In these tough economic times, the stress of dealing with hardships can also make you “squander” your health.
Businessman JM Guerrero, a beautification advocate who runs Saipan Plant in Finasisu, said maintaining trees and plants in your yard can increase the value of your house.
“It’s a proven fact,” Guerrero said.
Because trees and plants provide shade and ventilation, they also help reduce your power bill.
Guerrero said gardening is also the most effective way of relaxing the mind and is highly recommended to people suffering from mental stress and anxiety.
Since it requires a considerable amount of work, maintaining a garden can also make you physically active — and healthy.
But maintaining a garden does not require most of your time.
For those who work from Monday to Friday, Guerrero said weekends are enough to have a beautiful garden.
Just choose the kinds of plants that do not require much water. These include bougainvillea, a variety of hibiscus, crotons and palms.
A good mix of soil can also help plants that are not watered regularly.
Here’s one tip for those who have little time to water their plants: Put a coconut husk at the bottom of the plant. This coconut husk, Guerrero said, holds the water much longer, thus keeping the moisture that the soil needs to nourish the plant.
If your house is in a shaded area or surrounded by big trees, you can plant orchids because three times a week of watering is enough for these plants.
Trimming down grass and overgrown plants requires only 30 minutes of your time each week.
The more plants you have the less the need to mow the grass because the presence of more plants hamper grass growth.
Guerrero said not too many people on island maintain gardens around their houses. Some of them, especially those who are not retired yet, just can’t find the time while some just lack the motivation.
Guerrero’s advice is to get yourself as interested in gardening as you are now in your own health and wealth.
