Back to Our Roots: Relieving Stress During a Pandemic
July 22, 2020 - San Antonio
Find Joy in the Journey. Many San Antonio residents have taken to gardening within their back yards and community gardens during the age of social distancing. Photo Gallery: B. Kay Richter.
By Brigid Cooley - Staff Intern, San Antonio Sentinel
As San Antonio continues to grapple with the coronavirus, residents have turned to gardening to fill their time.
“You find this huge spike of people wanting to garden not only out of boredom or in need of a hobby, but in that drive for self-sustainability,” Stephan Gaeth, a local dance instructor and semi-professional gardener, said.
Having gardened most of his adult life, Gaeth believes the benefits of gardening will last forever. Along with relieving stress, gardening helps him practice patience, commitment and broadens his understanding of the world around him.
“Gardening, cooking, the arts: this is creation,” Gaeth said. “I am making something, I am using my energy as a human being to make something new, create something and make life thrive. That is the true essence of magic.”
Gaeth suggests beginner gardeners take time discerning if they can implement the produce they are planting into their daily lives. By starting out with easier plants, like herbs or microgreens, beginners will see quicker success and feel motivated to continue.
Understanding where gardens are being planted aids in the process, Gaeth said. He suggests sourcing plants from local stores that understand the climate and geography of the area.
“Shopping local is essential when it comes to buying plants,” Gaeth said. “When you go to big box stores like Home Depot or Lowes, it’s a general wash. You might find plants that look lovely in the store … and then you get them home and they die.”
Although gardening can be a solo activity, looking to the community is a huge benefit.
“Use your gardening community,” Gaeth said. “It is so strong and you’re going to find so much knowledge.”
Two wheelbarrows are hoisted up together at Beacon Hill Community Garden. The community garden encourages many of their residents by offering gardening classes and scheduling regular harvest days. Photo: B. Kay Richter.
Even before the pandemic, communities around the city adopted gardening into their neighborhoods. Started in 2008 with the help of Green Spaces Alliance, the Beacon Hill Community Garden encourages outdoor activities by providing gardening classes, planting stations and scheduled garden workdays for residents.
“I think everyone who comes to volunteer in the community garden would agree that it is a great stress reliever,” Dara Anderson, co-steward of the Beacon Hill Community Garden, said in an email to the Sentinel. “Especially now when families are stuck inside and social distancing, grabbing a pair of gloves and heading out to the garden for fresh air and sunshine makes a huge difference in one’s attitude.”
As social gatherings and activities have slowed due to because of social distancing, more people have begun visiting the garden for various reasons, Anderson said.
“Planting, watering, weeding [and] growing fresh veggies provides plenty of exercise and interaction with other gardeners without having to worry about exposure to COVID,” Anderson said.
While some participate in community gardens, others are staying closer to home, starting gardens right outside their doors.
Software test analyst Juan Torres began a herb and vegetable garden in his backyard at the beginning of quarantine, which he continues to maintain now.
“We’re still not going out like before because I have respiratory problems, my son has asthma, so we really want to stay safe, but it really gets to you,” Torres said. “There’s a lot of stress and depression going on, so the gardening thing really helps alleviate that.”
Having gardened with his grandmother in Puerto Rico during much of his life, beginning again seemed familiar and helped Torres relieve stress. He aims to make his garden sustainable and to provide his family with fresh produce. He also believes those interested in gardening should pursue it, no matter their skill level.
“I say if you want to do something, just go ahead and do it,” Torres said. “If you fail, that’s great. You’re going to learn from your failures.”
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Brigid Cooley is the editor-in-chief of The Mesquite, a student publication of Texas A&M - San Antonio. E-mail her at reporter@sasentinel.com.