Growing vegetable transplants from seeds

My first year gardening, I purchased all my vegetable plants from my local nursery. It was a great option at the time because it was [practically] a guarantee that I would be successful in my first vegetable garden. As I walked towards the checkout lanes, I passed all the seed packets and I wondered how I would fair if I grew my own plants from seed. The following year, I did just that, and I haven’t looked back since.Undoubtedly, it is easier to start a vegetable garden by transplanting nursery grown plants directly into the soil than it is to grow your own vegetable transplants from seeds. However, planting a garden from seeds is the most economical way to grow vegetables and herbs. You can buy a packet of seeds for the same price (or less) that you would pay for one plant at the nursery.  And most seeds last a few years if stored properly so you do not need to plant all the seeds at once.

I prefer to grow my garden from seed because I can start my garden earlier, with varieties of vegetables that are not available at my local nursery. I also enjoy watching all the different phases of growth that a transplant goes through. For me, nothing is more exciting or more rewarding than watching a seed sprout up through the soil and growing its first true leaves. 

For those who are open to the challenge, I will provide some basic information on starting a garden from seed over the next few posts to help you get started.