If you’re one of the many Americans who will be cultivating a vegetable garden this year, one of the first decisions you’ll have to make is whether to grow your plants from seed or purchase transplants from a nursery.  In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons to both methods, and we’ll provide a basic how to guide for starting your own plants from seed.

There are two primary deciding factors in whether to start plants from seed.  The first is time.  Starting seeds certainly requires a larger investment in time and effort than purchasing transplants.  However, the knowledge that you have grown the plants yourself from their very inception is also quite rewarding.  The other primary consideration is cost.  Seeds are far more economical to purchase than young plants.  A packet of 50 or more seeds might cost you a few dollars.  Transplants, on the other hand, will cost you that same amount per plant.  In short, if you have the time and the inclination, growing your own plants from seed is a very rewarding and economical way to start a vegetable garden.

Most gardening experts will agree that the best method of starting seeds is in a greenhouse.  Greenhouses provide optimal conditions for germination and growing: long warm days and ample sunlight during times of year when it is still to cold to even consider planting outside.   Many hobby greenhouses also feature auto venting systems that help regulate the inside temperature.

If you’re not ready to invest in a large outdoor greenhouse, consider a smaller portable unit that can sit on a deck or patio.  There are also small indoor greenhouses available that occupy no more space than a shelf or tabletop, and these are ideal for the urban gardener who is limited on space.

It is possible, though sometimes more challenging, to start seeds indoors without the aid of a greenhouse.  A large sunny window facing south is ideal.  If you don’t have such a location, consider purchasing fluorescent light fixtures with full spectrum grow lights.  These can be suspended a few inches over young plants and set on timers to provide the necessary 14 hours of light per day.  Ideally, the daytime temperature should be approximately 75 degrees Fahrenheit and the nighttime temperature around 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.  If plants are in warmer temperatures all day and night, they will grow tall and soft, rather than the stock, robust transplants that are hardier for setting outdoors.

Seedlings also need plenty of moisture for germination and early growth.  Planting in a mixture that contains plenty of peat moss will aid in moisture retention.  In the early stages, before seeds have germinated, fill a spray bottle with water and use this to keep the soil moist.  This will prevent overwatering, which can cause seeds to dislodge and wash away.

The last important step in growing your own plants from seed is hardening off before transplanting outdoors.  Hardening off refers to the process of preparing plants for the rigors of growing outdoors.  Some gardeners harden off their seedlings by placing them outdoors on a deck or patio during favorable weather conditions for a week or so before transplanting is to occur.  Other methods of hardening off include lowering the temperature where the plants are located, watering only when plants show signs of wilting, and placing a fan nearby to blow a gentle breeze on the seedlings.

By following these tips, along with a good dose of patience, any gardener can successfully start their own vegetable plants from seed.  The process may be time consuming, but it is also very satisfying, and you’ll be rewarded with dozens of young plants at a fraction of the cost of purchasing them from a nursery or garden center.

If you’re like most gardeners, you probably can’t wait for the weather to warm up so you can get outside and start planting.  Particularly in the case of vegetable gardening, most plants can’t go in the ground until the weather warms up significantly and the danger of frost has passed.  But have you considered planting some cool weather vegetable crops that can be sown as early as several weeks before the last expected frost date?  Cool weather vegetables are a great way to get a head start on the season’s plantings.  Not only do cool weather veggies keep your planting areas productive for more months of the year, they also allow you to get out in the garden earlier in the spring.  In this article, we’ll explore a few varieties of cool weather vegetables that you might want to try growing in your garden this spring.

Carrots:
Anyone who says they don’t like carrots has probably never tasted fresh carrots out of a homegrown vegetable garden.  Carrots are a great crop to start early in the year because they are resistant to cold temperatures.  Sow your carrot seeds directly in the garden as early as the soil can be worked.  Good soil preparation is important if you want to have good looking carrots.  If there are any sticks or rocks in the top several inches of soil, your carrots will be misshapen because they will have to grow around these obstacles.

After your carrot seeds have germinated, be sure to thin them out early, while the plants are still small.  For the best tasting carrots, harvest the plants while they are still young.  If carrots stay in the soil too long, they will become tough and less flavorful.

Lettuce:
Lettuce is a very popular homegrown crop because it’s so easy to grow.  Lettuce prefers cool temperatures, so it can also be started early in the year.  There are many different varieties of lettuce to choose from.  For a nice variation, consider buying a packet of mesclun mix seeds, which will give you a sampling of a half dozen or so of the more popular varieties.  Lettuce seeds can be sown directly in the garden, or they can be grown in planter boxes on a porch or patio.  One thing to keep in mind about growing lettuce-the plants won’t last all summer long.  Lettuce should be planted in the early spring because it will quickly die off in the hot midsummer temperatures.  If you have an area of your garden where you grow perennials, consider planting your lettuce there in the early spring, while there’s still plenty of space.  By the time your perennials start getting bigger, your lettuce crop will be just about done for the year anyway, and can be removed.

Spinach:
Spinach, like lettuce, is another leafy vegetable that grows well in cool spring temperatures.  Spinach seeds can be sown directly in the garden as early as the soil can be worked.  For an ongoing crop, you can continue sowing additional spinach seeds at 10 day intervals until the weather becomes too warm for the plants.  Young spinach plants are a favorite of rabbits, so if these garden pests become a problem in your yard, you may have to install chicken wire fencing around your garden area.  Another option is to sprinkle bloodmeal around the plants.  Many animals, including rabbits, will not cross a line of bloodmeal.

Peas:
Peas are another cool weather favorite, growing easily from early spring until the weather becomes too warm for the plant to tolerate.  One of the best things about peas is that they are a vining plant, meaning they will grow vertically upward.  This means that they take up a very small amount of garden real estate, while still producing heavily.  Peas should be sown directly in the garden as early as the soil can be worked.  One good method is to plant your peas in long rows, and once the plants germinate, provide a fence of plastic netting or chicken wire alongside the row for the plants to grow upon.  It’s also a good idea to add a thick layer of mulch to the established pea vines to help keep the roots cool and to retain soil moisture.

Carrots, lettuce, spinach, and peas are just a few examples of cool weather vegetables.  There are many other vegetables in addition to these that can be planted early in the spring.  With a little experimentation, you’ll be able to find a mix of cool weather veggies that you can grow early in the year to make better use of your garden space and to give your green thumb an early spring workout.

Growing a home vegetable garden has many benefits.  For gardening enthusiasts, growing your own vegetables is a fun and rewarding hobby.  For others, it’s a way to ensure you are eating safe produce because you know where it comes from.  Controlling the application of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides is easy; if you don’t want these things on the food you eat, then you can simply choose not to use them.  For this reason, home vegetable gardening is the organic food lover’s dream.

But in addition to these benefits, did you also know that home vegetable gardening is a good way to save money?  For as little as a $40 investment at your local garden center, you can grow over $600 worth of fruits and vegetables in your own yard.  During tough economic times, those numbers can really help out your pocketbook!

It is estimated that the number of U.S. families growing their own produce will increase by approximately 40% this summer.  So what kinds of fruits and vegetables are these families growing?  What are the best plants to put in your vegetable garden?  We’ll evaluate some of the more commonly home grown produce items and review the basics of how to get started growing them yourself.

Tomatoes:
Tomatoes are by far the most popular home grown produce item.  They are extremely versatile and easy to grow. They don’t require a lot of care, and will produce well, even under less than desirable conditions.  Tomatoes can be grown in almost any soil type, as long as they receive 4-5 hours of sunlight per day.  Regular watering is preferable, though they will produce fruit even in dry conditions.  Tomatoes can be purchased as small plants from your local garden center, but they are also quite simple to grow from seed.  If growing from seed, you should start your plants indoors about 8 weeks before the last frost in your area.

Squash:
Squash is another popular choice for home vegetable gardeners because of its heavy yields.  One squash will easily feed a family of 3-4 people, or if you want to do some canning, 3 or 4 plants will be sufficient.  There are many varieties of squash to choose from.  Summer squash such as zucchini is a popular choice.  Winter squashes such as acorn or butternut squash are harvested later in the fall and have a long shelf life when stored in cool, dry conditions.

Peas and Beans:
Peas are a cool season crop that should be started as early as possible in the spring, after the last frost.  Most types of peas are climbing vines, which means you’ll need to provide some type of support such as a small trellis.  Beans are available in both pole (climbing) and bush varieties, depending on how much space you have and what your needs are.  Depending on the variety of peas and beans you choose, some will require shelling, meaning that the outer hull must be removed and discarded before consumption.  Other peas and beans such as snow or sugar peas and green beans have edible pods.

Peppers:
Peppers are another popular choice for home vegetable gardening, especially because they can be a very expensive produce item to buy in the grocery store.  The most important thing to remember about growing peppers is that they require plenty of warm weather.  If you live in a northern climate with cooler, shorter summers, then peppers probably aren’t the plant for you.  Peppers require at least 6-8 weeks of very hot temperatures in order to produce reliably.  Good fertilization is also important for the best yields.  Once the plant is established, be sure to choose a fertilizer rich in phosphorus and potassium rather than one with too much nitrogen.

With a little patience and a green thumb, you too can be well on your way to growing your own vegetables at home.  Home grown vegetables cost less, usually taste better, and you have the satisfaction of knowing you grew them yourself!  So what are you waiting for?  Buy some seeds and get your home vegetable garden started today!