Should I Grow Vegetables From Seeds or Plants?

There’s nothing like the flavor and sense of accomplishment that fresh vegetables grown in a home garden can give. Being able to take a tiny seed or small plant and watch it grow to produce something you can eat is an awesome feeling.
But should you grow vegetables from seeds or plants? Which is the best way to get a vegetable garden started? Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of both, then you will be able to answer the question.

Garden Budget

Growing vegetables from seeds is more economical than starting with plants. Seeds are cheaper than plants and will enable you to stick with a garden budget.
A pack of tomato seeds will only cost a few cents and will produce 10+ plants. One tomato plant at the garden center will cost a few dollars.

Vegetable Variety

Sedlings Image by Jenny Johansson from Pixabay

Starting with seeds will allow you to grow a wider variety of vegetables since there are many options for each vegetable to select from.
Plant variety will be limited because the plants take up more space at the garden center.

Plants Give Faster Results

Basil in a post Image by monicore from Pixabay

Plants take no effort to start and give faster results than seeds. Plants will start producing food faster and the continued production will provide a bumper crop from plants like tomatoes and peppers.

Relieve Winter Blues

Seeds can be started indoors 6-weeks before the last predicted frost date of spring. Being able to play in the dirt and get started gardening is a great way to relieve the winter blues.
Having tiny seedlings to take care of also helps the last 6-weeks of winter go by faster.

Less Work

Starting with plants is less work than starting with seeds. Seeds will need a lot of care to grow into healthy seedlings, then transplanting them does not always end well. Transplant shock can end all the weeks of work you have put into the seeds by claiming the life of the plant.
Planting vegetable seeds directly into prepared soil outdoors after frost danger has passed is less work than starting seeds indoors and the success rate is higher, but still more work than starting with plants.

Short Growing Season

Starting a vegetable garden from seeds is difficult in climates than have a short growing season. Most seeds require months to go from planting time until harvest times.
Starting with plants is the best option for these climates.

Experiment

Gardening is an on-going experiment. Growing zones, weather changes, plant variety, and many other factors will determine the outcome of vegetable plants.
Keep a garden journal to help you track what works, and what does not work, in your home vegetable garden.

You may be interested in exploring my other articles about vegetable garden.

Things to do for a Sustainable Vegetable Garden in Summer