A Prescription for a Nature Cleanse in Your Own Backyard by Kathy Jentz

Garden writer Kathy Jentz , editor of the Washington Gardener Magazine has some wonderful thoughts on how a nature cleanse can help us unplug from the Net. Read the intro here and click on the link below for great ideas from her garden which to inspire you.

Hellebore blooms emerging in the December garden. Photo by Kathy Jentz

The publishers of Medium.com recently asked: “What happens when we take a detox from the digital world?” What a cheeky question from a service that depends on online subscriptions! As someone who spends a great deal of my waking hours on the computer, writing and editing this magazine, blog posts, etc., and then engaging in social media, I know I probably fall in the “addicted” category. What form would a detox take and what does that even mean?

Most detoxes start with a cleanse of some kind — a clearing of accumulated toxins. Some programs describe an initial fasting period and others prescribe a weaning off.

I plan to take a break from social media for the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. I don’t think I will go cold turkey, but will just try to stay offline as much as possible to work on some long-neglected projects.

To deal with the withdrawal symptoms, I am lucky to have a garden to retreat into. Although the temperatures will be cold, I can still get a lot done. (Like the box of tulip bulbs still not in the ground yet!) Here are the ways I plan to pursue a nature cleanse.

Kathy Jentz is editor/publisher of Washington Gardener magazine.