6 Benefits to Starting Your Garden from Seeds
When the warm weather starts coming, it’s hard not to get excited about getting outside and starting your garden. One of the first things you might think to do is to run to a local nursery and buy your favorite vegetable plants. Starting a garden by buying plants might seem like the easiest way to go, however, starting vegetables from seeds is a lot easier than one might think. The benefits can help give you a long and healthy garden throughout the season.
Benefits to Starting Your Garden from seeds:
- Health of Plant
When you buy a vegetable plant from the store, you run the risk of bringing home bugs and diseases. When you start your garden from seeds, you will know exactly where your seeds have been, and you can avoid unnecessary nuisances like bugs and diseases.
- Quality of Seeds
When you start your plants from seed, you will know exactly what kind of seed you are working with. This is the easiest way to have an organic garden if you choose. You can know from start to finish where your seeds and plants have been. - Price
Another great benefit to starting your garden from seeds, is the cost. A packet of seeds can cost anywhere from $1.50 – $3.00 a packet and can yield over 20 plants. If you go to a nursery, one plant can cost you $3.00 – 5.00. Splitting a seed packet with a family member or a neighbor is a great way to save even more money.
- Selection
When you purchase plants, you are limited to the selection that the nursery or gardening store you are buying from carries. When you start from seeds, you open up the possibly to grow rare, unusual, and the exact plants that you want to grow. Maybe Persian cucumbers are one of your favorite vegetables. Finding a Persian cucumber plant will be hard to come across at your local Home Depot. Having the seeds available are a great way to ensure you get your favorite vegetables in your garden.
- Getting Dirty Sooner
When you live in the northern part of the country, you often have to wait to get into your garden until the weather is warm. When you start from seeds, you can often times start indoors and therefore, get your hands dirty much sooner. This helps you control the climate of the plants. This is a great way to help chase the winter blues away. - Teaching Children
The best part of gardening from seeds is the amazing ability to teach children the growth and life of a plant. With their sweet tiny hands, children can place the seeds directly into the soil and then watch as a little seed grows into a sprout and eventually turns into a beautiful plant. When you start seeds inside, children can watch and observe daily the changes that the plants are making. They can see the difference between a pepper sprout and a tomato sprout and the beauty of what they learn is worth all the extra effort to start a garden from seeds.
A Few Tips When Starting Your Garden From Seeds:
Starting your vegetable garden from seeds can be as easy as just making rows and placing them right into the dirt, covering and adding some water. You can also use containers and start your garden indoors. The key aspect to remember is to have fun and experiment. Check to see what works for you and your garden. Try starting one new plant from seed each year. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
- Use Potting Soil
Seedlings are vulnerable when they are starting off, and there are a number of issues that can keep them from succeeding. Using potting soil can be a sure fire way to prevent disease that might be found in soil and ensure healthy growth of your plants. Starting with potting soil can help make sure your seeds have the proper nutrients to start off healthy. - Invest in Rootsticks
When you place seeds directly into the ground the number one thing they need to have is a proper amount of water to helps their roots grow deep and strong. Using Rootwell Product, Inc.’s rootsticks is an easy way to make sure your plants are supported with the proper water they need. - Upcycle Containers
Remember that each plant might need something a little different. There are a few plants like tomatoes and peppers that should be started indoors if you live in the Midwest. Using planter pots or upcycling old egg cartons will help you get those tomatoes and peppers started inside. One favorite tool to use when starting indoors is cut up toilet paper rolls or egg cartons. The best part of using these is that you can plant your sprout directly into the ground with the paper roll still inside. - Avoid Frost
For those who live in the Midwest Region of the U.S, plan to start your garden around mid to late May. Specifically, if you live in Northern Illinois, a good goal is to plan to place your seeds in the ground around Mother’s Day. However, those that live in Michigan might have to wait another week or so. The goal is to make sure you are avoiding any possible frost.If you are feeling eager to start your garden, there are certain vegetables that like cooler weather. Some of these vegetables include: broccoli, sugar snap peas, lettuce, and Swiss chard.
Easy plants to start from seeds are: radishes, cucumbers, squash and broccoli. Make sure to place these ones directly in the ground and start these ones outside. These plants can often be a little picky about transplanting. Start tomatoes and peppers indoors to help ensure a long and lasting growing season. Herbs like cilantro, basil, and sage are great ones to start at seeds too.
Starting your home garden from seeds can be much easier than one might think and the benefits can make it worth your time and effort. Picking out one plant at a time to learn about and let yourself experiment. You might find a new found love and passion for your garden.
Your Turn
Do you use seeds? What is your favorite part about starting from seeds? If not, what is holding you back?
