Start with seedlings instead of seeds if any of these scenarios describe your situation.
Peter Krumhardt
Theres nothing quite as rewarding in gardening as growing a plant from seed.
Its an economical way to fill your garden and access unique varieties.
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
However, growing from seed is not always practical.
Both space and time-consuming, it often requires specialized equipment and knowledge.
Its all too easy tochoose the wrong seeds or time them incorrectly.
Credit:Dean Schoeppner
There are times when buying already started seedlings, or starts, is your best chance for success.
Heres her expert advice on when it’s best to opt for seedlings over seeds.
Laura Matterleads the Natural Yard Care Program and Garden Hotline for Tilth Alliance in Seattle, Washington.
Limited Bandwidth and Space
Its simpler, faster, and easier to buy started seedlings overall.
For someone who enjoys seed-starting and has the space for it thats great," Matter says.
But for someone with an apartment, for instance, its space- and time-intensive.
It may take three months until the plants are ready to put outside.
Vulnerable seedlings need constant care, monitoring at least every other day to avoid drying out.
And despite the best efforts, its easy to end up with weak or leggy seedlings.
you’re free to get really elaborate with seed-starting, says Matter.
Its a commitment to grow from seed.
When you buy starts, youre paying for convenience and quality.
Even if you missed thewindow for seed-starting, a well-grown nursery seedling can save the season.
Dean Schoeppner
2.
Theres nothing like buying a six-pack ofmarigoldsorzinnias, Matter says.
Theyre already in bloom.
Youre jumpstarting your season with color, and you could have more of an instant garden.
Growing Warm-Season Crops
Each plant has its preferred growing conditions, from moisture to temperature and timing.
Warm season crops require minimum temperatures to germinate and grow.
Some examples arebasil,tomatoes,squash,peppers, andeggplants.
They need a certain amount of heat units or growing degree days per season.
Growing Woody Herbs, Perennials, and Biennials
Woody herbs likelavenderandsageare actually small shrubs and grow very slowly.
Even growing nurseries will buy plugs started by a professional seed grower.
Perennials likeasters,bee balm, andyarrowcan take several seasons to establish.
Biennials, such asleeksorparsley, complete their life cycle in two years.
Gardeners often forget them, plant over, or step on them.
One alternative forperennials is winter sowingusing milk jugs and upcycled containers outdoors in December through March.
Growing Tiny Seeds
Very small seeds, like poppies orsnapdragonsare challenging to handle.
They are often sown too close together, making it hard to separate them later.
I dont bother growinglobeliafrom seed.
If I buy them, I can see distinct plants, and they are already blooming.
