How Gardening Supports Mental Health

In a world that moves fast, full of screens, schedules, and stress, the garden offers something rare, and quiet. The simple act of putting your hands in the soil, tending to plants, and watching life grow can do wonders for the mind and spirit. Gardening isn’t just about growing food; it’s about growing peace, patience, and presence.

At the Ridgecrest Community Garden, we’ve seen how time in the garden helps people reconnect with nature, with others, and with themselves. Science backs this up: gardening lowers stress hormones, boosts mood, and improves overall well-being. But beyond the data, anyone who’s spent an hour among plants knows the truth, and that is gardening simply makes you feel better.

The Healing Power of the Garden

Reduces Stress and Anxiety
The rhythm of gardening—digging, watering, weeding—naturally slows the body and calms the mind. Being outdoors and connected to nature lowers cortisol levels, easing tension and helping you feel grounded.

1. Encourages Mindfulness
   Gardening teaches you to pay attention: how the soil feels, how the leaves change, how the air smells after watering. This mindfulness helps shift focus away from worries and toward the present moment.

2. Builds Community and Connection
   Gardening with others, whether at home or in a community space, fosters a sense of belonging. Shared work, laughter, and conversation help reduce feelings of isolation and increase joy.

3. Boosts Physical Health and Mental Clarity
   Light physical activity like planting and watering increases endorphins. Fresh air, sunlight, and movement all support a clearer mind and more balanced mood.

Herbs That Soothe the Mind and Soul

Beyond vegetables and flowers, herbs are some of the most powerful plants for emotional and mental well-being. Their scents and medicinal properties can calm the nervous system, improve sleep, and promote relaxation. Here are three beautiful herbs to grow for mental health support—especially well-suited for Ridgecrest’s climate.

💜 Lavender – Calm and Clarity

Known for its soothing fragrance, lavender is a natural stress reliever. Studies show that its aroma can help reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and even lower heart rate.

• How to grow: Lavender thrives in full sun and well-drained soil—perfect for our desert environment.

• How to use: Dry the flowers for tea or sachets, make a calming oil, or simply brush the leaves to release the scent.

🍋 Lemon Balm – The Mood Lifter

A gentle member of the mint family, lemon balm has a bright citrus scent that uplifts the spirit and calms nervous tension. It’s often used in herbal teas to ease anxiety and support restful sleep.

• How to grow: Prefers partial sun and regular watering. It’s easy to grow and spreads quickly.

• How to use: Brew fresh leaves for tea, or crush them between your fingers for an instant mood boost from the aroma.

🌿 Sage – The Purifier

Sage has long been used in many cultures for cleansing and clarity—both physical and spiritual. Its earthy, grounding scent can help focus the mind and clear emotional heaviness.

• How to grow: Sage loves the sun and tolerates dry soil, making it another desert-friendly herb.

• How to use: Use fresh leaves in cooking, dry them for tea, or bundle them as a natural air purifier for your home.

Amending Desert Soil

Gardening in the desert can feel like an uphill battle. The native soil is often compacted, lacks organic matter, and tends to be highly alkaline (high pH). To grow a vibrant garden, you must transform this challenging base into a hospitable growing medium.

The Challenge of Desert Soil

​Before you start digging, understand what you're up against:

• ​Sand and Silt: Desert soil is typically high in sand and silt, leading to poor water retention and quick nutrient leaching.

• ​Low Organic Matter: The rapid decomposition and lack of natural plant life result in very little humus (decomposed organic matter), which is vital for soil structure and fertility.

• ​High Alkalinity: Most desert soils have a pH above 7.0, often reaching 8.0 or higher. This high pH can make essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and manganese unavailable to plants, leading to deficiencies (often seen as yellowing leaves, or chlorosis).

• ​Compaction: Lack of organic matter means the soil particles don't clump well, leading to dense, hard soil that restricts root growth and drainage.

​The Golden Rule: Add Organic Matter

​Organic matter is the single most important amendment for desert soil. It acts like a sponge, improving almost every soil deficiency:

• ​Water Retention: It holds water longer, reducing the frequency of irrigation.

• ​Nutrient Retention: It binds to nutrients, preventing them from washing away.

• ​Structure Improvement: It breaks up compacted clay and gives body to sandy soil, promoting aeration and drainage.

• ​pH Buffering: While it won't drastically change the pH overnight, it helps create a more neutral environment in the root zone.

​Key Organic Amendments:

• ​Compost: This is your best friend. Use well-rotted garden compost, leaf mold, or purchased compost. Mix in a generous amount (at least 3-6 inches) into the top foot of your garden bed.

• ​Manure: Well-aged cow, steer, or chicken manure is excellent, adding both organic matter and nutrients. Never use fresh manure, as it can burn roots.

• ​Cover Crops: Planting and then tilling in "green manures" like legumes (e.g., fava beans, peas) or cereal grains (e.g., rye) can dramatically improve the soil structure over time.

The Long Game

Amending desert soil isn't a one-time task; it's an ongoing process. Every season, continue to top-dress your garden beds with compost and mulch to keep the organic matter levels high. With consistent effort, your desert plot will transform from a barren landscape into a rich, water-wise garden oasis. Happy growing!

Easy to Grow Vegetables For Fall Gardening

As the heat of summer fades, Desert gardeners are greeted with one of the most rewarding seasons to grow food: fall. The cooler temperatures, softer sunlight, and gentler winds create the perfect environment for vegetables that prefer mild weather. Unlike summer crops that struggle under desert heat, fall vegetables thrive when the days shorten and the soil holds its moisture longer.

Whether you’re a beginner just getting started or a seasoned gardener looking to expand your harvest, fall offers plenty of options to grow fresh, nutritious food right here in the desert.

Gardening in the fall isn’t just about fresh food, it’s about connection. In desert communities, where resources can be scarce and food deserts are a reality, growing your own vegetables builds resilience. It saves money, provides healthy meals, and strengthens ties to the land and community.

Leafy greens are the stars of fall gardening. They germinate quickly, don’t need much space, and are ready to harvest in weeks rather than months.

Three Must Have Leafy Greens

• Lettuce – From crisp romaine to tender butterhead, lettuce is easy to grow and can be harvested leaf by leaf for continuous salads.

• Spinach – Thrives in cool nights, grows in containers, and makes a perfect nutrient-rich addition to meals.

• Kale – Hardy and versatile, kale can be picked young for salads or left to mature for hearty soups.

Tip: Plant small batches every 2–3 weeks to enjoy a steady supply of greens throughout fall and early winter.

Three Easy Root Vegetables to Grow

Root vegetables thrive in Ridgecrest’s sandy soil, especially when amended with compost. As the temperatures cool, these crops become sweeter and more flavorful.

• Carrots – Loosen the soil deeply before planting for straight, smooth carrots.

• Radishes – One of the quickest crops to grow; you can be harvesting in just 3–4 weeks.

• Beets – A double harvest crop—you can eat both the roots and the nutrient-rich greens.

Why they’re great for kids: Harvesting root vegetables feels like digging for treasure, making them a fun family-friendly crop.

Cool Season Favorites

Some vegetables take longer to mature, but fall is the perfect time to grow them. These crops love cool weather and reward your patience with hearty meals.

• Broccoli – Produces large, tasty heads, and if you leave the plant, side shoots keep producing after the first harvest.

• Cauliflower – Needs steady water but thrives in cooler temps, giving you a dense, delicious head.

• Cabbage – Stores well after harvest and is perfect for soups, slaws, or sauerkraut.

Tip: These crops benefit from starting as transplants rather than seed, giving them a head start before temperatures dip too low.

Plant Now, Eat Later

Fall isn’t just for fast crops, you can also plant long-term staples in October that will reward you months later.

• Garlic – Separate a bulb into cloves and plant each clove. They’ll quietly grow through the cool season, ready for harvest by late spring.

• Onions – Sets (small onion bulbs) are the easiest way to start, and they’ll develop over the winter for an early summer harvest.

• Potatoes – Tuck seed potatoes into the soil now, and by spring you’ll be digging up a rich harvest.

Think of these as your “future food”—a little effort now gives you big rewards later.

Relieve Self Isolation Tension with These 5 Strategies

Staying home might be the healthiest option right now, but that doesn’t make it easy. Especially for couples and families, tensions are high with everyone in such close quarters. There are ways to make things easier, though. Here are five strategies for restoring peace at home.

Unplug and Head Outside

It’s a scientific fact that spending time in nature can help reduce stress. But unfortunately, many kids (and their adults) don’t spend enough time in nature. To combat nature deficit, the whole family can head outside together—whether to the backyard, a nearby park, or even a campsite.

Once you’re in the great outdoors, active pursuits can help the whole family burn off stress and stay healthy. Biking, hiking, running, and even rock climbing are excellent ways to get moving while enjoying the fresh air and sun.

If you’re not sure where to start, or just need some motivation, consider working with Holistic Divine Innovations for personalized support to help you connect with nature and, therefore, yourself.

Plug in (Together)

While too much screen time can be detrimental, there are perks to technology, too. For example, bored kids and adults can bond over gaming. Studies suggest that intergenerational game play is great for kids’ development and family relationships, notes Forbes. Choosing games you can play side-by-side can also encourage kids to open up about their fears and stressors. For couples, gaming together can help strengthen your bond.

Of course, if you want to play online multiplayer games like Fortnite, you’ll need the right equipment. If your internet is lacking, consider an alternative fiber optic service from a company like Verizon. With robust internet, the whole household can play games and handle downloads without unbearable lag time.

Enlist Outside Help

Whether it’s seeking therapy with remote check-ins or getting assessed for a health issue, “doing work” on yourself can help ease tension at home. Very Well Mind highlights online therapy options for everything from couples therapy to peer support to psychiatry consultations.

Whatever you choose, learning new coping strategies can help you handle your kids’ meltdowns, your partner’s frustrations, and household drama a bit easier. Plus, if you’re struggling with your mental health, talking to a professional might be the first step toward feeling better.

Start New Routines

Being stuck at home has thrown a wrench in many families’ regular routines. Since no one’s leaving for work, school, or even grocery shopping on a regular schedule anymore, days can become muddled. One way to reclaim the calm in your home is by establishing new routines.

Parents know that routines are beneficial for babies’ and toddlers’ development, but they’re helpful for the whole family, too. As Motherly explains, “routines and rituals” can help your family connect more effectively and experience more joy together.

Think about implementing routines for mealtimes, schoolwork, and your working hours. But be sure to factor in memory-making routines like movie nights, special desserts, or backyard campouts, too. You can even have a routine of regular house cleaning and decluttering together so that you can cut back on chores and spend more time doing the things you love.

Learn a New Hobby

For both children and adults, spending time on enjoyable hobbies can be rewarding. Relaxing indoor activities can also help you recover after a tough day or help reduce anxiety. Of course, a hobby like rock climbing or birdwatching can be rewarding, too.

All ages can get in on family-friendly hobbies like learning a new language, knitting, scrapbooking, or cooking. Whether you want to stay indoors or head out, a hobby can help pass the time and keep your brain busy.

Staying home in self-isolation can mean lots of pent-up frustration. But by being proactive about relieving stress, you can help your household feel calmer and more at ease. It’s not easy to isolate, but implementing these strategies is a step toward a more bearable lockdown experience for everyone.

Photo via Rawpixel

Article written by Emma Grace

Why Should I Practice Gardening

Gardening is a widely practiced activity and intervention used to help connect us to nature, and our purpose. Gardening is our way of saying, “We are investing in our tomorrow, and serves as a reminder that what we nurture will grow. Gardening is used as a way to nurture our mind, body, and spirit. Gardening serves as a way to regulate the brain, and redirect our thoughts. When the brain is regulated, we are able to produce more positive thoughts. Plants are used to feed the body, which powers us to put in the work necessary to bring our dreams in to existence. Being around plants soothes the soul by bringing us closer to nature. When we become closer to nature, we become more in tune with our purpose in life.

Practicing Stillness Through Guided Meditation

Meditation is essential to our health and wellness. Our minds are racing throughout the day, and are full of wanted and unwanted thoughts. It is important for us to practice stillness meditation to slow down our thoughts, and become one with the present moment. The world is forever moving as we progress through different thoughts, scents, movements, and emotions. With the world moving so fast, everything we come across, and the forever changing emotions we are constantly feeling can cause confusion. Stillness meditation helps creates balance, and helps us connection to our divine selves. When we engage in stillness meditation, we are closing down our speech, and resting our body to help our mind come to a rest. This does not necessarily mean that we will have a moment of complete silence, nor does this mean we will be able to make ourselves come in to a complete stillness. We have to simply allow it to happen.

Being still physically will help us to allow internal stillness. Once the flow of our internal selves come to a state of stillness, we will be able to have a sense of heightened concentration. When this is occurring, you may have thoughts and emotions that will occur. Be present. Welcome your emotions and become the observer of your thoughts. In that moment, you will feel a sense of oneness. Stillness meditation can increase your awareness and consciousness. Also, it will allow you to enter a deep relaxation.

Watch this video as Ms. Wang guides us through a stillness meditation practice.

Creating Self-Sustainability in Your Home

Upon purchasing my home in 2019, my goal was to turn my home in to a sanctuary filled with many different species of plants to serve as a place of relaxation. I knew this would be very challenging because I was moving my wife, and kids to the desert where individuals have difficulty growing plants. I started off by buying and building two greenhouses. One greenhouse serves as a house for my organic cannabis plants, and the second greenhouse houses my starter plants, and different plants depending on what time of the year it is. I have been pretty successful with growing plants, and harvesting them. I have also had some failures from simple mistakes I’ve made during the winter season. All in all, the whole family have been involved in turning our yard in to a mini agricultural farm, and a sanctuary for plants.

Along with my two greenhouses, I built 6 raised beds using bricks. I filled them with a mixture of organic soil, native soil, and compost. Having 6 raised beds, and two greenhouses gives me endless opportunities to grow many fruits, vegetables, and herbs. I have well over 50 plants and seedlings that are growing in both our greenhouses, and raised beds. They are flourishing, and I am always sowing new seeds. I organize my beds by what grow well together, and I am prepping new areas in my yard for planting. I have a wide range of plants in my yard. Here are the different variety of plants I have to show how you can create self-sustainability in your yard.

Oregano, marjoram, mint, chocolate mint, spearmint, peppermint, sweet mint, sage, rosemary, chamomile, aloe vera, lavender, Spanish lavender, cannabis, parsley, cilantro, purple basil, curly kale, dinosaur kale, swiss chard, arugula, purple tomatoes, strawberries, goji berries, blueberries, watermelons, cucumbers, yellow peppers, jalapeños, lemon tree, lime tree, strawberry guava tree, plum tree, pear tree, almond tree, cherry tree, and more than what I can think of at this current moment.

My goal is to show and teach individuals how to utilize what they have to grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Plants can be used as food and medicine. It is important that we learn how to tap in to all that plants have to offer. Plants can be used as a tool to help us deal with our mental health, and overall health.

Plant Spirit Medicine Woman: A Story on Herbalism

If you want to know my story with herbalism, then you need to know it all, and that includes the ugly parts. Like waking up in a psychiatric ward - by far my rockbottom of bottoms. I didn’t understand the meaning of self-care back then. For far too long, I was living outside my body, completely dissociated from reality and ignoring all the signs that I was sick. I was working myself to death at very high-stress job, and numbing my pain at home with drugs and alcohol to cope. I was completely out of control and I couldn’t handle it anymore, so one night I tried to end my life. Thank God I was unsuccessful. But when I woke up in the psych ward the next morning, I couldn’t even believe this was my life now. I mean, this was some Girl Interrupted shit (see the movie if you don’t know what I’m referring to). Once I got over the anger of still being alive (and now being trapped in a hospital), I realized that it was actually a gift and embraced the surrender. My mind, body and soul were completely exhausted from doing life the old way; and unless I wanted to continue living in a place where I had to trade my yogurt cup with another patient just to get a second cup of coffee, then I needed to get my shit together and get healthy.

Plants are magically resilient organisms with the power to regenerate and heal themselves. Even if they have been previously neglected (by being kept in darkness or starved of basic nutrients), they can completely restore homeostasis when given the proper care and medicine from NATURE. Surely, if something as delicate as a plant can heal itself with nature, then that means I could heal too. I needed some time, so my psychiatrist put me on medical leave for a few months. During that time, I dove deep into self-care, self-discovery and herbalism. When I wasn’t in outpatient care for my mental health, I was self-teaching about adaptogens, nervines, relaxants and nutritive herbs. I wasn’t allowed to take benzos anymore for anxiety (nor did I want to), so instead, I experimented with different teas and smoking blends of lavender, catnip, skullcap, linden, rose, and chamomile. And of course the occasional cannabis as well. Holy life-changer! I was hooked and needed to know more, so I joined The Herbal Academy and graduated in 2019 from their Intermediate Course! I highly recommend their beginner and intermediate courses for those who are interested in getting certified (not sponsored I just love their courses and recipes). 

These days I'm stable and although I do take a daily SNRI, I don’t take any additional medication for anxiety or sleep anymore… only plant allies. I am obsessed with making tinctures, elixirs and tonics and who knows what else I’ll make next. I’m slowly starting an herbal business, however sourcing the herbs is pretty difficult right now - I wish I grew my own!!! I hope that eventually I won’t need my daily pill anymore, but I am not willing to quit taking it just yet (at least not during this unpredictable health and financial pandemic). In addition to herbalism, I am also a HUGE advocate for neural reprogramming, EMDR, breath work, mediation, yoga and doing some serious shadow work. Herbalism and connecting with plant medicine has truly transformed my life. My story has some dark & terrifying moments, but it has shown me the power of resilience and I wouldn’t change it for anything. 

Disclaimer: It is extremely dangerous to stop taking psychiatric medication cold turkey. Please do not attempt. Tapering off meds is only recommended under the care and supervision of a licensed professional.

Follow her on instagram: @brooke_alyssa

Gardening: An Intervention for Young Children

Gardening is one of the most fulfilling, exciting, and educational activities parents can do with their children. Gardening offers so many benefits that’s understated in today’s society. Gardening is one of the simplest, and most convenient ways children and adults can connect to nature, and the energy attached to nature. When it comes to activities that that offers a wide range of behavioral outcomes, gardening would be number one on my list. Let’s look at some of the benefits of gardening.

Gardening helps with self-regulation in young children and adolescents

Gardening can be used as an intervention to help children and adolescents with their self-regulation skills. Gardening is a tool to aide children in regulating their thoughts, and emotions to be more at ease. Gardening was my top intervention I used when I worked in mental health as a family specialist. Gardening is a powerful tool for children who have ADHD, trauma, and other developmental issues. Engaging in gardening with your children is important. Having a garden with a large range of aromas such as rosemary, lemongrass, lavender, mints, and other herbs aids in children’s ability to self-regulate. Planting, and up keeping a gardening can offer a sense of pride and responsibility in young children and adolescents.

Gardening encourages positive social interactions with young children

When you think of the impact gardening have on young children, it’s amazing. Children display more positive social interactions when gardening with other children, and adults. Gardening offers a positive stimulation when children are actively engaging in gardening. Gardening offers a lot of opportunities to learn about bugs, insects, plants, fruits, vegetables, and growth. With so many things to do, it is appropriate to engage in gardening in large groups. Some children will naturally be interested in playing with dirt, digging, finding worms, planting, picking flowers, watering, and picking out weeds.

Gardening is a great educational tool for children

There are so many educational opportunities for young children when engaging in gardening. There are so many things to learn about such as the process of plant growth, composting, identifying insects and which insects are good, or bad for plants. There are insects that goes through a transformation stage. Children love learning about those concepts, and children love interacting with insects. Gardening offers education on the role nature plays in our life, and how plants helps us breath in clean air and beautiful scents and aromas.

Gardening increases family bonding time

There is a saying I like, “A family that grows together will grow together.” Families that garden as a family have increased bonding time. Gardening is an everyday activity for my family. We spend at least 20 minutes a day either in our greenhouse, watering plants, tasting herbs, and checking on plants, and seedlings. Gardening brings our family together, and creates happier moments.

Watch the video below to see how gardening impacts children:

Home Gardening for Beginners

Home gardening is one of the best ways to practice self-sustainability. Home gardening allows you to grow your own produce, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and so much more. There are many ways to create a thriving garden at your home, some which includes:

1.      Building raised beds

Building raised beds allows you control the soil. It gives you the opportunity to create what I like to call super soil by either buying soil from your local nurseries, or to do a mixture of native soil, and compost. Either way, plants tend to thrive and do better in raised beds. Raised beds also contains the spread of your plants. For an example, if you are growing mint, you would want to use either a pot, or a raised bed. This will keep your mint contained, and prevent your mint from spreading all across areas you want to utilize to grow other plants.

2.      Using pots

Pots are amazing tools to use to grow plants. I especially like the idea of using pots to grow plants if you do not have a lot of yard space, dirt areas, or if you are growing single plants. Pots are great tools to use to help contain certain plants such as mint, marjoram, and oregano. Pots can also be great for plants such as tomatoes, and strawberries which will spread from seeds dropping if not contained.

3.      Plant Directly in the Ground

Planting directly in the ground has its advantages, and disadvantages. When you plant directly in the ground it tends to take much more maintenance because there will be weeds growing more frequently. Planting herbs that spread in abundance will take more maintenance, and can take over your garden if not trimmed often. I had my experiences with planting directly in the ground, and it took a lot of work, but was well worth it.

Each tool of gardening can be utilized, and will help you get one step closer towards self-sustainability.

Click on the video for a quick tutorial on a simple way to start your garden.