A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Seeds vs. Starters

I've been thinking about another perennial garden that I want to plant this spring. In the past, I've purchased starter plants, and seem to have had pretty good luck. I'm wondering how easy it is to start from seeds and what any benefits might be, one way or the other. Thanks for any input!

The primary benefit of growing your plants from seeds is that you can grow hundreds for the cost of a starter plant, but they take longer to bloom and require a little more care until they are ready to plant in the garden (especially with perennials, shrubs and trees..)
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/growingseeds.html

I agree on the .... you have to start them reasonable early..

I am new to starting my own seeds..this will be
the 3rd spring I start my own.. I got a small greenhouse, and it has no heat other than the sun..
**I don't start any indoors, as I have no space or only have two windows that would have some sun,
but kids would do something to dropping them or something and don't need the headache..**

but when I start I am limited to the time and enough warmth over night to keep warm from the day times' sun.. and not cook every thing in it..

But I have just enough time to start every vegetable I need... for a vegetable garden..
I then can do some flowers, but by the time they come up, and even consider blooming, my short summer here is almost gone...

But I doooooooo so enjoy doing it myself, the gratification of something growing that I planted and cared for is unmeasurable..

And is very economical too.. *especially cause I do my own compost and mix it in with the seed starting mixes I by...and stretches my $$$ further.

But I have to say, being out in the greenhouse,
it's a bit time consuming... buttttttt... the excerise I recieve to go out and do it, and getting out of the house and into some fresh air,
does me sooooo good at that time of year...it's also a bonus I think.....

My two cents worth....

and THEN is also Winter-sowing of seeds,I just have problems with THAT cause not cold enough long enough.I grow alot of stuff from seeds,But buy some plants as well& thats actually veggie stuff like tomatoes?(early girls great)eggplant& I did venture a watermelon starter and was disappointed so maybe better luck this year.There are SOME perienals that will bloom 1st year from seed.also growing in raised beds would help you& laying black plastic over the ground will help warm your soil up.


That cool season stuff....I'd LIKE to grow....it grows GREAT for you,or I have to grow it in winter time(like panseys& marigold)

I'd draw a bed plan up...decided what plants I wanted.read up on wintersowing.you can do a mix of starter& seeds.and if you run across a tip for keeping soil COLD for 6 weeks.please let me know.My fridge NEVER has room for food much less baggies of seed(though are 4 baggies of passion vine seeds...taped to side of fridge on sodas side)