Does Touching Soil Make Us Happier?

FromTwo Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths

Start listening View podcast show

Does Touching Soil Make Us Happier?

FromTwo Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths

ratings:

Length:

13 minutes

Released:

Jan 22, 2024

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

For the last 15 years, gardeners have been told that soil acts like an antidepressant, thanks to a particular bacterium. Is there anything to it?NEW FROM Empress of Dirt: Winter Sowing: Two Reliable Methods for Outdoor Seed Starting

Released:

Jan 22, 2024

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Bite-sized informative updates on gardening basics, solutions, myths, news and other subjects of interest to gardeners both new and experienced. From the popular Empress of Dirt website (empressofdirt.net), home of creative and frugal ideas for your backyard garden.

Skip carousel

Benefits of Joining a Fruit Sharing Program: Fruit sharing has become increasingly popular, both as a way to reduce food waste and to help city dwellers feel more connected to the food they eat. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
2 min listen
Choosing Garden Seeds: Organic Seeds: What does it mean to be an organic seed? Do organic seeds result in organic plants? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Using Fall Leaves as Mulch and Compost: Most of us used to rake and bag our leaves in the fall, but there are better alternatives for our garden. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
The Danger of Overwatering: We tend to be so anxious about making sure our garden gets enough water that it's easy to forget you can go too far the other way. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
2 min listen
Japanese Beetles: How They Got Here, What Can Be Done: They're chewing up plants from coast to coast in the U.S. and Canada. Is there anything you can do about it? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Rooftop Farms: Growing Food in Cities: Rooftop farms are becoming increasingly popular in cities around the world as a way to grow food in dense cities without requiring the use of any new land. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Choosing Garden Seeds: GMO Seeds: Whether you're opposed to them or would love to try them, it doesn't matter--you can't have them. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Does Vinegar Kill Weeds?: Is household vinegar really a harmless and effective herbicide? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Are Epsom Salts Good for Plants?: The internet is filled with articles about how geat Epsom salts are for your garden, but is there any evidence that this is true? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
2 min listen
Does Talking to Plants Help Them Grow?: Talking to plants -- lots of people do it and some insist that it helps plants grow. Is there evidence to support this? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
First Look at Bees: Many of us work to attract bees to our garden, but what do we really know about them? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Planting Fall Mums as Perennials: Chrysanthemums are a fall icon, but if you plant them in your garden now will they survive the winter? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Digging or No Digging?: Digging, no-digging, double-digging -- it's a contentious issue in gardening circles with many people holding quite emphatic views on all sides. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Are Banana Peels Good for the Garden?: Banana peels are a good addition to compost, like many other kitchen scraps. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Night Lighting: There's a lot more light at night now than ever before. What effect can this have on plants, insects and the entire garden ecosystem? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Are Halloween Pumpkins Edible?: Halloween is nearly here and always brings the question: can I eat my Halloween pumpkin? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Fall Pruning Plan: Fall is a perfect time to examine your garden and come up with a pruning plan for the coming months. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
2 min listen
Dish Soap -- Safe for the Garden?: Dish soap is often recommended for use in the garden, but how safe is it? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Choosing Garden Seeds: Hybrid Seeds: Hybrids don't have the best PR among seeds, but they can provide traits you're just not going to find in plants grown from open-pollinated seeds. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Coffee Grounds in the Garden - Myth and Reality: Coffee grounds can be used in the garden but may provide fewer benefits than you've heard. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Is Baking Soda Safe in the Garden?: There are better, safer alternatives to get any benefits baking soda may provide. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Hummingbird Feeders in the Fall: Hummingbird feeders in the fall -- do you need to take them down or risk disrupting their migration? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Gift Ideas for the Garden Nerd: There'll be lots of gifts being given over the next few weeks. If you're looking for ideas, we have some! by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Do Pot Shards and Gravel Improve Drainage?: It was common practice to place coarse materials at the bottom of pots. An interesting example of how gardening advice can evolve over time. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Compost for Your Garden: Getting the Right Brown-Green Mix: Three greens for one brown! Or is that three browns for one green? Two? Or is it 30 to 1? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Choosing Garden Seeds: Heirloom Seeds: Everybody loves heirlooms, although there are different ideas about how the term should be applied. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Choosing Garden Seeds: Open-Pollinated Seeds: Continuing our look at different types of seeds that you can buy -- or in this case even produce your own, because today we're looking at open-pollinated seeds. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Invasive Earthworms: Gardener's Friends, Forests' Foes: Gardeners love earthworms, but scientists looking at their effect on our forests are much less likely to praise them. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Compost for Your Garden: Browns and Greens: One of the key ways we manage our compost pile is making sure we get a good mix of carbon and nitrogen. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen
Too Late to Plant Trees this Fall?: Fall is a great time for planting trees, but when is it too cold and too late in the season? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
3 min listen

More Episodes from Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths

Skip carousel

Are Today's Fruits and Vegetables Less Nutritious?: Are today's fruits and vegetables -- the ones you buy at the store -- less nutritious than they used to be? You hear that a lot, but you'll also hear that it's a myth. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
11 min listen
The Purple Tomato: The First GMO Garden Seed: We always used to be able to say that there were no GMO garden seeds. That's still true in most of the world but, in the U.S., gardeners can now buy seeds for the genetically engineered, high-antioxidant Purple Tomato. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
13 min listen
Does Garden-Grown Produce Have A High Carbon Footprint?: A recent study claimed that urban-grown fruits and vegetetables had a carbon footprint six times that of those from conventional farms. Rants ensued. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
15 min listen
Do Gardeners Need Crop Rotation?: It can do great things on farms, but does crop rotation make sense in a garden? What are the benefits claimed for crop rotation, and can we get those same benefits in easier ways? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
12 min listen
Plant Nutrients (Part 4): "Up, Down, All Around" and the Phosphorus Myth: Do nutrients really specialize in one aspect of plant growth, like roots or shoots? Why adding more of one nutrient to your soil, like phosphorus-heavy bloom boosters, often don't provide any benefit. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
10 min listen
Plant Nutrients (Part 3): The Trouble with Balanced Fertilizers: Are you using a balanced fertilizer in your garden? It may seem like a simple and effective way to provide nutrients to your plants, but it could also cause problems for your soil and for the environment. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
12 min listen
Plant Nutrients (Part 2): What Do NPK Labels Mean?: Most countries use a confusing and outdated NPK labelling system for fertilizer packages. What do the numbers mean? Depending on where you live, it's probably not what you think. And why is a "balanced fertilizer" not so balanced after all? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
12 min listen
Plant Nutrients (Part 1): What You Need to Know: Our plants can't live without them, but how do we know that they're getting them? Do we need to feed them to our plants? And what are these essential nutrients? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
14 min listen
Mushrooms: Friends or Foes in the Garden?: Not everyone wants them in their garden, but others grow them deliberately. They aren't even plants. So what are mushrooms and are they okay around our plants? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
11 min listen
Is Soap Safe to Use in the Garden?: What kinds of soap should we be using -- or avoiding -- in the garden? What about liquid dish soap? And we're all familiar with soap, but what is it, exactly? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
12 min listen
Composting (Part 4): How Much Compost is Too Much?: Compost is great for your garden, but can you have too much of a good thing? What problems could there be if you use too much? Will it harm your plants ... or something else? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
11 min listen
Composting (Part 3): What to Add and What to Avoid: What can you add to your compost pile? Is it any organic material, or are there some things you may want to avoid? What about dryer lint or hair? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
12 min listen
Composting (Part 2): Simpler Than it Sounds: Calculating C:N ratios? Regular turning? For anyone who's been put off from composting because it sounds too involved -- it really isn't as hard as it's sometimes made out to be. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
10 min listen
Compost: The Most Valuable Organic Matter for Your Soil: When it comes to building healthy soil, there may be no more important tool in the garden than compost. So what is compost, and how does it help our plants? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
10 min listen
Humus: What Is It and Why It Matters: We've heard that humus is good for our garden, but do we know what it actually is? And, for that matter, does ANYONE know what it actually is? And why has humus become a controversial topic? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
10 min listen
Plants in Water: A Balancing Act by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
10 min listen
No Mow May: Does It Really Help Pollinators?: No Mow May is a popular initiative that encourages people to stop mowing their lawns for a month to help bees and other pollinators. But does it really work? And what are the drawbacks? In this episode, we explore the pros and cons of No Mow May from a gardener's perspective. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
10 min listen
Fast-Growing Cool-Weather Crops for Spring: At the beginning of a new gardening season, temperatures are still low, but some vegetables that thrive in cool weather and can be ready to eat in just a few weeks. Choose these vegetables and before you know it, you'll eating your first batch of produce fresh from your garden. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
9 min listen
Helping Ground-Nesting Bees: The Unsung Garden Heroes: Most bees don't live in hives and most don't live in hollow stems. They live in the ground and emerge from the soil in the spring and summer to join us in the garden. What can we do to make their winters easier? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
11 min listen
Protecting Your Garden From Deer Damage: Deer can cause a lot of damage to your garden, but there are ways to prevent or reduce it. Learn about different types of fences, repellents, deterrents and deer-resistant plants that can help you protect your plants from these hungry animals. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
10 min listen
Baking Soda in the Garden: Is it Really Harmless?: Also known in many parts of the world as bicarbonate of soda or bicarb soda -- you see it recommended for dozens of uses in the garden. It sounds pretty harmless, but should we be using it around our plants? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
11 min listen
Starting Seeds: An Overview: What's the advantage of starting seeds -- especially indoors? What do you need? What do seeds need to germinate> And how can you improve your odds against diseases? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
9 min listen
Growing Carrots in Your Garden: Carrots are one of the most popular vegetables to grow in the garden, and you can get them in a range of sizes and a rainbow of colors. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
9 min listen
Whacking Tree Trunks and Other Strange Garden Tips: Does hitting the trunk of a tree with a baseball bat or or a stick make it produce more leaves -- or maybe more flowers or fruit? It sounds crazy, but is there anything to it? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
9 min listen
Do Comfrey and Other Plants Grab Nutrients Deep in Our Soil?: In permaculture circles, they're called dynamic accumulators -- plants that accumulate above average levels of particular nutrients in their leaves, which we can then add to compost piles, use as mulch or in other ways make the nutrients available to our plants. Do they work? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
10 min listen
Humidity and Houseplants - Increasing Humidity Indoors: Humidity doesn't get as much attention as temperature, light and soil moisture, but it can have a big effect on our plants. Many houseplants prefer more humidity than we give them, especially over the winter. What can we do about that? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
9 min listen
Growing and Propagating Aloe vera: It's one of the world's most popular houseplants. Easy to grow and easy to propagate -- and maybe even a handy source of some skincare gel. by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
8 min listen
Why Leaves Change Color (and Why Some Don't Fall): What makes the leaves of some trees change color? Is there a benefit to the trees? And what about deciduous trees that keep leaves over the winter? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
8 min listen
Is it Safe to Use Paper in the Garden?: Many gardeners put paper overtop of a lawn to create a new garden bed. Or add paper to their compost pile. Is it safe? by Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths
10 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

Does Touching Soil Make Us Happier?

Does Touching Soil Make Us Happier?

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths