Topic: VEG/FRUIT PLANTS ETC VS SEEDS

[margyf]

Hi

Really silly question but forgive me im new to all this.

I was wondering what makes more sense financially and in the long run.

I have already bought and planted some veg plants. (very good deal at my allotment plant sale)

I still have a few I need though and im wondering if im better buying plants (is it cheaper?

or  seeds if so how many packets does one buy of for example carrots??

Having only recently got the plot and clearing it all up im behind on planting so hence the reason for opting for veg plants etc.

But if buying seeds is just the same and waiting then I will do that.

Sorry i feel so silly asking silly questions but at least ill learn something new

Regards

 ???

[OllieC]

I very rarely buy plants - you have far more choice when buying seeds & it's more satisfying to have them right from the start... I doubt it saves anything financially, in fact it probably costs more because you always buy too many seeds!

Plants are often the most sensible option when starting out, if you have very limited time, or if you don't have a big windowsill, IMHO.

[daileg]

if its just carrots your wanting to know about they dont take too long and there is still plenty of time for them as in most things , seeds are definatly the cheaper option and is still time as i said before , plants could think about cabbage summer  .

all this depends on how much space you have left and what you havent got

more information requied to help any further

[saddad]

Seeds every time... esp bought from garden centres at the end of the season reductions... 50-75% off. You can get 500+ seeds in some packs like carrots or as few as 3 in some Cucs... watch the APC.  ;D

[sarah]

i agree that seeds are the cheapest option and i have always gone down the seed route but this year i am thinking that all the time and effort to raise seeds and prick out seedlings and transplant and pot on and messing about with windowsill juggling and hardening off and losing many through various maladies or accidents or bad planning etc etc  when my local greengrocer sells trays of ready to plant seedlings as cheap as chips.
earlier  in the season i sowed some butternut squash which didnt germinate and completely forgot to sow brussell sprouts. both of these i have picked up at local car boot sales as plants for just a pound or two. its not a silly question it really  is down to what suits you.  i have always been rather precious about starting everything from seed but its very time consuming and i think i may start buying more plants.

[davyw1]

I never buy in plants or accept them from other gardens. this way i do not invite disease into my garden

[STEVEB]

Seeds everytime for me.i love to see them grow,nurture them then let the slugs have a feast!!!try saving your own
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedsavinginfo.html
info here.

[RosieMcPosie]

seeds are normally the cheaper option (unless like me you develop a facsination and want to buy every single type of seed there is out there)  and i have to admit, much more fun and i find, more interesting, like little babies, hehe.

however buying in plants is much easier, quicker and less disheartning- you don't have the probem of seeds not germinating or the baby seedlings dying!

[manicscousers]

our local nursery is doing 10 leek plants for 1.00, makes me wonder  ???

[Ishard]

At our car boot sale on Sundays there is a farmer who sells his own veg plus plants.

These he sells for 10p each;

Calabrese
summer cabbage
winter cabbage
savoy
brussels
caulis
green caulis
beetroot
chard
kale
leeks
onions
shallots
runner beans
French beans
broad beans

loads of others I cant remember.

Plus for 40p he sells;
7 different varieties of toms, plus F1's
cucumbers
courgettes
butternut squash
aubergines
winter squash
pumpkins
and loads of different flowering plants such as fuchias and chrysthants

Lol Im sure I have forgotton more

[Suzanne]

I think if you only want to grow one or two of the more "fiddly" things like tomatoes, squash, aubergines, peppers etc then plants probably the best way to go, particularly if you are happy with standard varieties The first year I had a lottie I also brought in brassica's and leeks etc not knowing how easy these are to get going - you would be surprised. I have also always grown things like carrots, lettuce etc from seed.

Having got the bug though I now grow almost everything from seed as I love the different varieties you can get by doing this. I only buy plants in an emergency now when for one reason or another I have lost the seedlings and its too late to resow. Last year I got tied up at work for 4 weeks and didn't get an pportunity to plant out my PSB - so Delfland to the rescue!

[Melbourne12]

We do a mixture.  I agree that where variety is important, seeds are the way to go.   We grow most of our tomatoes from seed, although we do indulge in a few early plants to give an early crop before our seed-grown ones start to produce.

But, to be honest, we can't really tell one broad bean variety from another, so we've got a mix of seed-gown and bought plants.  We probably buy more brassicas and leeks as plants than we sow. 

[margyf]

Wow

thanks to all for the responses very kind of u.

Ishard which carboot do u go 2 2 get such wonders i may have to pay a visit

 :D

[Ishard]

The car boot I go to is in Melton Mowbray Leicestershire, every Sunday.

There is a huge car park thats free if you are coming over, but please be here at about 8.30 as it is finished by about 11.

[silly billy]

Seeds everytime for me. Gives you the chance to grow more unusal varieties. Plus I always worry about clubroot.

[Amazin]

Seeds for preference, but it's always comforting to know there are plants around for back up in case of disasters.

[dtw]

I never buy in plants or accept them from other gardens. this way i do not invite disease into my garden

Good point, I bought some tomato plants from B&Q a couple of years ago, because they were cheap hoping to pot them up and sell them on.
They were cheap for a reason, they must have known there was blight in the batch and were wanting to sell them quickly.  >:(

Only seeds for me now, I do have a greenhouse which helps with the window sill problem.

[margyf]

I bought quite alot of plants little worried now upon reading about the problems one may encounter.

Im going to top up with seeds I do also have limited space window sil wise but have been looking at getting a greenhouse of cold frame?

Anyone knwo if the wilkinsons cheap ones are ok and what is the diff between cold frame/greenhouse

[antipodes]

i agree that a mixture is good. But this year I admit that I did an awful lot from seed and have had quite good results (well I will know for sure at the end of the season). I am finding brassicas a bit tricky from seed and leeks are a bit nervewracking but it looks like I will probably have the right amount at the end of the day. I find that tomatoes and squash are much easier growing yourself from seed but in a flat it is also very inconvenient as I took up a lot of room during planting season  :(
The thing I do like to buy as plug plants are lettuces and I did get some cabbage in too. It just seems to be a better idea as my lettuce from seed is hopeless and I only need a few cabbages.