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I know what you’re thinking. Why on earth would an article about gardening encourage me not to garden? I’m not suggesting that you don’t plant seeds that are intended to be directly sown outside in soil or in pots. What I mean are those oh-so-cute little pots of plants that people start inside during the winter.
There are good reasons to start seeds yourself, particularly if you’re planting a very large number of plants, insist on organic starter plants or if you have a specific variety in mind that isn’t readily available in greenhouses. In those cases, the positives can be worth the drawbacks. But for most gardeners, most of the time, it just makes more sense to buy most of your plants already grown.
#1 It’s expensive to do it right
People often want to start their own seedlings to save a little money. After all, a few packets of seeds and a couple of jiffy pots are next to nothing. And though it is true that you will likely be able to grow something, the quality and health of your plants will likely be limited unless you have more supplies, like trays to contain water, heating pads, and appropriate grow lights. The cost of all these items can quickly add up.
#2 It’s a huge mess
Filling your pots, watering, replanting (if you’re lucky enough to grow plants big enough to replant) creates a continuous mess that can wear thin over the months required to get the plants into the garden. Though there are ways to manage it, in general the area where you grow will be hard to keep up with. Also, starting seeds takes a lot more space than it seems like they would, especially if you are using a grow light.
#3 It’s a lot harder than you might think
There’s a lot more to successfully growing plants than planting the seed. Doing so requires not only daily work, but often multiple times per day. Within hours a seedling without a good grow light will grow toward the window and start getting spindly. Over watering can induce diseases that will rot your plant at their stem. And yet drying out can kill the seedling immediately or prevent the seed from germinating in the first place. And after all this time, energy, expense - all too often the results are decidedly unimpressive. The plants are typically weak, small, leggy (long, lanky, thin), and susceptible to breaking easily once finally planted outdoors. Though most mature plants are pretty forgiving and can take a lot of neglect, seedlings are finicky and require a lot of attention.
#4 Greenhouse purchased plants are fairly cheap, healthy and provide instant gratification
If you have a huge garden or a lot of pots to fill, it can add up. But retailers often offer coupons and special deals. Also buy 4 or 6 packs, the costs can remain pretty reasonable. Look for plants that are dark green and don’t have many yellow leaves or brown spots.
In general these plants are going to be healthy, full, more able to withstand the rigors of outdoor life and often provide a lot more satisfying gardening experience. The last few years many more greenhouses are carrying heirloom varieties of vegetables and many are even starting to introduce organically-grown plants. Supporting your local greenhouse adds to your local economy, too. Growing plants from seed can be incredibly fun and rewarding, but only if you have the time, money and energy to do it well. Save that adventure for the year you’ve got lots of extra time on your hands and don’t have any Spring trips planned. In the meantime, put that energy toward growing the best garden you can once everything is planted outside.