As Louisiana Nursery ramps up for the upcoming spring season, many gardeners have a similar question on their mind: Should you buy seeds or plants? This may not seem like a discussion with much depth to it, but I assure you it is the subject of much controversy in gardening circles across the globe! Depending on your situation, either option can be an attractive one. For instance, there is a large portion of gardeners who exclusively grow fruits and vegetables for that “from garden to plate” lifestyle. On the other end of the spectrum, some growers are wanting to create an aesthetic with their gardens. They might even clean-house 3 or 4 times a year, never once looking at the outdoor space as an avenue for growing food. As I said, these two scenarios and most of us who sit between them are on a spectrum. Any which way you plan on gardening does not change the fact that this is a positive activity with a myriad of mental and physical benefits! So, with that said, let us draw some lines in the sand!
Growing From Seeds
There is nothing quite like growing any plant, edible or not, from seed to maturity. I highly recommend grabbing a few packets of seeds if you plan on introducing gardening to a child or beginner. Watching the stages of development can tie you into the miracle that is creation! Maybe it is a conceptual thing, but I personally got my first experience growing plants in elementary school. Us students were given a seed to wrap in a wet paper towel. Once the seeds sprouted, we transitioned to homemade pots and were able to track their progress all year long. It stuck with me and presented a newfound perspective on the process. Regardless of the learning experience, gardening from seeds is great for those on a budget willing to trade time for extra costs. Seed growers are also able to control their environmental impact to a greater degree. However, there are major drawbacks to this strategy:
If you are attempting this with a fruiting-tree (citrus, apples, pears, etc.), there is a very small (sometimes 0) chance the seed from the fruit you collect – whether that be from your own tree, or fruit from the supermarket – is going to look like, taste like, or survive in the same conditions as the fruit and tree it came from. This is because of the way fruit-tree growers graft their trees to root stocks, combining the beneficial characteristics of different plants to thrive in non-native conditions of the desired fruit.
Basically, you are rolling some very unfriendly dice over the span of years and years in the hopes of getting a fruit that may not even survive in our climate. The effort the money spent on a healthy fruit tree sold at your local garden center is well worth it. Growing a fruit tree is hard enough as it is!
It is more likely you are looking to grow blooming flowers, grasses, or edibles (Herbs, Peppers, Greens). When excluding fruit trees, the benefits of starting from seed are numerous! A garden center has to balance shelf real-estate with the popularity of each plant, and some varieties just don’t sell enough to order two-hundred quart-sized plants. In seed packets – however – you’ll notice an endless amount of varieties to choose from. This is in addition to seeds being cheaper for the customer!
When talking about blooming annuals and edibles exclusively, you are also negating the cost of years of your time. It is more than possible to see the full lifecycle of a plant in these categories in just one year. You may have to start a little early, but it’s worth it for the savings!
If you are growing perennials – which includes some herbs – you may be waiting a season or more before it reaches the same stage of development as the plants found in the garden center. Of course it is cheaper, but more can go wrong as the timeline is extended. As long as you’re confident in your own abilities and research the proper season to grow, it can’t hurt to pick up a couple seed packets and TRY!
Growing from Starts or Full Plants
Purchasing plants directly or using transplants for fruits/vegetables is also a great and popular choice. This may not teach the kids any lessons about life, but boy is it nice to get beautiful looking plants without the hassle of early-life maintenance. In fact, most of the extra cost associated with purchasing more mature / rooted plants goes towards that early-life. Growers around the country operate vast networks of green houses ensuring their plants look beautiful and healthy on arrival. The chances of a large grower or nursery plant dying once it has been planted in your garden are typically less than if you had planted the seed yourself (especially for beginners). Large projects that require heavy investment should take the chances of failure seriously when deciding which route is best.
Lastly, those green house networks used in professional growing protects the plants from environmental pressures that ordinary home-gardeners cannot. Depending on your hardiness zone (geographic area defined to encompass a certain range of climatic conditions relevant to plant growth and survival), some varieties may never survive the early stages of seed growth.
Either option is a suggestion, and matter of personal preference. It is quite interesting, though!
