It’s only January, but with the holidays behind us, many people are already starting to think about spring gardening. Although you still have quite a bit of time to wait before you can plant all of those delicious fruits and vegetables, it’s never too early to start thinking about what to plant this year.
In today’s blog from Frostproof Growers Supply, the premier choice for garden products in central Florida, we want to talk about starting your garden from seeds versus buying small plants or seedlings from a greenhouse. Keep reading to learn more about why this is usually the best plan and what you need to know to get your seedlings started.
When it comes to planting a garden, many people wait until the spring season is in full swing and then they make a trip to their home improvement store or local greenhouse to stock up on small plants. Although this is one way to get your garden growing, it’s not necessarily the best way. Sure, starting from seed might take a little extra work, but we think it’s well worth the added effort.
Benefits of Starting Seeds Indoors
If you’ve ever gone shopping for vegetable and herb plants at a big box store, then you’ve probably noticed that usually only carry a handful of different choices — cucumbers, peppers, squash, and what seems like a hundred different varieties of tomatoes. You’re pretty much limited to the items they have on hand. But what if you want some lesser-known or heirloom varieties? You probably aren’t going to find rainbow-colored carrots, beautiful purple beans, or green zebra tomatoes. If you want variety, you’re going to have to start your plants from seed.
Another reason to start with seeds is that they’re often much less expensive than buying transplants. Each little seed packet usually contains a dozen or more seeds and costs only a couple of dollars. For less than the cost of one transplant, you have the ability to grow 10-times the amount, if not more.
Finally, one of the biggest reasons to start your garden from seeds is that it gives you something to do during the months when there isn’t much else to do. Although the weather in central Florida during the winter isn’t like that of northern Minnesota, the limited number of daylight hours and cooler temperatures limit outside activities. When you decide to plant some seeds indoors, it gives you something to look forward to as you check on their progress each day.
Plant at the Optimum Time For Your Location
The USDA has developed a plant hardiness zone map and instructions for planting at the optimum time and temperature for your location. Buying plants at a store and then planting them in your garden the same day doesn’t ensure their success — stores often carry transplants well before they should actually be planted in the ground. If you want the best chance of growing a successful garden, do a little bit of homework to find out which items should be planted when, and then plant your seeds accordingly. You can find some handy references by visiting the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Starting your garden from seed gives you the most control over the success of your garden.
Get Prepared For Planting With Frostproof Growers Supply
If you’ve read this far, hopefully we’ve been able to convince you that starting from seed is the way to go. If you’re going to be planting some vegetables, January is the perfect time to get most of them started. Make sure you have everything you need to start your seeds and prepare your garden by visiting Frostproof Growers Supply.
You can not only shop for the gardening tools and supplies you need right from our website, but you can also find dozens of valuable gardening tips, such as this page on How To Speed Up Seed Germination. If you’re late starting your seeds, you might want to read up on how to make them germinate faster.
Whether you’re looking for gardening tools, pest control, safety supplies, or other garden products, Frostproof Growers has everything you need to grow a successful garden. Shop our website today and get free shipping on orders over $60!