Spring fever stirs garden dreams. As you ponder the projects you will tackle this year in your yard, consider trading garden center transplants for homegrown seedlings. There are endless good reasons to start your own seeds. Here are just a few:
Seeds guarantee the best selection – Garden centers sell a specific product line. If the plant you want is not on the roster, you cannot get it. Sow your own seeds, and you will pick from a broad selection of herbs, vegetables, and flowers. You can sample flavors and colors you might not otherwise find for sale.
Germinating seeds is a snap – They are genetically programmed to sprout. Here are some of our tips for starting pepper seeds, and also some seed starting mistakes that can be easily avoided.
You will save money – Price per plant drops dramatically when you grow your own seeds.
Seeds satisfy the itch to garden – Tucking seeds into soil can ease spring fever, especially when you are sowing while snow still swirls outside.
You may reap earlier harvests – If you try some season-extending tricks, you will be able to tuck seedlings in the ground sooner, which means you will be feasting while other gardeners are still watching the harvest ripen.
Avoid the crowds – When you grow your own seedlings, you can skip the spring shopping frenzy at local garden centers.
Reduce Plastic & Packaging – Your organically grown veggies are not wrapped in plastic and have no packaging or plastic stickers on them – so by growing your own veggies you cut down on a ton of single use plastics! Starting from seed also allows you to reuse seedling pots year after year.
Fresh is Best – The reason chefs make great food as they always try to have the freshest ingredients on hand. When you pick herbs, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes and other veggies from the garden and cook with them the same day, you will enjoy the tastiest of food right at home! Fresh and simple ingredients from the garden just can't be beat.
You can Share with Neighbors, Friends and Family – When you start from seeds, you will likely have some extra seedlings to share with the neighborhood! It's wonderful to hand off a seedling to a friend or family member who will happily grow it in their garden. Sharing seeds and seedlings and extra produce is a great way to connect with your community and other gardeners and share the excitement of growing food. You can also start seeds and trade at plant swaps to pick up something new and share your extra seedlings!
What are some other good reasons to grow your garden from seed?
Get started with your own food garden with our Food Garden 20-pack – with seeds for 20 vegetables, this bundle has all the easiest and most productive veggies you can grow in your garden. We have picked all the easy-to-grow varieties that are sure to result in a successful garden.
in our Seed Catalog!
