Should I use seeds or seedlings?
Written by
Nguyen Minh
Reviewed by
Prof. Samuel Fitzgerald, Ph.D.Whether to start from seed or transplant seedlings depends on your crops and the length of your growing season. I start my tomatoes and peppers indoors as seedlings because they need 8 to 10 weeks after germinating to be ready for transplanting. Root vegetables, such as carrots, must be sown directly because they develop delicate taproots that are sensitive to transplant shock.
Seedling-Adapted Crops
- Tomatoes/peppers: Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost
- Broccoli/cabbage: Transplant after 4-6 weeks indoor growth
- Eggplants: Need warm soil conditions best achieved with transplants
Direct-Sow Candidates
- Root vegetables: Carrots/radishes develop distorted roots if transplanted
- Beans/peas: Germinate quickly and dislike root disturbance
- Corn: Establishes better when sown directly in warm soil
Flexible Options
- Lettuce: Can be started indoors or direct-sown successively
- Zucchini: Grows well from seed or seedling transplants
- Cucumbers: Either method works with proper handling
Timing Considerations
- Frost protection: Seedlings let you plant earlier in spring
- Succession planting: Seeds are economical for repeated sowings
- Fall crops: Direct sow cool-season vegetables in late summer
Maximizing success with proper planting techniques for each. Carrot seeds should be planted shallowly in the soil, which should be kept moist until germination occurs. When tomato plants are transplanted, the stems should be planted deeper, which will encourage the formation of additional roots. Avoid injuring seedlings by taking them by the leaves, rather than the stems.
Consider balancing cost and convenience factors when approaching trivia. Seeds give an economy for large planting, while seedlings are immediate starters. My garden consists of both tomato seedlings bought and beans and carrots sown directly. This hybrid measure of gardening is a good economic use of resources and space for gardening.
To build confidence, start with one crop this season. Plant lettuce from seed or put in purchased tomato starts. My very first successful tomato plants, which I transferred from the greenhouse twenty years ago, gave me twice the production of the same seeds planted directly in the ground and convinced me of the great benefits of well-thought-out starters.
Read the full article: 10 Essential Vegetable Garden Planning Steps
