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Seeds vs Starters – All You Need to Know
Starting your own garden can be such a rewarding experience. As time goes on, and you watch your plants grow and learn to take care of them, you become even more connected to your garden. Many experts argue that this attachment helps the plants to grow taller, straighter, and healthier! But in order to foster this connection, you have to know what's going on right from the start. That means knowing the difference between seeds vs starters – and knowing which is right for you.
Whether you’re starting from seeds or beginning at the nursery stage, there are many positive benefits of each option that can produce beautiful plants for your garden. Read on to find out whether you might prefer seeds vs starters! Then discover more information about all of the beautiful possibilities that both options can provide for your garden!
Seeds vs Starters – The Basics
Seeds
Buying seeds comes with many positive benefits for the gardening experience.
Some Pros of Seeds
Variety:
With all of the new hybrid seeds being crossed and created, the possibilities are seemingly endless when you choose to plant. Funky combinations – like black tomatoes or purple potatoes – are just a couple examples of some inventive new plants that will ensure your garden is the most unique in the neighborhood!
Cost:
Seeds are much cheaper than buying nursery plants. Typically, a packet containing 100 seeds will cost no more than about $2!
Self-sustainable:
After you practice planting from seeds and really start to get a feel for how to cultivate your garden, you will no longer have to rely on others to start your garden for you by growing nursery plants. This will lead to an increase in self-satisfaction. It's a joy knowing that you can do this process all on your own!
Getting Started with Seeds
Whether you’re at a beginner’s level or you’re simply looking for an easy planting season, we’ve got some of the lowest maintenance and quickest-growing seed options for your summer garden!
Sunflowers:
These seeds can be sown straight into the ground in a sunny patch. Then, away they go! If you’re looking for maximum height in your sunflowers, add stem supports to the sprouts. This will help them grow tall and strong!
Sweet peas:
Their beautiful fragrance and fresh color, not to mention their easy planting process, make these flowers a garden favorite! These large seeds just need a sunny spot, a support fence, and plenty of water. Follow these steps, and you’ll watch them bloom in no time.
Nigella:
Perhaps the easiest seed plant of all time. All you need to do is scatter these seeds across an open patch of land, and let them do their thing. After the flowers fade, the plant will even set seed for next year. Easy breezy!
California poppy:
Much like their nigella friends, California poppies just need to be sprinkled where you want them to grow. They also do well in hot dry climates that don’t see lots of rain, so this is a perfect option for our down-south gardeners!
Starters
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Growing straight from seed is not the only way to a healthy and vibrant garden. That would end the seeds vs starters debate all too quickly! Many planters prefer to self-start and sustain their plants through the starter approach. There are many positive aspects of following this method:
Some Pros of Starter Plants:
Ease:
Nursery plants are used by all different types of gardeners. Whether you’re brand-new to the plant process, or have been an expert for years, nursery-bought plants are an easy addition to a garden of any shape or size.
Cost:
You can buy in bulk at a relatively cheap price. There are usually plenty of neighborhood wholesale nurseries that specialize in certain types of plants if you’re looking for a particular favorite!
Business Opportunity:
You can even start your own plant nursery as a part-time business with good, profitable turnaround. If you can spare an hour a day, you can create your own schedule and start a backyard plant nursery. Then, you can later re-plant and sell your plants for a sizable profit margin increase!
Jumping into Starters
When it comes to the most successful plants that are grown through a nursery approach, there are several options that typically see the quickest growth, the steepest profit (if you are wanting to re-plant and sell at a later time), and the most beautiful results:
Ground covers:
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This is quickly becoming an ideal backyard nursery crop as it's perfect for the water shortages that tend to come along with summer heat. In addition to conserving water, they also require low maintenance and minimal upkeep. They're also a living mulch that provides major benefits for soil. Ground covers are known for keeping soil cool, moist, and protecting it from erosion.
Ornamental grass:
This option is particularly popular among gardeners who also enjoy landscaping, as they can be used in so many ways and can function in numerous locations (as ground covers, border attractions, or near ponds). Ornamental grasses are easy to grow and are bothered by few insects and diseases.
Trees and shrubs for landscaping:
These types of plants can find a home directly in the ground (either in your garden or used as landscaping additions to pre-existing structures), or they can be planted and maintained inside pots if you’re looking for an alternative approach. If you’re a specialty grower, or looking to target your potential nursery business towards buyers who have a more particular taste, these plants can be extremely profitable – some gardeners have been known to make up to $150 per plant!
So which is better?
Whether you’re at the beginning stages of your journey as a gardener, or you’re a seasoned expert looking for a fresh new perspective, there are multiple benefits to both the seed and nursery approach when cultivating growth in your garden. You might even be able to start your own low-cost, low-maintenance business from this hobby or pastime of yours! Or perhaps you’d rather just enjoy the beauty of watching life grow before your eyes. No matter your purposes, we’ve got some ideas for everyone to share and enjoy!
What did you think of our post on seeds vs starters? Let us know in the comment section below!
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