Do you prefer seeds or plants?

[bid]

I like starting from seeds because it is so nice to see something green and growing in late winter, even if they are scattered all over the house. It is hard to resist buying some started plants, they always look so good. Usually looking at the price fixes that for me though.

There slogan was something like "we will start your seeds for you so your living room won't look like ours"

That's a great slogan. I would have to buy something from them just for that.

 

[RedClayGardener]

I only buy tomato plants because I have to draw the line somewhere with seed starting space. Plus (and some people won't believe this) I don't like tomatoes that much, so I don't want to spend that much time on them. It is fun to have half the work done for you when you plant!

 

[dbjay417]

I tend to buy herbs started already. I have bad luck with small seeds. lettuce is still a problem for me, but herbs are worse. Only chives have worked out for me.

 

[sclanimals]

I did a test a few years ago. I planted from seed and also planted the same plants from transplants bought from the store to see which produced better. The seeded plants out grew and out produced the transplanted plants by 400%. I will and have only planted by seed ever since that trial. I love planting by seed.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

That is an inetersting observation, sclanimals. I have read that small plants will grow faster than larger ones when transplanted, because the roots adapt better to the change of soil, so I wonder if the same principle applies -- seeded plants will adapt more fully to the soil conditions?

 

[sclanimals]

That is an interesting observation, sclanimals. I have read that small plants will grow faster than larger ones when transplanted, because the roots adapt better to the change of soil, so I wonder if the same principle applies -- seeded plants will adapt more fully to the soil conditions?

I was very surprised to see the difference. I expected some difference, but not a 400% difference! I wish I had taken pics.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

It would be worth a re-trial, if you could get pics. 400% IS impressive!

 

[sclanimals]

It would be worth a re-trial, if you could get pics. 400% IS impressive!

I will retrial this year and will take pics! Wow, this will be fun! I'm gonna start a thread to see if anyone wants to do this trial in their own gardens and keep a log of how things are going by posting on the thread. We can compare and do this as a group so it's not just my results. We'll see how it goes!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I like it! I will have to join in . . . I'm just not sure which crop to choose for the trial, so I will have to think about it. Cool beans, I'm in!

 

[sclanimals]

I like it! I will have to join in . . . I'm just not sure which crop to choose for the trial, so I will have to think about it. Cool beans, I'm in!

My trial plants were pumpkins, heirloom tomatoes and zucchini. I want to do tomatoes, onions and zucchini again this year. Maybe pumpkin too.