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Letter to the editor

Want to lose weight, get fit? Work that garden

By MARY COLLISTER, Times Correspondent
Published January 11, 2008

Some things never change, and one of those "things" is making New Year's resolutions - whether we follow them or not.

If one of your resolutions is to increase your activity level, get into better shape or lose weight, you won't have to forsake your garden to do it. To get fit, combine your outdoor hobby with your resolution.

Your holidays may have had too many calories and too much stress. Gardening can work off calories as you spruce up your yard and relieve the stress of shopping crowds, traffic and overcommitment. Try the labor-intensive activities listed below. Your landscape, waistline and psyche will thank you.

Compost pile: Start a compost pile adding all the green material you can find. Try grass clippings (not chemically treated), kitchen wastes (not fat or bones), leaves, weeds (but no seeds), small clippings from shrubs, sawdust, ash and stable manure.

Layer the pile to quicken the decomposition process and keep it moist. Turning the pile quickens the processes, but it will compost on its own whether turned or not. If you have a compost pile, turn it or spread it in the garden when it's ready.

Mulch: A great upper body workout. Buy bags of mulch or order it by the cubic yard. The many trips to the plant beds uses both leg and arm muscles. I like to use eucalyptus mulch. It has a great smell, helps repel bugs, and the tree grows quickly to easily renew itself. Spread the mulch 2 to 3 inches deep. It adds a finished look to your beds, helps retain moisture and thwarts weeds.

Transplant: Grab that shovel and move shrubs that have outgrown their homes or would look better elsewhere. Dig up as big a root ball as you can to increase the probability of the shrub surviving the move. Lightly prune it before you move it.

Once you dig up the shrub, clip off any unhealthy-looking roots. Dig a hole large enough for the root ball. Back fill the hole, tapping the soil down lightly as you fill. Water well and keep watered until the plant has re-established itself. Now that's a workout.

Edging: This can be a big project and will get your blood flowing. Many types of edging materials can be used to separate planting beds from the grass. Edging can also be used around trees and along walkways.

A number of plastic styles can be purchased in garden centers. Bricks, rocks or wooden stakes or rounds are other options. I prefer not to use wood edging because it invites termites to take up residence near my home.

If you use wood, make sure it is pressure treated to lengthen its life. A more permanent application is decorative concrete edging. There are area curbing companies who do this. Call and get a number of estimates as I have noticed there can be quite a price difference between companies.

This isn't much exercise in only indicating where the edging goes but you'll end up with beautiful edging. Any of these materials will help keep grass out of unwanted areas and keep mulch in its place.

Walkways: Whether using stepping stones or other materials for walkways, you will work up a sweat. Stepping stones are easiest to use. They can be laid on top of any material in a multitude of patterns.

As the size of the stones increase, so does the weight. Make sure you get a size you can handle. Other materials to use include gravel or small stones, bark, concrete, or broken shells.

This project may be done in conjunction with laying out edging. Placing landscape material under the walkway will keep weeds out of the area.

Build a potting bench:Haul the lumber home and build a simple potting bench. Put it in an area of the yard where it will be used. I placed mine out back, so my pots, soil and hand tools are more conveniently located than in the garage. I made mine out of scrap lumber, taking apart pallets; the size of the lumber dictates the size of the bench. I use it constantly and wonder what I did before I had it. I bought an inexpensive metal rural mailbox and keep my hand tools in there.

Placed in the shade of an oak tree, the bench also gives me a place to keep my seedlings and cuttings that are rooting. I placed the bench's legs on bricks so they wouldn't rot too quickly. The first bench lasted about three years and has been rebuilt using more scrap wood from pallets.

If you want a simple bench on which to sit, place containers or store gardening items, a pallet works well also. I use two large plastic pots for the "legs." A portion of the pallet was used for the seat. Cheap and quick to build, it's very useful in the garden.

General cleaning: Any concrete walkways, plant pots, fences, or garden decorations (statuary, etc.) can be easily cleaned using a pressure washer or a stiff brush and a bucket of bleach water.

Since our water is rationed, pressure wash only those areas that are a safety concern, such as an algae-covered sidewalk.

Dragging this piece of equipment around for a few hours will drive you into the house for a leftover turkey sandwich.

This can be rented and is a great way to wash off that famous Florida algae buildup. You might try a bleach solution and scrub brush before renting a pressure washer. It will use less water.

Weeding: This always needs to be done. All that bending is great for the waistline. Don't forget to place weeds in the compost pile if they haven't gone to seed.

After all this physical activity, make sure you take time to enjoy the leisurely side of your garden also. Cut flowers and greenery and take a bouquet into the house. Take time to enjoy what you've done and put aside other chores that need to done. You've got an entire new year ahead.

[Last modified January 11, 2008, 00:23:11]