Plants from Seeds or a Trip to the Greenhouse?

Rain, rain, go away. We had storms last night and lots of rain....so I'm in the house today. I've been trying my hand at growing from seed this year. The seeds have all sprouted, but are pretty wispy and thin. I really don't think that they are getting enough heat and light. I think that they will be so small when it is time to plant and I may have to wait till August for blooms. Maybe it was a silly idea. Well, even if they don't amount to a hill of beans, it gave me something to do these last few weeks. I'll keep on pluggin along and see what happens. After this rain, things should be popping in the woods. I planted all those wildflower seeds last year and I'm anxious to check those out. I pulled up so many wildflowers by accident last year. My gosh,a 70 yr old gardener who acts like a novice. You'd think that I would know better. Can I blame it on my age?

Here is something from Aging Well Magazine about older gardeners.

Researchers at Kansas State University already have shown that gardening can offer enough moderate physical activity to keep older adults in shape.
In research published in HortScience, researchers discovered that among the other health benefits of gardening is keeping older hands strong and nimble. "One of the things we found is that older adults who are gardeners have better hand strength and pinch force, which is a big concern as you age," says Candice Shoemaker, PhD, a professor of horticulture.
Shoemaker is part of a small team of Kansas State researchers studying the ways in which gardening affects the health of older adults. The study assessed 15 areas of health in older adults, from both those who garden and those who don't. The researchers looked at measurements like bone mineral density, sleep quality, physical fitness, hand strength, and psychological well-being.
Shoemaker says that studying the physical benefits of gardening is important for older adults because gardening is a physically active hobby that provides an alternative to sports or other exercise.
"There's a lot of natural motivation in gardening," Shoemaker says. "For one thing, you know there's a plant you've got to go out and water and weed to keep alive. If we get the message out there that older adults can get health benefits from gardening, they'll realize that they don't have to walk around the mall to get exercise."
Source: Kansas State University

My hands are very nimble. We do need strong hands to open all the medications that seniors take. Darn those childproof caps!

I fell recently and didn't break a bone...so bone density must be good,

I sleep well....sometimes even in my chair!

I feel physically fit....don't look in the mirror,

and last but not least my mental health seems just fine to me....ask my husband...he's the one who really knows this one.

So, I've come to the conclusion that gardening has been good for me all through the years. If I can't get those @#$%&%$ tiny, wispy, seedlings to do anything...I'll just have to suffer and make a few trips to the garden center. I do love a blooming plant.

Balisha