Is it Better to Start from Seed or Transplant?

There is more than one way to start a garden. And a big question asked when someone wants to get started is, is it better to start from seed or transplant? And the answer depends entirely on the individual. There are pros and cons to each method, and I will go through some of the major points so that you can decide which way will work best for you.

The Seed Varieties are Endless

I'm starting off with the benefits of growing from seed because I personally love this method the most. Besides the indescribable excitement that comes with seeing the little baby seedlings pop up for the first time, if you choose to grow from seed, you will discover varieties of vegetables that you never knew existed. You will be shocked, and potentially overwhelmed, by all of the different vegetables that you can grow. According to uvm.edu in their article entitled A History of Tomatoes, there are reported to be more than 10,000 different varieties of tomatoes alone. Yes, you read that right, ten thousand! And when you shop for seeds you will see that there is so much more to choose from compared to the transplant options in your local garden center.

You Save Money with Seeds

Another pro for seed starting is that it is less expensive. The average transplant will likely cost a minimum of about $4, while some can be a lot more than that, and you usually get only one plant for that cost. Whereas the average cost of a seed packet is around $2 to $3 and you often get dozens, if not hundreds of seeds.

Seed Starting Takes Patience

We already know that gardening takes a fair amount of patience, and this is never more true than when you are waiting for seeds to germinate. While some seedlings will pop up within a few days, there are some (like hot peppers) that can take weeks. This is a big reason why seed starting can be really frustrating, especially for new gardeners. You need to plan ahead and, depending on your climate, you need to have an indoor space with a grow light so that you can get a good head start on them before the season kicks in. And sometimes all that planning still doesn't work out and you end up with a lot less starts that you were hoping for. This is where buying transplants might be the best option.

Transplants Save You Time

Though I try to grow the majority of my garden from seed, there are times when buying transplants from the nursery is necessary, like when too many of my seeds fail to germinate, or just don't grow properly. Because my growing seasons here are so short, I can't really play around with timing too much. In the spring, I can only really grow summer veggies outside between March and May. June starts to get way too hot for anything to produce. If I am trying to plant a variety that takes 120 days until maturity, and I either had failed seedlings or didn't plan ahead enough to have my own transplants ready to go out, then buying a small established start from the nursery is my only option. They're usually anywhere from 6 to 10 weeks old when you buy them, so they're ready to go in the garden.

Transplants are Easier to Transition

One very important step to seed starting indoors is called hardening off, and it's honestly kind of a pain. When you grow a seedling indoors under a grow light, it is growing under very controlled conditions. The temperature is pretty consistent, and even if you have a fan going in the room (which I recommend) they aren't being blown around like they would be outside on a windy day. And no matter how powerful your grow light might be, it will never be as strong as the sun. So when the time is right for your starts to go outside, you can't just take them out and put them in the ground without giving them some transition time to get used to the elements. This means that every day for about a week you need to take your seedlings outside for increasing amounts of time to harden them off to the climate. When you buy transplants at the nursery, they likely have already gotten used to some outdoor elements. Take a look at the surroundings where they're on display. If they're outside in full sun, then you know they are ok to put outside when you get home. If they are outside, but under partial shade, like the ones at my local nursery, they may still require a small amount of transition. When I buy them, I usually will keep them in their nursery pots and place them in partial shade in my back yard for a day, and they set them (still in the nursery pot) near where I will plant them out for another day. This may not be entirely necessary, but it seems to help them to climatize to the microclimate in my backyard before I disturb the roots and shock them by replanting them.

To summarize, starting from seed will save you money and you'll have access to more variety, but starting from transplant will save you time, and possibly your sanity when it comes to the harder to germinate options. My suggestion? Do a little bit of both and see what you like. There is no wrong way to get your veggie garden started. While I usually prefer to plant from seed, transplants are easier and I have had many great successes with them. If you ever hear someone say that buying starts is cheating, you don't need to listen to that negativity. Whatever works for you and your situation is what is best, as long as you are growing something!

Did I miss any pros or cons to seed starting vs. buying transplants? Let me know in the comments below!

Source for tomato varieties:

https://www.uvm.edu/news/extension/history-tomatoes