play by them, and decide how things should go, the gardening experience turns from merely being a chore to a fun hobby you would like to do every day.

The most fun and entertaining way to get acquainted with gardening and farming itself is gambling. Some software development companies employ software engineers to build video games and even casino games, including fantastic slot machines, based on these themes. Other slots that are loved by many gamblers are made with images of different animals.

Conclusion

There are several ways by which youths can garden and also use their gadgets at the same time. You can read up on the latest gardening journals and google ways to improve your gardening experience. You can also keep an electronic journal or online blog on which you can document your experiences regularly.

Also, for the few young adults interested in gardening as a career, you can look up the following career lines. They include etymology, environmental science, farming, horticulture, agronomy, landscape architecture, plant breeding and genetics, plant sciences, recreation sciences, natural resources studies, soil and crop management, and turf management and science. Taking up any of these careers opens you up to new challenges, opportunities, and experiences as a young individual.