Dopamine Digging is The Gardening Trend We're Embracing for an Instant Hit Of Joy this Spring
Plus other tasks to tackle when it's cold outside to boost your mood
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There's a natural tendency to want to snuggle up in the warm during winter. Yet despite it still being cold and damp, or frosty and frozen in many parts at this time of year, spring beckons and garden tasks can begin. That's why so-called dopamine digging is a gardening trend we are ready to jump on immediately.
Much outside may still be dormant, but signs of life have been appearing for weeks. From hardy snowdrops and carpets of crocuses to early daffodils and hyacinths; green shoots and colorful blooms are returning. That's usually enough to lure most gardener's back outside.
5 Fun February Gardening Activities to Boost Your Mood
Of course, the garden tasks you can do – or that are appropriate to do – will depend on your region. However, it's well documented that gardening is a mood-booster, even if it's just for short bursts of time. So whatever you can do is guaranteed to lift flagging spirits.
Just having our hands in rich, healthy soil is good for us. Australian researchers at Flinders University demonstrated that microbes in soil can impact our mood. (The soil microbes influence the human gut microbiome, which affects the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter produced in the gut and brain, which plays a role in motivation and reward. The microbes in soil influence other feel-good neurotransmitters, such as serotonin too.
Secondly, gardening is physical, so it's a form of exercise, which has a positive impact on our wellbeing. Research from the RHS states 30 minutes of gardening is comparable to playing badminton, cycling or practicing yoga.
If that's not enough to lure you back outside, it's been scientifically proven that the color green lowers our heart rate (not that gardeners' needed proof), and now there is a desire to increase nature and natural materials in the built environment (through biophilic design).
Dopamine Digging
If you're waiting for a dry day before you venture out into the garden and start essential tasks, you might want to reconsider. Digging the soil during a light rain shower is one of community gardener and Growing to Give founder, Siobhan Shaw's favorite mood-lifting tasks – and not just because the soil is soft and easy to turn.
'For me, one of the most unexpected lifts comes from digging and planting in a light spring rain,' says Siobhan. 'Firstly, the soil softens, tools move more easily, and the body naturally slows down.'
'Secondly, when rain hits the soil, it releases oxygen and aromatic compounds. It creates that familiar earthy scent known as petrichor, which has been shown to calm the nervous system and elevate mood.
'Rain sharpens the garden’s soundscape too. Birds sing louder, water lands rhythmically on leaves, and the world feels closer and more alive. Natural sounds like rainfall and birdsong are linked to reduced cortisol and improved emotional regulation,' continues Siobhan.
'That’s how the garden works in early spring: soil, rain, birdsong, a hint of sun, and care layered on top of care. The joy isn’t just in the act of gardening. It’s in the sequence.'
If you intend to get out in the garden on a rainy day, this Fiskars 46 inch digging shovel from Ace Hardware is made from powder-coated steel, so it's rust resistant.
Siobhan Shaw is a community agriculture advocate, gardening writer, and founder of food security nonprofit, Growing to Give. Through her work with community farms and collective growing projects, Siobhan has helped design and steward agricultural systems built to withstand extreme heat and drought. She is among a small group with hands-on, working knowledge of these systems.
Pruning trees and shrubs
While digging the soil in February will be enjoyable in some regions, it will be impossible in others, especially if the ground is frozen – or still covered in snow. This will obviously dictate what you can do in your yard.
Based in the Catskills, landscape designer, Jean-Marc Flack, founder, Hortulus Animae, leaves his flower beds alone and likes to use this time of year to prune trees and shrubs.
'My garden is in Zone 5, in the Hudson Valley, Eastern Catskills area, where frost can persist well into May,' says Jean-Marc. 'At this time of year in this region, it's best to keep feet on mulch, stone or gravel paths, off the lawns and out of beds, even if thaws prove warm enough to soften the ground.
'However, the next-best time to prune most tree and shrub species is while they’re dormant. (Although there are some exceptions: Wait to prune early spring-flowering trees and shrubs until right after they bloom, and maples after full leaf-out).
'A satisfying task is to remove suckers and dead and diseased limbs, and prune for shape and airflow. I like to save sturdy twigs and thin branches to use as props or pea stakes for top-heavy plants like peonies at a later date.'
These Fiskars 5 inch steel curved pruners from Ace Hardware have an angled cutting head for easier trimming and precision-ground steel blades so they stay sharp.
Jean Marc’s experience in garden and landscape design spans nearly two decades. He founded his award-winning studio, Hortulus Animae in 2015, in New York’s Hudson Valley, and currently serves discerning clients both near and far.Jean-March is certified in Sustainable Garden Design and Landscape Design through the storied New York Botanical Garden.
Protect perennials and evergreens
We're all aware that short blasts of cold exposure are good for our systems. So if it's sub-zero outside in your zone, a satisfying task that takes little time, is to check on your frost-hardy perennials and evergreens and make sure they are adequately protected from any harsh weather.
'At this time of year, I like to check snow-covered beds to ensure heavy snow is not crushing shrubs, and gently fluff or remove heavy ice and snow from plants,' says Jean-Marc.
'As temperatures fluctuate, I also check on evergreen plants (boxwoods, rhododendrons etc) to make sure burlap wrappings have not fallen off and are still protecting any plants that need it.'
If your plants need further protection from frost and snow, this burlap blanket from Lowe's is durable, breathable and a natural material.
4. Garden planning and mapping
Those who live in zones that are too frozen to do much outside can still survey the landscape and plan ahead for spring and summer gardening goals.
If you have a gardening journal, it's worth taking stock of what worked and what didn't, what could be added or moved? New York-based landscape designer, Kat Aul Cervoni likes to use this time to reassess her yard for year-round beauty.
'February is a great time to take some time to thoughtfully assess your garden beds,' says Kat. 'Their shape and layouts, opportunities for expansion or additions and so on.
'More importantly, it’s a great time to assess the winter structure and interest present in your garden. Are you able to look out the windows, or walk along a pathway, and still see beauty and structure in the garden? If not, now is a good time to imagine where evergreens or other winter-interest plantings could be incorporated to make your garden shine during all four seasons.'
Also based in the north-east, Jean-Marc is a fan of garden planning and mapping during February too.
'I use garden journals from previous years to map out crop rotations, design new beds, and plan for succession planting,' he says. 'I also start my new garden journal for the year ahead, and begin documenting dates, planting layouts, and weather patterns in anticipation of what's to come and future harvests.'
This gardening log book and planner from Amazon has space for notes and expert tips to help you to create a thriving landscape.
Landscape designer, Katherine "Kat" Aul Cervoni is the founder and principal of Staghorn Living. Kat creates outdoor spaces that become natural extensions of a home’s interior. A member of the Ecological Landscape Alliance and the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, she also mentors young plant enthusiasts and upcoming designers
5. Refresh mulch
If you haven't had snowfall and you're able to access your flower beds, it's a good time to check your plant and shrub roots are still sufficiently covered in soil and mulch.
Kat finds it a rewarding task to take a walk through the garden and note any areas where mulch has thinned and top up. 'Sprinkling a modest 2–3 inch fresh layer of mulch does wonders to retain moisture, suppress early weeds, and protect roots from late cold snaps,' says Kat.
'February is a good time to do this, before much new growth has started to emerge. Plus it’s easier to work around plants. Once it's done, you can relax, knowing your plants are protected.'
Of course you can use homemade garden compost for mulch, but if yours isn't ready this Clean Straw Pine Needle Mulch from Ace Hardware will improve the soil and suppress weeds in your flower beds.
Alternatively, upgrade your compost game with this modern metal compost bin from Vego Gardens, which makes the process fuss-free.
Those in warmer, sunnier US hardiness zones will be able to do much more in their gardens in February. Yet those of us in colder, greyer areas can still head outside now and do some fun garden tasks for instant hits of joy.
'In February, when growth feels distant and energy is low, even ten minutes outside, especially in gentle rain, can reset the nervous system and lift the spirit,' says Siobhan. 'It’s dopamine, yes, but it’s also love for nature and at this time of year, that has its own kind of warmth.'
