Sure, it’s easy to pick up a few “six packs” of tomatoes and marigolds at the garden center. But why do that when you can have a greater selection of veggies (and fruits), huge yields for way less money, and plants that have never been treated with chemical fertilizers or herbicides? Seems like a no-brainer to us.
Here, we cover the 5 most compelling reasons to start your own seeds this growing season.
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Even after you figure the cost of seed-starting supplies, growing your own transplants is still cheap. At the garden center, a flat of 36 petunias, for instance, will cost you about $12, but a packet of 100 seeds costs only about $2. (Petunias are one of these 13 annual flowers you can easily grow from seeds.)
No need to worry about chemical fertilizers and herbicides ever coming into contact with your plants. You can make sure your garden is organic from seed to fruit and flower by purchasing organic seeds. Reputable online companies that offer organic seeds and growing supplies include Burpee and Eden Brothers.
Nurseries tend to stock only tried-and-true varieties such as cucumbers, tomatoes, string beans, and lettuce. If you start your own seeds, on the other hand, you can get a little crazy, opting for less conventional options such as rainbow carrots to heirloom tomatoes to kohlrabi.
Seed packets often come with more seeds than you need, so instead of letting them go to waste, consider swapping some with a friend. You'll both expand the variety of your gardens' offerings, so everybody wins. Better yet, plan this from the start by buying seeds that you both like, then splitting them up so you save some money.
Who knows how long those store-bought seedlings languished in the greenhouse? By growing your starting your own seeds and making sure they are appropriately watered, getting enough light, and are kept in a warm or cool enough environment, you control quality, and ensure that you have strong, healthy transplants for your garden.