5 Garden Habits That Reveal You're a More Organized Person Than You Think You Are
And if you can't relate yet, these are the best green thumb traits to adopt into your routine
Nurturing your green thumb can be one of the most rewarding hobbies for your home. And according to psychologists, the way you hone this skill says a lot about the kind of person you are. Do you regularly check in on your garden, stick to a watering routine, maintain a tidy tool kit, group plants by type, or use a planting planner?
If you have a beautiful modern garden and you fancy yourself a Type A individual, at least when you're tending to your backyard, then you probably partake in one or more of these five habits.
Here's why it means you're an organized person and the benefits of making an effort to do so.
1. You Regularly Check In on Your Garden
Fostering a good relationship with your plants is an admirable trait that results in rewardingly flourishing gardens.
"Whether that's trimming dead leaves, watering your garden regularly, or looking for pests, if you're regularly checking in with your plants, this shows a level of future thinking and problem-solving that is essential to being an organized person," says licensed psychologist Dr. Anna Nouzovsky.
"What this means is that you're not constantly waiting for crises to erupt but engaging in maintenance tasks to prevent them from happening in the first place."
You can hold yourself accountable to this routine by putting down your tasks on paper through this Yop & Tom Garden Planner. Or, if you prefer going digital, this Ultimate Garden Planner by Jessica Hollie Designs is an online option.
Dr. Anna Nouzovsky is a licensed psychologist, founder of a private psychotherapy practice in New York City, and assistant professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Her clinical psychotherapy work integrates evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches with a humanistic, strength-based lens. Drawing from both cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic traditions, she centers healing within individuals' intersecting identities and cultural context.
2. You Return Your Gardening Tools to Its Spot
Keeping your arsenal of planting tools tidy is the sign of an organized gardener.
"Keeping your tools where they can always be found is one example of how your habits are demonstrating that you do create order," says Dr. Shannon Franklin, psychologist at Element Q Healing Centre.
"This habit creates an advantage by making the next job simpler before it even begins. In general, this type of habit demonstrates your ability to make good plans and maintain simple systems while avoiding wasted time searching for gardening accessories you need."
And you don't require a full-fledged garden closet to keep your tools tidy. Smaller garden storage solutions like the Grib Metal Storage Box from Ferm Living work just as nicely.
Dr. Shannon Franklin is a black and queer-identified licensed psychologist specializing in working with the LGBTQIA+ population, gender identity/gender affirming care, multiculturalism/anti-racism, and trauma. Dr. Shannon is deeply committed to serving historically marginalized communities. She aims to work collaboratively with clients to empower them in various capacities —including individual therapy work and group therapy. She believes a person’s unique identity profoundly impacts how they interpret and experience the world.
3. You Group Plants by Similarity
Designing your garden layout by strategically mapping out like plants is genius.
"Organizing plants based on their water and sunlight requirements is an example of a practical, systematic way of organizing information. Grouping items that are used in common is an effective method to make managing these items easier," says Shannon.
"This also demonstrates your ability to think systematically by recognizing how many steps can be eliminated from a process (in this case, watering) as long as all of the required steps are completed at one time."
Changing your garden's planting scheme can be arduous at first. However, it's exactly the type of habit that helps you stay more organized in the long run.
4. You Use Garden Planners
A planner for your backyard is a clever way to manage your al fresco responsibilities.
"An important part of being organized is knowing what to keep in your memory and what to rely on an aide for. Manually making a list of plants you want to grow is a garden habit I recommend," says Anna.
"Using a calendar to remind yourself of when to plant certain plants is another example of externalizing cognitive load, which leads to less strain on your memory."
This Notion Garden Planner from Etsy is a neat way to keep up with all of the cultivars sprouting in your backyard. And if gardening is a part of your outdoor offline rituals, then try this Dreams & Schemes Planner from Papier x Damson Madder.
5. You Have a Regular Watering Routine
As a basic necessity for any healthy garden, sticking to a hydration schedule is key.
"Regularly watering helps you develop a routine so you can focus on your other tasks," says Shannon. "Organizing using regular routines will help establish structure, which allows you to consistently perform tasks without thinking about them each time."
It might seem like a simple task, but if you keep up with a regimented watering routine, then your garden routine deserves its flowers. Whether it's through a controlled slow watering system or with help from a manual hose, it's a rewarding habit to master.
Now, tracking a similar pattern indoors, it turns out that people who make their beds every morning share habits, too. And to learn more about your design personality, sign up for the Livingetc newsletter.
