Make no mistake, red clay, 100-degree weather, summertime droughts, hungry insects and pesky diseases challenge even the best gardeners. The challenges are great, but the rewards are even greater.
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Of course nothing will ever taste as good as a home-grown tomato, but gardening can also be a source for dietary improvement, exercise opportunities, energy enhancement, cancer-risk reduction, math and science education, and community involvement to name just a few of the possibilities.
It's hard to admit when we're young, but as the years go by we eventually learn that mom was right about a lot of things. Don't touch the burner on the stove, fingers don't belong in electric outlets, you probably shouldn't try to lick frost off of a water pipe, eat your fruits and vegetables. By now most of us have figured out the stove, electric socket and water pipe, but what about the vegetables. The National Cancer Institute now has a 5 a Day for Better Health Campaign. They are trying to promote eating five servings of fruit and vegetables every day because a low-fat, high-fiber diet filled with fruits and vegetables helps to increase energy, and reduce the risk of many cancers.
In addition to eating right, gardening has other health benefits. According to the American Heart Association, ''lack of physical activity is now clearly shown to be a risk factor for heart disease.''
In 1987 a National Children and Youth Fitness Study found that ''at least half of youth don't engage in physical activity that promotes long-term health.'' Why not try gardening? Heart Association studies indicate that ''even low-to-moderate intensity activities (like yard work and gardening), when done for as little as 30 minutes a day, can bring benefits.''
There is an easy connection between gardening and health, but we often overlook the educational opportunities that gardens offer. On a UGA Experiment Station plot down in Griffin, a seventh-grade class recently used gardening as an instrument for teaching math and science. Students in the gardening class had much higher gains on math and science test scores than students who were not in the class.
As scientists work feverishly to unlock the mysteries of the human genome, you don't hear much about Gregor Mendel.
Mendel was the Austrian monk whose gardening studies on pea plants outlined the fundamental laws of genetics back in 1865. Its hard to imagine, but much of today's complex scientific study is based in agriculture. Agriculture will always be a great tool for children of all ages to learn about math, science, history, art, religion -- you name it.
What about gardening and public service? In addition to math and science, the class from Griffin learned about giving by donating their garden harvest to a local food relief agency. Here in Athens, area Master Gardeners are participating in Plant a Row for the Hungry and Festival of Trees, not to mention all the hours garden clubs and Master Gardeners work trying to beautify public areas all over town. Gardening is a great way to get involved in the community.
With all that gardening has to offer I hope you will consider planting a fall garden. For more information on gardening come by the Extension Office or check out the following UGA horticulture Web sites:
Frank Henning is the Athens-Clarke County Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources, Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. Phone: (706) 613-3640; e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org.
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