Many people start a new hobby once they retire. They use that to fill the void left by their day job, to keep the boredom away and their mind and body healthy. But when you start at an advanced age, say, your late 50s or early 60s, you’ll have very little time left to enjoy that hobby truly. As you grow older, your senses dull, your movements slowed, and your strength disappears.
That’s why it’s better to start a new hobby when you’re still young when your body is at its prime, and your senses are still sharp. One perfect example of a hobby that you can get on to is gardening, which to some, is a pastime for retirees and older adults. However, if you choose to start gardening at a young age, you’ll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor longer. Here are some reasons why.
Learn More Techniques
If you start gardening at your 50s or 60s, you’ll be limited to just working on soil, potting plants, watering them–just the basics of gardening. It can still be fulfilling, as you can see your plants grow, bear flowers or even fruits. But it can be a bit late learning more techniques in gardening, which would somehow make it a more challenging and fulfilling hobby.
For example, you can start learning how to grow a bonsai tree. It’s an extremely complicated process that requires a lot of time, patience, good eyesight, and dexterous hands. Imagine picking that up when you’re already past your prime, with bad eyes and shaky hands. You can also try other techniques like marcotting and grafting, which are helpful if you’re growing fruit-bearing plants, and you want to taste their fruits early. These are advanced techniques that would require time to learn and practice, something that you’d probably find bothersome when you’re already old.
Grow and Care for Trees for Decades
Gardening usually involves smaller plants, which you can just grow in pots or planters, in just a small area or plot of land. But it would be more fulfilling for someone who chose gardening as a hobby if they can grow something from a seed to a tall, sturdy tree. This is a challenge for many because most trees require years or even decades to fully reach their potential like bear fruits or be harvested for wood.
If you start sometime in your 20s or 30s instead of your 60s, you’d be able to see your tree grow big, bear fruits, and reach its full potential. You can start with a small garden and end up with a full orchard in 20 years. You can appreciate what you’ve planted with your children and grandchildren as they grow older. If you don’t know how to care for the trees you’ve planted, you can get help from an arborist in Utah or any state where you could find a qualified one.
Use the Latest in Agri Technology
What’s really great about starting a gardening hobby now is the abundance of tools and tech you can use. You can also take advantage of the latest innovations in agriculture, like various irrigation methods, organic fertilizers, hydroponics and more. There are many ways you can experiment with planting, even if it’s just confined in your yard or small garden.
So if you are thinking about trying a new hobby like gardening, don’t wait until after you retire. You can start now, and you’ll have more time to enjoy the hobby and see the fruits of your labor longer.
