I don't grow many things from seed these days, it's just as easy, and often cheaper, to buy small plants and grow them on, but it's fun waiting for germination and watching the subsequent growth so I do still start a few things off each spring. I used to have an allotment so when the growing year started, my greenhouse and every available indoor windowsill used to be covered with seedlings. These days I'm down to a seed tray or two.
I had a bad growing year last year. The tomato seeds were very slow to germinate and hardly put on any growth so I ended up buying a couple of plants from a local nursery. Even these didn't do very well and I hardly harvested any tomatoes at all. This year I'm going back to my favourite Maskotka, a trailing bush variety which produces medium to large cherry tomatoes. I've never found anything to beat the taste of these.
When we had the allotment, Mick's favourite thing to both grow and eat were climbing beans. He does love a wigwam structure on which to grow climbing plants, so I'm going to leave it up to him this year to grow these Blue Lake climbing French beans.
I grew mahogany coloured sunflowers last year, I'm not sure why as I've always preferred the traditional yellow variety and no, my opinion didn't change. Whilst looking through my seed box the other day I came across a packet of sunflower seeds my niece gave out at her wedding back in 2021. I forgot all about them so I hope they're still viable. Her mum and her auntie grew all her wedding flowers and these sunflower seeds came from their gardens so it will be fun to see if they'll still grow.
Of course, I'll be buying plenty of plants too but I think these are the only things I'll be growing from seed, unless I see something else which takes my fancy. How about you? Do you buy plants or do you grow from seed, or like me, a bit of both?
I'm the same as you in my flower garden, I will buy small packs of plug plants. In the veg I grow most from seeds. Last year was a challenging year, too wet in the spring and the summer weather was all over the place, which was perfect for slugs and snails.
ReplyDeleteWe've just got an allotment so I am excited about all the cut flowers I can grow there - nice easy hardy annuals mainly and I will be growing them from seed. I have no room for hardy annuals in my own small garden so it will be fun this growing season. My husband is manly interested in growing veg, so we'll see what we can do between us!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Ellie
Thank you for the reminder to check the seed tin - the weather has been so dreary I've not thought about gardening yet
ReplyDeleteMost people I know had poor gardening results last year - all the right weather at the wrong time and sometimes none of the right weather (I don't remember much sun last summer.) Mix and match here, like you. It's good to watch seeds grow but sometimes they just don't!
ReplyDeleteLike you, hardly any of the veg seeds we sowed last year came to anything, it was just too wet and cold. And some of the baby plants we bought in replacement also withered and died, so we had to buy even more. Last year was a bad one for veg growing, although things did pick up later in the year. I doubt we'll be starting on any veg early this year - unless the weather decides to surprise us all and be very good!
ReplyDeleteI don't do many seedlings anymore either. It is easier to find a small healthy plant and nurse it along to grow big and strong. I love spring and planting outdoors...for us that doesn't happen until the end of May when danger of frost is past. We are a long way from that- Today we are MINUS 30-MINUS 40-with wind chill with a high of MINUS 7˚F.....ugh....not sure what that translates to using the C scale but it is COLD! xo Diana
ReplyDeleteI've got my seed catalog right here, but the weeds in the garden are officially out of control!
ReplyDeleteLet's hope we have a better year than last year. I got some flower seeds for Christmas so will have to crack on with those but we haven't thought about the tomatoes yet even though January is almost over already. Good luck with yours.
ReplyDeleteHome grown tomatoes always taste good, but I do hope you have a better year this year and I think it sounds a good choice to go back to your favourite 'Maskotka'
ReplyDeleteHappy growing :)
All the best Jan
I grew those same sunflowers a few years ago now. Again, I don't know why, as although they were beautiful in their own way, I much prefer the traditional big yellow ones.
ReplyDeleteI've been pondering what to grow this year, and have discovered some sweet pea seeds, saved from last summer. I enjoy growing things from seed, but I'm also happy to buy young plants from the garden centre, for convenience. Xx
I also had problems getting tomato seeds to germinate then grow last year and ended up being given some plants. Like Mick I like to grow and eat French beans. The sunflowers should be okay. I grow almost all my plants from seeds, mostly sown direct. Happy sowing and growing. xx
ReplyDeleteYour post made me smile and remember my Dad. He was quite the Gardner and loved staring plants from seeds. I don't remember him doing flowers that way, but veggies for sure. He had seed pods all over the house. Like you said all window ledges. He and mom had a large bay window in the living room that provided lots of space for him to grow his seeds. We're -8 today in Central Ohio, don't think anyone is thinking about seeds, veggies, or flowers yet. Keep us posted on the sunflowers. Fingers crossed that works.
ReplyDeleteSandy's Space
Most of our things are grown from seed but we buy a few plants for tubs and to replace failures.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a good idea to only grow plants, fruit and veg you like and grow well for you. I'm not sure how much I shall grow this year probably not as much as I have done in the past and I might try a few plug plants as well.
ReplyDelete