From releasing a ‘love drug’ to mental boost – expert reveals 5 surprising health benefits from tree- hugging
THERE’S a reason people hug trees. Not only do they offer grace and beauty to your outside space, and a vital home for wildlife – they’re great for your mental health.
In fact, a study earlier this year provided ‘robust evidence’ we could improve our mental wellbeing by spending more time looking at trees and other elements of nature.
Previous research has also revealed that hanging out with our leafy friends can improve immunity, lower blood pressure, and accelerate recovery from illness or trauma.
And hugging a tree also releases a hormone called Ocytocin – known as the ‘love drug’ – which can make you feel all gooey and warm inside.
Plus trees can be used in all sorts of medicinal purposes – willow bark contains salicin, which is similar to aspirin and can help with aches and pains.
Hawthorn extract can lower blood pressure, and witch hazel can be used to treat anything from damaged skin and bruises to insect bites.
Currently UK forests only cover 12 per cent of our land area – which is significantly low compared to a lot of Europe – and it’s time to up our game.
So today marks the start of National Tree Week – and all over the UK fans are getting together to celebrate the beginning of tree-planting time.
Dr Elisabeth Karlstad Larsen works in the RHS Environmental Horticulture team – her current research involves understanding the benefits of trees to UK gardens, especially in urban and surrounding areas.
She told Sun Gardening: “Trees can be essential to provide habitat and food for wildlife, a benefit that is increasingly necessary in tackling the biodiversity crisis we are facing — and which is particularly necessary in urban environments.
“They protect the soil beneath from excess runoff and erosion, and they maintain the carbon stored in the soil for longer, by keeping the soil undisturbed – and tree roots can further improve soil structure and nutrient recycling.”
“Trees can help mitigate air pollution, either by creating physical barriers, if a plant is between you and a busy road, to separate yourself from those particles, but also by absorbing airborne pollution through its leaves.”
TOP PLANTING TIPS
Chief Horticulturalist for the RHS Guy Barter's top tips...
- Dig a square, not a round, hole big enough to hold the roots.
- Don’t add fertiliser or compost and don’t break up the bottom of the planting hole.
- Soak the rootball for an hour in a bucket of water if it is dry
- Place roots in hole deep enough for the flare of the roots to be just below soil level.
- Insert a stake first – use as short a stake as possible – and a proper padded tree tie – loosen in subsequent years.
- Don’t ram soil solid. Don’t plant if soil is very wet.
- Mulch for a metre around the tree and water well next early summer. Do the same in the second summer.
“Trees are also good for people, having a calming and regulating effect on people’s stress levels, creating a restorative effect, while people often have a strong emotional relationship with trees.”
TREES FOR SMALL GARDENS
Amelanchier alnifolia ‘Obelisk’
Crataegus laevigata ‘Pauls Scarlet’
TREES FOR LARGE GARDENS
ALSO IN VERONICA'S COLUMN THIS WEEK
Advent calendars for Gardeners, a great competiton and top tips.
There’s some fabulous seed-filled Advert Calendars out there.
She Grows Veg (£65) has 24 envelopes of heirloom seeds in a lovely hang-able sack.
Border in a Box (£49.99) comes beautifully wrapped with pegs so you can hang your 24 seed packets up.
Blooming Memories (£32.99) have 24 gorgeously presented seed envelopes – with twine and pegs.
Little Green Paper Shop are offering a brilliant plantable seed calendar for kids for just £14.95
Own Grown (17.99) offers 24 packets of vegetable, flower and and herbs.
WIN! Sustainable plant pot innovator, elho, is giving four lucky winners the chance to add gorgeous greenery into their homes with its stylish jazz collection and self-watering innovations. Each winner will receive 1 x jazz bowl, 1 x 30cm jazz pot and a self-watering insert. To enter, fill in THIS FORM or for more details visit www.thesun.co.uk/Elhopots. Or write to Sun Elho Pot competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Ends 30.59GMT 7.12.24 T&Cs apply.
SAVE! Avoid the backache of bending down to collect all those leaves. Garland heavy duty leaf collectors from Amazon are £35.75 or or Robert Dyas have similar for £16.49
TOP TIP! Ryobi’s 12 Tools of Christmas offer gives you a FREE amazing tool when you buy a 18V ONE+ Starter Kit – see their website for more details
JOB OF THE WEEK! You can still plant your bulbs. If you had blackspot on your roses – throw away all the fallen leaves. Plant bare root raspberry plants.
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