Email this article The "plantito/plantita" home gardening during the pandemic
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every segment of life, including health, economy, education, and social ecologies. Quarantine measures have forced people to stay inside their homes, leading to the “new normal” of living and adaptation. One activity that has been among Filipinos during the onset of the lockdown until the present time is the increased engagement in gardening. Home gardening suddenly became a widespread activity in rural and urban areas. The use of the words “plantito” [male] and “plantita” [female] denote someone who enjoys taking care of plants. This qualitative study aims to explore and describe the rise of home gardening among Filipinos during the pandemic. A total of 104 participants answered an online survey containing open-ended questions. They described a “plantito/plantita” as a plant lover and nurturer and reported home gardening as a way of connecting with nature, a psychological experience, and an interest. The benefits include stress relief and improved mood. Further studies on home gardening and mental health and possible opportunities to incorporate this activity in communities are warranted.
References
Al-Mahayi, A., Al-Ismaily, S., Gibreel, T., Kacimov, A., & Al-Maktoumi, A. (2019). Home gardening in Muscat Oman: Gardener’s practices, perceptions, and motivations. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 38(9). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2019.01.011
Ambrose, G., Das, K., Fan, Y., & Ramaswami, A. (2020). Is gardening associated with greater happiness of urban residents? A multiactivity, dynamic assessment in the Twin-Cities region, USA. Landscape and Urban Planning, 198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2020.103776
Archambault, J. S. (2016). Taking love seriously in human-plant relations in Mozambique: Toward an anthropology of affective encounters. Cultural Anthropology, 31(2), 244-271. https://doi.org/10.14506/ca31.2.05
Baloran, E. T. (2020). Knowledge, attitudes, anxiety, and coping strategies of students during COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 25(8), 635-642. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2020.1769300
Bawingan, P., Ancheta, K., Laranang, K., Alcantara, R., Quiocson, J., & Balain, A. (2020) Reactions, behavioral practices and coping mechanisms of Filipinos in Luzon, Philippines during the lockdown due to COVID-19. Philippine E-Journal for Applied Research and Development, 10, 14-28.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Buenaventura, R. D., Ho, J. B., & Lapid, M. I. (2020). COVID-19 and mental health of older adults in the Philippines: A perspective from a developing country. International Psychogeriatrics, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610220000757
Capaldi, C. A., Dopko, R. L., & Zelenski, J. M. (2014). The relationship between nature connectedness and happiness: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00976
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). What you should know about COVID-19 to protect yourself and others. Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf
Chalquist, C. (2019). Mental health lessons from the garden. Communities, 1(182), 59.
Cheng, D. (2019). The new plant parent: Develop your green thumb and care for your house-plant family. Abrams Image.
Cohen, R. J., & Swerdlik, M. E. (2018). Psychological testing and assessment: An introduction to tests and measurement (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Department of Agriculture. (2020). DA’s “plant, plant, plant program” to benefit all farmers, fishers, consumers nationwide. Retrieved January 31, 2021, from https://www.da.gov.ph/das-plant-plant-plant-program-to-benefit-all-farmers-fishers-consumers-nationwide/
Eidimtiene, V. V., Auzeliene, I., & Daubaras, L. (2016). Urban gardening: Elements, social, cultural and recreational aspects. MAZOWSZE Studia Regionalne, 35-47. https://doi.org/10.21858/msr.18.03
Eng, S., Khun, T., Jower, S., & Murro, M. J. (2019). Healthy lifestyle through home gardening: The art of sharing. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 13(4), 347-350. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827619842068
Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11
Ferdous, Z., Datta, A., Anal, A. K., Anwar, M., & Khan, A. (2016). Development of home garden model for year round production and consumption for improving resource-poor household food security in Bangladesh. NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 78, 103-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2016.05.006
Galhena, D. H., Freed, R., & Maredia, K. M. (2013). Home gardens: A promising approach to enhance household food security and wellbeing. Agriculture and Food Security, 2(8). https://doi.org/10.1186/2048-7010-2-8
Galvin, K. C. (2015). Home gardens: A key to a sustainable future [Student Thesis]. Fordham University.
Ghazali, E., Nguyen, B., Mutum, D., & Yap, S. (2019). Pro-environmental behaviors and value-belief-norm theory: Assessing unobserved heterogeneity of two ethnic groups. Open Access Journal, 11(12), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123237
Gray, L., Guzman, P., Glowa, K., & Drevno, A. (2014). Can home gardens scale up into movements for social change? The role of home gardens in providing food security and community change in San Jose, California. Local Environment, 19(2), 187-203. https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2013.792048
Guuroh, R. T., Uibrig, H., & Acheampong, E. (2012). Homegardens as a source of income for rural households – a case study of Bieha District, Southern Burkina Faso. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology B, 2, 798-813.
Hartwig, K., & Mason, M. (2016). Community gardens for refugee and immigrant communities as a means of health promotion. Journal of Community Health, 41(6), 1153-1159. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s10900-016-0195-5
Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases. (2020). Omnibus guidelines on the implementation of community quarantine in the Philippines. Department of Health, Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/health-update/omnibus-guidelines-on-the-implementation-of-community-quarantine-in-the-philippines.pdf
Keniger, L. E., Gaston, K. J., Irvine, K. N., & Fuller, R. A. (2013). What are the benefits of interacting with nature? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 10, 913-935. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph10030913
Lal, R. (2020). Home gardening and urban agriculture for advancing food and nutritional security in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Food Security, 12, 871-876. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-020-01058-3
Lambert, V. A., & Lambert, C. E. (2012). Qualitative descriptive research: An acceptable design. Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research, 16(4), 255-256. https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/PRIJNR/article/view/5805
Legesse, A., Tesfay, G., & Abay, F. (2016). The Impact of urban home gardening on household socio-economy. Arts and Design Studies, 39, 21-30.
Marder, M., & Vieira, P. (2013). Writing phytophilia: Philosophers and poets as lovers of plants. Frame 26.2 – Ecocriticism, 37-53.
Matejowsky, T. (2013). Backyard and community gardening in the urban Philippines: A case study from Urdaneta City, Pangasinan. Locale: The Australasian-Pacific Journal of Regional Food Studies, 3.
McBain, S. (2020). Nature’s lesson in how to live. New Statesman, 149(55), 44-46.
Millican, J., Perkins, C., & Adam, A. (2019). Gardening in displacement: The benefits of cultivating in crisis. Journal of Refugee Studies, 32(3), 351-371. https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/fey033
Montefrio, M. J. (2020). Interrogating the “productive” home gardener in a time of pandemic lockdown in the Philippines. Food and Foodways, 28(3), 216-225. https://doi.org/10.1080/07409710.2020.1790142
Mugisa, I. O., Molly, A., Muyinda, M., Gafabusa, R., Kituuka, G., Kyampeire, B., Atim, J., Nampeera, M., Nafula. R., Sseruwu, G., Kabanyoro, R., & Akello, B.O. (2016). A farmers’ guide to home gardening: How to establish and manage home gardens. NARO- Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Uganda.
National Anti-Poverty Commission & International Institute of Rural Reconstruction. (2016). Integrated community food production: A compendium of climate-resilient agriculture options. Retrieved October 29, 2020, from https://www.napc.gov.ph/sites/default/files/documents/articles/Integrated%20Community%20Food%20Production.pdf
Potter, C. (2010). Creating a garden for the sense. Exceptional Parent, 40(10), 39-42.
Renwick, K., Romes, K., & Lam, V. (2019). Youth connecting: Mental health and gardens. International Journal of Education through Art,15(3). https://doi.org/10.1386/eta_00010_3
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. (2020). What is the new normal [Infographic]? Department of Health, Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved October 15, 2020, from http://ritm.gov.ph/new-normal-in-our -homes-in-the-workplace-and-in-schools/
Sánchez, M., López-Mosquera, N., Lera-López, F., & Faulin, J. (2018). An extended planned behavior model to explain the willingness to pay to reduce noise pollution in road Transportation. Journal of Cleaner Production, 177, 144–154.
Sanye-Mengual, E., Gasperi, D., Michelon, N., Orsini, F., Ponchia, G., & Gianquinto, G. (2018). Eco-efficiency assessment and food security potential of home gardening: A case study in Padua, Italy. Sustainability, 10(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072124
Schmutz, U., Lennartsson, M., Williams, S., Devereaux, M., & Davies, G. (2014). The benefits of gardening and food growing for health and wellbeing. Garden Organic and Sustain.
Schwartz, S. H., Cieciuch, J., Vecchione, M., Davidov, E., Fischer, R., Beierlein, C., Ramos, A., Verkasalo, M., Lönnqvist, J.-E., Demirutku, K., Dirilen-Gumus, O., & Konty, M. (2012). Refining the theory of basic individual values. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 103(4), 663–688. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029393
Scott, T., Masser, B., & Pachana, N. (2015). Exploring the health and well-being benefits of gardening for older adults. Ageing & Society, 35(10). https://doi.org/ 10.1017/S0144686X14000865
Shiue, I. (2016). Gardening is beneficial for adult mental health: Scottish health survey, 2012-2013. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 23(4). https://doi.org/10.3109/11038128.2015.1085596
Sofo, A., & Sofo, A. (2020). Converting home spaces into food gardens at the time of Covid-19 quarantine: All the benefits of plants in this difficult and unprecedented period. Human Ecology, 48, 131–139. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-020-00147-3
Soga, M., Gaston, K. J., & Yamaura, Y. (2017). Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis. Preventive Medicine Reports, 5, 92-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.11.007
Stern, P.C., Dietz, T., Abel, T., Guagnano, G., & Kalof, L. (1999). A value-belief-norm theory of support for social movements: The case of environmentalism. Human Ecology Review, 6(2), 81–97.
Talidong, K. J., & Toquero, C. M. (2020). Philippine teachers’ practices to deal with anxiety amid COVID-19. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 25(6-7), 573-579. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2020.1759225
Talukder, A., Haselow, N., Osei, A., Villate, E., Reario, D., Kroeun, H., SokHoing, L., Uddin, A., Dhungel, S., Quinn, V., & Keller, H. (2010). Homestead food production model contributes to improved household food security and nutrition status of young children and women in poor populations - lessons learned from scaling-up programs in Asia (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal and Philippines). Field Actions Science Reports, 1.
Tee, M., Tee, C., Anlacan, J., Aligam, K., Reyes, P.W., Kuruchittham, V., & Ho, R. (2020). Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. Journal of Affective Disorders, 277, 379-391. https://doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.08.043
Uhlmann, K., Lin, B. B., & Ross, H. (2018). Who cares? The importance of emotional connections with nature to ensure food security and wellbeing in cities. Sustainability, 10(6), 1844. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10061844
Uy, A. (2020, July 19). COVID-19 impact on mental health of the Filipinos. The ASEAN Post. https://www.google.com/amp/s/theaseanpost.com/article/covid-19-impact-mental-health filipinos %3famp.
Veder, R. (2007). Mother-love for plant-children: Sentimental pastoralism and nineteenth-century parlour gardening. Australasian Journal of American Studies, 26(2), 20-34.
World Health Organization. (2020). A joint statement on tourism and COVID-19 - UNWTO and WHO call for responsibility and coordination. Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://www.who.int/news/item/27-02-2020-a-joint-statement-on-tourism-and-covid-19---unwto-and-who-call-for-responsibility-and-coordination#:~:text=On%2030%20January%202020%2C,set%20of%20Temporary%20Recommendations.
World Health Organization. (2020). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Retrieved January 30, 2020, from https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and- answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19
World Health Organization. (2020). WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020
Zasada, I., Weltin. M., Zoll, F., & Benninger, S. (2020). Home gardening practice in Pune (India), the role of communities, urban environment and the contribution to urban sustainability. Urban Ecosystems, 23(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-019-00921-2
Full Text: PDF
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
