Gardening in Small Spaces List – 10 Reasons to Start Plants for Container Gardens from Seeds

You know spring is right around the corner when you begin to see seed displays in every store, from CVS, to Shoprite and of course the home improvement stores. Most garden center are still pretty bare but the displays are a reminder that and abundance of plant life will be returning very soon. This year I welcomed these displays with open arms having made the decision to start most of the plants for my container garden from seeds this year. In the past this may have intimidated me a bit, but I welcoming this challenge with open arms. Growing plants from seeds is an art that I want to begin to master. In addition to enhancing my seed starting skills I realized that there were many other very good reasons to start plants from seeds.

1) Inexpensive – It is significantly less expensive to start a garden using seeds than transplants from a garden center or nursery.
2) Great ROI – If you decide to plant vegetables from seeds you will produce more vegetables for a much lower costs.
3) No Surprises – If your purchase a reputable brand of seeds there will be no surprises and you are much more likely to pick out the specific variety of plant that is right for your garden and your zone. Sometimes that is not accurately marked and/or indicated on the transplants that you buy in the the garden center and nursery.
4) Quality Plants – Having grown the plant from an itty bitty seedling you know the quality of your plant and will have these plants at your disposal as you need them.
5) Special varieties – There are a limited variety of plants available at garden centers and nurseries. Obtaining seeds allows you to get those special hard to find varieties that you need.
6) Experiment With New Varieties – Seed suppliers have the newest varieties of plants. Maybe this variety will not be available in your garden center of nursery this year. There is no way that they can carry all of the newest varieties. They usually stick with garden classics, which makes experimenting very difficult.
7) Disease and Insect Free – Disease and Insects may have inhabited the plant in the garden center or nursery and these problems become problems in y0ur garden. By starting from a seed you will be aware by your own careful observations if problems with disease or insects occur.
Social Rewards – Participating in seed exchange programs allow you to become more involved in gardening by socializing with fellow gardeners.
9)Internal Rewards – Watching a plant grow from a seed is very exciting. You are literally seeing life develop before your eyes.
10) External rewards – A beautiful display of flowering containers or a bountiful harvest on a shoestring.