Seeds for growth: Outdoor Recreation hosts gardening class Published April 15, 2015 By Airman 1st Class Erica Crossen 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Outdoor Recreation offered a gardening clinic April 11, where the president of the Lebanon Gardening Club taught the basics to Scott community members on their way to becoming avid green thumbs. Jonathan Svoboda, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, covered the different methods of growing plants based on size and the best methods for maintaining a garden, whether it's based off of containers or traditional plots. Svoboda said he's passionate about gardening because it's "excellent therapy." "I might be working hard in the garden, getting sweaty and dirty, but when I see a plant growing because of all that effort, I just see the beauty in it," said Svoboda. "It brings me closer to nature, down to the dirt and seeds and sun, and it just simplifies life." Gardening for Svoboda has been a lasting hobby and a lifestyle. He has been gardening since his parents raised a vegetable garden when he was a little boy. He has distinct memories of his family enjoying the harvest all season long, and he seeks to help others make those memories by sharing his knowledge. For beginners, he said to start out small, even cultivating small pots of herbs in a windowsill, as long as it's manageable. "You don't have to go all out, and even if it's one tomato plant, it's something to care for and enjoy the fruits of your labor." He also works with students at McKendree University in the horticulture program. In addition, Svoboda uses gardening as therapy for recovering stroke patients at a rehabilitation center in Lebanon. Svoboda said experimentation is key when starting out and talking to other gardeners is invaluable, such as in gardening clubs available in the local area. Garry Green, the Outdoor Recreation Adventure Program Director, said, "The gardening clinic provides a venue for families on base who are interested in gardening for recreation, for lowering their food costs by producing their own vegetables and herbs, for sharing the garden's bounty, and also for the sheer joy of planting something and watching it grow." Green said significant lessons to take from the clinic are how to prepare soil and keeping in mind what your plants need, such as water, soil mixtures and enough light. "Anytime we get close to the earth, dig in it, plant a delicate seedling, care for it, nurture it along to maturity and harvest it, we see the power of nature and our innate ability to manage it and share in its bounty. We see our relation to nature and all things wild and growing." He said gardeners who are taught at an early age may also reap benefits beyond the garden spade to the dinner fork. "It is wonderful to see how amazed little children are when they help plant a garden and they see their 'babies' grow up, and then they get to enjoy the food. They often are less picky eaters when they raise their own food, because they are so proud of what they have done. Gardening can be a lifelong enjoyment for many people and because of the personal involvement and satisfaction that it offers brings us closer to nature."