5 easy ways to stay connected to the gardening community during self-isolation

As the coronavirus outbreak continues, many people are being asked to self-isolate for extended periods. For some, especially the social butterflies amongst us, this may seem quite daunting and like a bit of a challenge.

But, fear not gardeners, because there are plenty of ways you can use this extra time to keep things on the plot ticking over and stay connected to the wonderful growing community, to boot.

Whilst social interactions in real life might be slowing down, there are lots of tech-based mediums to keep chatting to others, asking for advice for your garden, and to find inspiration for your plot antics from.

1. Top of the pods

Imagine a radio channel where you could curate it to just listen to the gardening shows you loved… wouldn’t that be great?! Well, that’s exactly what you get with podcasts. And there is an ever-growing list of lovely horticulture podcasts out there – including from the RHS, the Skinny Jean Gardener, Michael Perry and Ellen Mary, and a plethora of others that you’ll find on your podcast app.

If you want a light-hearted listen that embraces and celebrates when things go wrong on the plot, why not give our podcast The Dirt a go? With 12 episodes to listen to, the GYO team are on hand to accompany you in your garden, guide you with weekly tasks to get done, and hopefully make you laugh along the way. The Dirt is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more – plus it’s free to listen and subscribe to!

2. The Grapevine

Got a burning question about something in the garden that you’d usually ask your allotment neighbour about? Let us introduce you to The Grapevine. This forum is a thriving community of seasoned gardening pros and newbies alike, and it’s a great resource of information or place to discuss any veg-related topics that you may want some pointers on. Find it here.

3. Social media

Social media doesn’t always have the best of reputations, but there are lots of positives to be gained from using it – a big one being the huge gardener community online! Whatever your favoured platform, you’re bound to find other growers to inspire your gardening adventures. If you’re an Instagram-user, check out a few of our favourite accounts to follow here.

4. Monty’s back

Need some good news to help you escape from the current climate? Well, the timing couldn’t be better, because Monty and the gang are back on our screens this week with BBC Gardeners’ World. Self-isolating isn’t as bad with Monty in your living room, right? Tune in this Friday at 8:30pm on BBC Two for your first dose of the new series. 

5. Take out a subscription to GYO

Usually go out to the shops to get your copy of Grow Your Own magazine? Well, don’t miss out if you’re staying in. Grab a subscription now and get it delivered to your door without ever missing an issue. Every copy of the print magazine comes with up to 10 packets of bonus seeds, it’s packed with top expert guidance, step-by-step projects, interviews, and more. We’ll make sure you’ve got plenty to be getting on with in the kitchen garden during this slightly strange time!

Keep us updated on what you’re up to in your gardens by tagging us on social media over the coming weeks! We love to see your growing snaps.

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