Beginning a garden can feel overwhelming, especially if you feel like you don't have the time or money to do it right.
One TikToker, The Cottage Peach (@thecottagepeach), recommends chaos gardening if you feel this way. You can use anything that has seeds and simply spread them wherever you want your garden to grow.
@thecottagepeach If we're trying to teach everyone to garden, then gardening needs to be accessible - and for gardening to be accessible, it also should be fun! That's why it's so important not to create rigid rules around gardening - this just keeps people from ever trying to grow something in the first place. And nobody wants that. So if you need me, I'll be chaos gardening all summer long 🌀💚☀️ will you try this? #chaosgardening #gardeningtips #gardenlife #mygarden #gardenersoftiktok ♬ HEADHIGH - Doja Cat
That said, if you don't know what's in your tea, it's good advice to do this only with a contained garden environment, such as a large pot on a porch or raised beds on stilts in her video. That way you can avoid inadvertently planting an invasive or problematic species — such as mint, which spreads fast and is hard to get rid of.
In her video, she uses a teabag, but you can use anything that contains seeds. She plants her seeds, then asks, "What are you chaos gardening?"
The scoop
There may be benefits to planning out a garden, like being able to set goals and contain your garden in a prearranged space, per Earth Science Growing. However, that's not necessary. If you want a garden but feel intimidated or feel like you don't have time to plan or don't know how, take some teabags and get to work.
The Cottage Peach simply cuts open a teabag and scatters the seeds in her raised garden bed. She even shows herself flinging them around "like a deranged fairy." She also highlights other plants growing in random places, like out of her rocks. She calls this "chaos gardening."
How it's working
Gardening isn't just a great way to grow your own food, but it's a good way to feel better, too. People who garden have been shown to have healthier diets that are higher in fiber than what most eat.
Gardening also has benefits for your mental health. It can reduce stress, for instance, which can last beyond the time you spend actually in your garden. The New York Times reports that gardening can also provide good physical exercise, raise your activity level, and help you feel better and stay well.
What people are saying
Other TikTokers enjoyed the video and were in support of chaos gardening.
"My favorite kind of gardening," one called it.
🗣️ How often will you be gardening this summer?
🔘 Every day 🥗
🔘 At least once a week 🥕
🔘 At least once a month 🌱
🔘 I don't garden 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Another said, "The rest of my life is chaos, so why shouldn't my garden be, too?"
Yet another added, "I throw seeds, not hands."
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