Saving money
Seeds are much cheaper than buying plants. A cheap seed pack can contain around 60 seeds, which can produce between 60-120 plants or more, depending on the seeds. That’s a lot of value for your money! Sharing seeds with friends and neighbours can also save you money – you can split or trade packs of seeds to grow all sorts of things without breaking the bank, or even buy in bulk to get even better deals.
Start seeds indoors and you can grow heirloom varieties, plants that are hard to find in stores, plants that aren’t available in nurseries until much later in the season, and plants that are not typically grown in your area.
Seeds are easy to buy and store
Seeds are compact, easy to acquire and store. They can be purchased in packets that cost only a few dollars each.
Seed packets provide a surprising amount of information about the plants they will produce, including germination times, spacing requirements and plant preferences. Storing seeds is simple—they can stay viable for several years if kept at room temperature in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight or moisture.
Gives your plants a head start
Starting seeds indoors gives your plants a head start on the growing season. If you have a short growing season, starting seeds indoors will help ensure that plants have time to grow and mature before the weather gets too cold.
Some plants need to be started early, or they won’t thrive. Some plants like corn and squash require a long growing season in order to produce fruit. If you want these plants to produce at all, you need to start them early so that they can reach maturity before your first frost date.
Some plants have very long growing cycles. For some plants, the young plantlets or seedlings take months of growth before they are ready to go outside into the garden. If you want tomatoes by July 4th, for example, you need to plant the seedlings in April or May so that they are ready for harvest around Independence Day–not June 20th!
Protect young plants from cold and pests
Starting seeds indoors helps protect young plants from cold and pests. In a controlled environment, your crops are less likely to be attacked by animals and also less likely to succumb to weather damage. When you transplant in the spring, they’re all but guaranteed to survive.
Starting seeds in spring gives you a head start, saves money and can be fun!
When it comes to gardening, most people are intimidated by the idea of starting seeds in the spring. Even if you’re a budding gardener, you probably don’t know how to start seeds—or what type of soil is best for them. Or how long they take to grow. And, frankly, why you would want to do such a thing when winter’s just around the corner.
Well, there are benefits: Growing your own vegetables saves money and gives you control over your food supply. It also can be an enjoyable family activity as well as a way to connect with your community (it’s hard not to enjoy coming up with creative and unique ways of growing what you need). Plus, starting seeds in spring means that you have a head start—meaning fewer days behind on all your planting chores!