From Singapore to India, urban farms sprout up as coronavirus leaves Bollywood celebrities with thyme on their hands

While Covid-19 has been creating havoc with everything else, one hobby has just kept growing: gardening. And even Bollywood fingers are turning green

Across Asia, people are turning to urban farms to pass the lockdown hours, cut expenses, keep their peace of mind – and even earn a buck or two

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Kareena Kapoor’s Instagram picture of her actor husband Saif and son Taimur gardening together.

Published: 4:00pm, 2 Aug 2020Updated: 4:09pm, 2 Aug 2020

As the coronavirus ravages economies, forces countries into lockdowns and empties supermarket shelves, millions of people across Asia have been forced to put their former lifestyles on hold. But amid all the destruction, one pastime has just kept on growing: gardening.

In the half a year since the virus first came to public attention, urban farming has boomed in popularity, as green-fingered Asians spot an opportunity to while away those lockdown hours while cutting living costs and putting food on the table.

Among those whose fingers are turning green are Bollywood celebrities who, locked down in their homes away from the red carpet, have picked up their shovels and trowels and tried their hand at growing fruit and vegetables, often involving their young children.

Actor Twinkle Khanna shared a post about growing Ceylon spinach, while fitness guru Shilpa Shetty Kundra showed off her fresh harvest of brinjals and chillies. And in a post that really set the media’s tongue wagging, Kareena Kapoor shared a picture of her actor husband Saif and son Taimur gardening together.

Not only does the hobby benefit people’s wallets, but clinical psychologists say being surrounded by nature also helps to boost serotonin levels and overall well-being – just at the time most people are in need of a mental boost.