Is gardening a women-only hobby?  In the wake of Earth Day, the Man Cave speaks up for guys who garden. 

Most folks will remember this scene from The Manchurian Candidate from 1962:

Perhaps the reason why gardening was so often regarded as a women’s hobby is because the first organized garden club is the Ladies Garden Club of Athens Georgia in 1891.

Men didn’t get one of their own until 1932 with the Men’s Garden Clubs of America organization Men’s Garden Clubs of America organization (now The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America).

Why Garden? Why Now?

I became a Garden Guy when I was 11, and now, personally, with so much happening in the world seemingly outside our control, I find solace and a sense of accomplishment in my own garden.  I raise just about any plant that will thrive in New England:  peas, turnips, squash, tomatoes…my blueberries and strawberries grow really well.

Raising my own food also satisfies, I think, the provider/hunter/gatherer in me, with a side of the kind of self-sufficiency that helped our farmer ancestors sleep at night.

And since I grow fruits and vegetables, I feel confident that my food is organic, because of the care I take to practice sustainable gardening – a bit more work, but worth it.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Sunlight A few hours of direct sunlight is a must have for vegetables to thrive – at my home that’s in the front and side yard. Front yard gardening is becoming acceptable, and it’s more environmentally friendly than a monoculture lawn of grass blasted with herbicides and pesticides.

Go organic. I’ve been gardening for over fifty years and have avoided pesticides. Sure some insects adversely affect my plantings, but other insects, especially pollinators, enhance the production. (A  smaller home garden with different varieties of plants does not attract as many pests.)

Use organic matter and compost. Skip the synthetic fertilizers and instead enhance your soil with compost you create and organic matter such as seaweed and mulched leaves. They not only add nutrients but they give “fluff” to the soil (allowing root systems to expand more rapidly) and retain moisture. You can also add natural ingredients such as cow manure, bone meal, or blood meal.

Give your soil a PH Test. PH kits are a quick way to know if your soil is acidic or alkaline. Most vegetables prefer a neutral PH of 6.5 to 7. Acidic soil measuring below 5.5 should be treated with limestone, while alkaline soil measuring above 7.5 should be treated with agricultural sulfur.

As your gardening skill increases you can target the perfect soil for specific plants, for example blueberries grow best in acidic soil.

Go Organic and Avoid the Dirty Dozen!

Grow Crops that are in “The Dirty Dozen”
Various studies list the vegetables that have the highest concentration of pesticides used by commercial growers. Grow these on your own organically (or buy them at organic markets).  Green beans, strawberries and blueberries are often on the list, but I’ve had no trouble growing them pesticide free.

Connect with other Green Thumbs – or meet in the Man Cave – by joining Senior Planet Community. Details are here.

Gardening’s Social Benefits

Meeting other gardeners. There are plenty of garden clubs that meet to share advice and exchange seeds – some for men only, some for women only and some for both.

Sharing the bounty. I’ve given much of my produce to my local senior center, and I’ve also enjoyed doing the same with neighbors.

The Next Generation. My greatest rewards have come from introducing neighborhood kids to my garden. With the youngest ones, I have them pick the produce they like best. That’s usually the sweet stuff that is colorful and easy to handle, such as strawberries and raspberries.

Gardening: Food for the Soul

I sometimes think of my garden as a place of refuge. No matter what my mood, what issues I’m facing, I can lose myself in working the soil for a few hours each week.  I actually enjoy weeding because you can get immediate gratification seeing the garden spruced up and knowing your plants have room to spread.

And when you travel, coming home to see how the garden is faring is a pleasure — it’s like getting a letter in the mail with a check inside or a note from an old friend.

The satisfaction from gardening may go back to our hunter-gatherer days, so give it a try!

Your turn

Any guys who garden out there?  What’s your choice – flowers or food? Let us know in the comments!

Michael J. Tougias is a New York Times bestselling author and co-author of 30 books for adults and nine books for middle readers. His latest book is Extreme Survival: Lessons From Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds. Tougias speaks to both business groups and at public libraries across the country.  www.michaeltougias.com