Cynthia: There is nothing like seeing all the seed packets pop up in the grocery store to start getting you antsy to garden.

But my question is for you, are you gonna do seeds or are you gonna buy starts?

Let's go through the pros and cons of both.

But before we start, you know what I'm gonna ask you to do.

It's time to hit that subscribe button so you can get all the information that you need so you can be successful in your garden adventures here in Utah.

Okay, let's talk pros of using your own seeds.

First, you get to choose your variety.

There are so many heirloom tomatoes that one doesn't even know where to begin.

So variety is a huge thing, that's why a lot of people that are into gardening like to buy seeds is to make sure that they're getting something completely different than what might be sold in a nursery.

It also can be cheaper, I'm gonna say, can be cheaper.

You have to kind of watch it because the seed packets start adding up.

We're gonna talk about that a little bit more later, but if you become really good and savvy, you can also start saving your own seeds, so your garden will be free year after year.

The other great thing is you can make a new community of seed connoisseur friends by seed swaps.

There are a lot of seed swaps out there, you can look on all the social medias or you can also go check out libraries that have seed libraries, it's really cool.

They have a whole stack, and guess what?

We even have a video all on the Salt Lake City Library and their seed library with free seeds.

Another great way to disuse seed is direct sow, truly you can direct sow so many seeds and you're just using the sun, the rain that comes down, you don't have to do much.

One other huge pro about starting your own seeds is you know what you're putting into it.

You know where your soil's coming from, you know what fertilizers you may be using, you are the creator of that seed so you are careful in what you may or may not want to use.

Also, for me, it's all about that personal satisfaction.

If I'm gonna grow something from seed and I plant it in my yard and it's successful, I know it was all because of moi.

I know I just said that buying your own seeds can be cheaper, but it also can cost you some money.

Why?

Because you want maybe five different varieties of tomatoes, and each seed packet varies in price from a dollar 50 all the way up to, I've seen $8 for seed.

On top of that, you might have a lot of seed that you don't want to use because sometimes those packets come in seeds of a hundred.

I mean, are you really planting to plant all hundred zucchini plants this year?

Let's be honest with ourselves, you only need one seed, but yet you just spent three or $4 on a pack of seeds, so it can cost more if you're not careful.

You don't know what to do with all these seeds that you buy and you just maybe start with like a packet or two or three, and then all of a sudden, you got this tote of seeds and you don't know what to do with it.

Another big thing that comes with starting your own seed, sometimes plants that you may want, your peppers, all those ones that take a lot longer to germinate and to grow and to be successful in a Utah summer, you need to start indoors.

You need to get some good grow lights.

You need some heat, containers, soil.

You need a lot of prep work to make sure that your seeds are going to be successful.

I say this and I hope you know my whole basement is full of bro racks and grow lights.

Another big thing people don't think of when they're starring their own seeds indoors, it takes T-I-M-E, time.

You can't just plug them in and call it good, you have to be checking on those babies daily.

You need to make sure their temperatures are right, that when they pop up that you uncover them.

Don't plan on a vacation, I promise you, they will die.

I've done it.

Another thing that you will invite into your home if you are planting your own seeds and doors, I promise you, you're gonna have bugs.

You're gonna see them fungus nats coming up outta the soil because it's just what it is.

So be prepared for that and make sure that you are taking precautions and ways to care for your plants so you aren't eating nats with your Cheerios.

So you may have noticed I'm in somewhere a little different.

It's a greenhouse, it's a nursery that is preparing for all those that don't wanna start their own seeds, but come to a nursery to buy.

So let's go through the pros and cons of buying starts from a nursery.

A great thing about buying at a nursery is all the hard work is done.

You don't have to be starting your seeds in January.

You don't have to be timing it right.

They've done all the hard work for you.

Plus, you get to pick out which healthy plant you get to choose.

You don't have to use your sad looking plant you grew in your basement, you can go and find the most healthy, gorgeous plant in the nursery that already looks like a success.

Another great thing is you can buy plants when you want to buy plants, instead of having to take your little seed trays inside, outside, inside, outside, you can just go to the nursery, pick it up and be done, check.

Another great thing about buying at a nursery, let's say you do wanna grow 29 different kinds of tomatoes.

Buying seed packets for 29 different tomatoes gets really pricey.

But if you go to a nursery, you can buy individual plants, save yourself a chunk of money, and next year you're not stuck with a bunch of seeds you hate.

Let's talk cons.

Obviously, money.

Money again, I know it's kind of you're gonna get it at both sides if you're not savvy.

Another con, you don't know what they put into it, what fertilizers that you may not approve of may have been used.

Or they're grow practices.

Any of these things you may not know and you have to be okay with that if you're gonna buy at a nursery.

Another huge one, plants sell out.

You gotta make sure that you are early enough that you can get what you want, but also not too early that you kill your plants because it's too cold outside, but also not too late.

My little hot tip, come like a week or two before Mother's Day.

Keep your plants indoors, keep them warm because Mother's Day is Christmas morning in all greenhouses.

It's nuts, avoid it.

The other big thing, they may not be carrying the variety you want.

That could be due to a lot of reasons.

There may have been a crop failure the year before so they don't have the seed.

They didn't sell very much of that variety before or they're just like, we're gonna stick with these four and be done.

So you may not be finding the varieties that you want at the nurseries.

I hope this gave you a little information that you need for your possible seed starting adventures.

Or are you just gonna be like, I'm going to the nursery this year.

Either way, I wanna hear from you, what ways do you like to plant?

Do you like to start your own seeds or are you buying from a nursery?

Or do you do both?

Because there's nothing better than just rubbing your face in something green.

So go do it, and make sure that you subscribe to Modern Gardener.

See you next time.