The benefits of starting your own seedlings

I can’t. It won’t work.

Limiting beliefs and excuses like these come so quickly, and they can easily throw us into a funk. They often prevent us from trying at all, and we close our minds to thinking of solutions.

At this point, I’d normally jump in to tell you HOW to start your own seedlings. That will come later. Today I want to share WHY you might consider starting at least some of your own baby plants. And, in the process, we’ll help you re-shape those limiting beliefs or excuses.

Starting with: How can you turn those beliefs around into something more positive? For example: “I don’t have a green thumb.” Change it to: “I will learn what seedlings need to be healthy so I can regain my confidence and be a better gardener for my plants.”

To guide you through the process, we’ll embark on a seed-starting series to provide you with clear, actionable steps so you can grow seedlings that are stout and strong. And, yes, to do it with fearlessness.

Because I enjoy the process of raising my own seedlings simply, I’d probably do it anyway without a particular reason. But when I think about it, there are all kinds of good reasons for nurturing plants from seed. Here are my Top Five:

1. Earlier harvests

2. Greater variety

3. Save money

4. Getting a handle on food security

5. Exercise your brain!

EARLIER HARVESTS

You can get a jump on the growing season and put fresh food on the table sooner when you’ve grown tomato, cabbage and lettuce seedlings indoors for setting out when the weather mellows. 

The sooner you can harvest, the greater your yield. Consider that growing seedlings under lights can help lift you out of the winter blues. Besides, plants don’t care if you’re having a bad hair day!

GREATER VARIETY

While Kodiak businesses do a splendid job of providing local gardeners with seedlings that thrive here, starting plants from seeds gives you a much greater selection. Suddenly, salads go from dull to delightful, and colorful flowers bring a smile to everyone (including you!) who experience your garden.

SAVE MONEY

Well, maybe. It’s true that for the price of a dozen tomato plants you can buy a handful of seed packets. Thing is, there are so many choices of seeds that you might find yourself trying new varieties — and putting your saved money back into more seeds! But since you’re likely to eat better and spend more quality time outside as a result, you’ll feel better!

GETTING A HANDLE ON FOOD SECURITY

Thanks to climate change (think extreme weather), supply-chain hiccups and the widespread use of chemicals (hello! only 2% to 3% of produce imported into the US is tested for residual chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides) food security continues to be a household word. 

Solution: Raising even a few of your own veggies can help you feel more in control of situations that, at first, might have seemed totally out of your control.

EXERCISE YOUR BRAIN!

When we think of gardening, we think of beautiful flowers, delicious vegetables, fruits and herbs. Gardening is a fun and therapeutic activity that people of all ages can engage in, incorporating a lovely blend between physical exercise, nature, sunlight and social interactions.

Most importantly, gardening has numerous health benefits, such as boosting your brain power.

Because gardening involves planning, organizing and decision-making, we strengthen neural pathways and build new ones as we tend to our plants.

Gardening allows you to boost your concentration levels and replenish your cognitive skills. These skills are extremely important to allow us to think, read, learn, reason, pay attention and remember details.

Bottom line: Gardening is a calming activity that helps us reduce stress, anxiety and depression. 

For decades, studies have shown that simply viewing plants reduces blood pressure, pulse rate and muscle tension. Viewing beautiful natural scenery — along forested trails or in your garden — and listening to nature’s sounds is a great method to clear your mind of negative thoughts. 

Surrounding yourself with green spaces and allocating your time toward cultivating a garden — even a few seedlings — will help generate a positive outlook on life.

Write this on a sticky note and post it on your bathroom mirror: I can do this!

See you next week.

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Do you have a gardening question? marion@gardenerscoach.com