If I’m capable of giving the right conditions needed for good quality seedlings myself I will start seeds. (Peppers, tomatoes) For some I’m not capable (damn you tomatillos) so I buy seedlings.
congocross
I will buy the $1.59 seedlings at my local supermarket but I will never pay $5.99 for them. I can get 6 lbs of tomatoes for that price!
SaleZealousideal2924
In my case, it’s usually closer to 1 out of 4 is a healthy seedling, with the other leggy and floppy siblings. I can always get better though.
StatisticianSuch4699
Yeah those numbers can move around a bit in either direction, good seed from the local seed businesses in my area (Shout out to adaptive, territorial, siskiyou, and uprising!) is more like $3-4 a packet, not including shipping, but point taken, seeds offer a big cost savings. I think the main disadvantage of starting your own from seeds is that there is a good bit of finesse and nuance involved. It takes a while to get good (what percentage of this sub is “what’s wrong with my ‘x'” and it’s a picture of a sad veggie under a grow light? It’s extremely helpful for some crops to have a greenhouse or some grow lights, which are expensive. Especially so for tomatoes and peppers, which are just about everyone’s favorites. For many of the gardeners that just want one of this and a couple of that buying well raised transplants makes a lot of sense. If you can get them from local farmers even better, timing and variety selection done by experts in your own community. So it’s not such a simple thing as your image suggests.
That being said, starting from seed is awesome and I think everyone should give it a shot. It makes you a much more resilient gardener if you can grow from seed and save your own.
DrR0mero
You pay for things in one of two ways; time or money.
ooojaeger
If I don’t know how a plant grows I buy a seedling but if I’m comfortable I grow from seed. So usually the next year I start seeds of the plant I bought before
HaggisHunter69
I always grow from seed as I tend to have the space for them and its pretty easy. Plus its something to do late winter and early spring. The plants usually do better and of course there is vastly greater choice. Next year I might buy grafted aubergines though, they tend to do better than ones I’ve grown from seed
InsomniaticWanderer
Seeds are always better if you have the time and space to start them.
Plus, get as much heirloom as you can. That way when your plant produces its own seeds, you can just save those for next year.
I bought one packet of pea seeds (like 15 seeds in one packet) in 2018 for like $1 and then I’ve been running off my own ever since. Just put 400 in the ground a couple weeks ago.
slogun1
If I looked at what I actually spend starting the seeds from electricity down to nutrients I doubt I’m coming out that far ahead for the big summer crops. Which is exactly why I don’t do that. Seed starting is for fun.
Where they really get ya is the stuff that’s dead simple to start in the garden from seed. Buying lettuce, spinach, beans, or pea plants is peak insanity. $6 for 4 lettuce plants at my local nursery.
theoriginalnub
Seeds are free when you save and share. It’s also really helpful for genetic diversity and honestly it’s more fun to grow things you can’t get at the grocery store.
But nothing wrong with buying a seedling if it’s worth the time saved.
Annual_Judge_7272
Stop buying tomato seeds just save the seeds you eat or plant direct it’s free
dartyus
It depends. Growing carrots or celery from seeds is fine where I live, but red peppers need to be started before last-frost, and they require a lot of effort, equipment, and attention. I’d rather just buy the seedlings outright.
PlainCrow
I bought because I just don’t have the indoor space. I think if my garden does well this year I might invest in a mini greenhouse shelf. I just couldn’t keep abunch of seedlings in my house and live normally. Definitely better to do from seed if you’ve got the space
InjectOH4
The seeds may cost $1.99 for 60 or w/e but then there is cost of soil, container, water, time, etc. Perceived value could differ. Obviously doing things yourself often times will yield higher savings but it’s understandable that for life to exist things have to cost money and markup so bread can be on the table.
Kiliana117
The $5.99 price tag takes all of the lights, water, soil, pots, and care into account. The seed packet does not.
M2dMike
I have a sun room and my seedlings often don’t get big enough to be successful in the garden. Next year I will buy a cheap light to start them.
InternationalYam3130
I only need a few plants. Money saved on seed is pointless, I’m not planting 50 tomatos
Other stuff like squash I always do from seed. I will direct seed anything but I hate starting indoors. Don’t have the space for it, live in a 2 bedroom townhouse.
3DMakaka
Some vegetables grow better form seed, like onions. Onion sets tend to bolt quicker for some reason, whereas onions started from seed do better. Maybe because the seedling has more time to acclimate to the local micro climate..
vulgarvinyasa2
Where I live the seedlings are usually 12 for 3€
RagingCalmness
You answered your own question with that image.
prlmike
I go to agway and pay 16 for a flat of veggie starters. There are 8 containers in it and each has 4 tomato’s/peppers/lettuce seedlings. For me that’s plenty and cheap enough. I’d buy too many seeds if I got seeds of each. 50 cents per plant is something that’s worth me not starting from seed for anything but radish/arugala/carrots/peas
22 Comments
If I’m capable of giving the right conditions needed for good quality seedlings myself I will start seeds. (Peppers, tomatoes) For some I’m not capable (damn you tomatillos) so I buy seedlings.
I will buy the $1.59 seedlings at my local supermarket but I will never pay $5.99 for them. I can get 6 lbs of tomatoes for that price!
In my case, it’s usually closer to 1 out of 4 is a healthy seedling, with the other leggy and floppy siblings. I can always get better though.
Yeah those numbers can move around a bit in either direction, good seed from the local seed businesses in my area (Shout out to adaptive, territorial, siskiyou, and uprising!) is more like $3-4 a packet, not including shipping, but point taken, seeds offer a big cost savings. I think the main disadvantage of starting your own from seeds is that there is a good bit of finesse and nuance involved. It takes a while to get good (what percentage of this sub is “what’s wrong with my ‘x'” and it’s a picture of a sad veggie under a grow light? It’s extremely helpful for some crops to have a greenhouse or some grow lights, which are expensive. Especially so for tomatoes and peppers, which are just about everyone’s favorites. For many of the gardeners that just want one of this and a couple of that buying well raised transplants makes a lot of sense. If you can get them from local farmers even better, timing and variety selection done by experts in your own community. So it’s not such a simple thing as your image suggests.
That being said, starting from seed is awesome and I think everyone should give it a shot. It makes you a much more resilient gardener if you can grow from seed and save your own.
You pay for things in one of two ways; time or money.
If I don’t know how a plant grows I buy a seedling but if I’m comfortable I grow from seed. So usually the next year I start seeds of the plant I bought before
I always grow from seed as I tend to have the space for them and its pretty easy. Plus its something to do late winter and early spring. The plants usually do better and of course there is vastly greater choice. Next year I might buy grafted aubergines though, they tend to do better than ones I’ve grown from seed
Seeds are always better if you have the time and space to start them.
Plus, get as much heirloom as you can. That way when your plant produces its own seeds, you can just save those for next year.
I bought one packet of pea seeds (like 15 seeds in one packet) in 2018 for like $1 and then I’ve been running off my own ever since. Just put 400 in the ground a couple weeks ago.
If I looked at what I actually spend starting the seeds from electricity down to nutrients I doubt I’m coming out that far ahead for the big summer crops. Which is exactly why I don’t do that. Seed starting is for fun.
Where they really get ya is the stuff that’s dead simple to start in the garden from seed. Buying lettuce, spinach, beans, or pea plants is peak insanity. $6 for 4 lettuce plants at my local nursery.
Seeds are free when you save and share. It’s also really helpful for genetic diversity and honestly it’s more fun to grow things you can’t get at the grocery store.
But nothing wrong with buying a seedling if it’s worth the time saved.
Stop buying tomato seeds just save the seeds you eat or plant direct it’s free
It depends. Growing carrots or celery from seeds is fine where I live, but red peppers need to be started before last-frost, and they require a lot of effort, equipment, and attention. I’d rather just buy the seedlings outright.
I bought because I just don’t have the indoor space. I think if my garden does well this year I might invest in a mini greenhouse shelf. I just couldn’t keep abunch of seedlings in my house and live normally. Definitely better to do from seed if you’ve got the space
The seeds may cost $1.99 for 60 or w/e but then there is cost of soil, container, water, time, etc. Perceived value could differ. Obviously doing things yourself often times will yield higher savings but it’s understandable that for life to exist things have to cost money and markup so bread can be on the table.
The $5.99 price tag takes all of the lights, water, soil, pots, and care into account. The seed packet does not.
I have a sun room and my seedlings often don’t get big enough to be successful in the garden. Next year I will buy a cheap light to start them.
I only need a few plants. Money saved on seed is pointless, I’m not planting 50 tomatos
Other stuff like squash I always do from seed. I will direct seed anything but I hate starting indoors. Don’t have the space for it, live in a 2 bedroom townhouse.
Some vegetables grow better form seed, like onions.
Onion sets tend to bolt quicker for some reason, whereas onions started from seed do better.
Maybe because the seedling has more time to acclimate to the local micro climate..
Where I live the seedlings are usually 12 for 3€
You answered your own question with that image.
I go to agway and pay 16 for a flat of veggie starters. There are 8 containers in it and each has 4 tomato’s/peppers/lettuce seedlings. For me that’s plenty and cheap enough. I’d buy too many seeds if I got seeds of each. 50 cents per plant is something that’s worth me not starting from seed for anything but radish/arugala/carrots/peas
Thank you for the diagram to explain.