For those looking to get in on the home gardening excitement, it may seem relatively easy at first glance. But there are quite a few considerations to make when it comes to choosing your seeds while keeping in mind how they’ll thrive in different environments. There are quite a few varieties on the market to explore and bargain seed brands are certainly worth your consideration. Sometimes the more expensive options are indeed what you need in the end though, this will just depend on the type of vegetable and current state of your garden.
Chowhound spoke with expert Lara Hermanson, who is the co-founder of Farmscape and runs the company’s Northern California branch. She is also a licensed landscape contractor and an organic farmer, so she was able to get us some further insight on the matter. When speaking on more expensive seed packets, she says, “They’re worth it when you’re paying for traits that raise reliability (disease or bolt resistance, heat tolerance, uniformity).”
So if you’re after a specific type of cucumber or tomato varietal — Hermanson suggests it’s more reasonable to spend out for “proven high-performance F1s,” which are hybrid seeds specifically designed to create the best possible, high yield result. In this case, the extra money on pricier seed packs is worth it. Considering the types of produce you’ll be growing is imperative, but also make sure to note what happens when you use too much mulch when crafting your garden. Don’t forget to also note the soil that will be best for your vegetable garden. Once you get these basics down, you can then consider other factors that will affect your harvest, like climate and seed variety.
Read more: 11 Easiest Vegetables To Grow Inside
Consider Climate And Seed Variety
Various seed packets at store. – Mulevich/Shutterstock
Seed compatibility relative to climate is a big point of concern when thinking about how you will maintain your garden and what plants will do best where you live. But first, there are a slew of tips for picking the best spot for your garden before you even get the seeds involved. This can be done by ensuring you “match seeds to your climate and season window, checking days-to-maturity so crops actually finish before heat or frost,” according to Lara Hermanson. Taking extra care to ensure the plants you’re attempting to integrate will thrive in your garden thus creates a wider net for higher ROI (return on gardening investment).
Speaking of which, Hermanson recommends that you can get the best return with a variety of seeds. She goes on to describe this as, “a smart mix: dependable, affordable open-pollinated varieties plus a few strategic hybrids where they truly help.” In this case, throwing some extra funds toward nicer hybrids will actually help the overall output and health of your garden, so instead of thinking of it as an added expense, this distinct way of gardening actually becomes an investment for future output.
Our expert further recommends to “compare price per seed and buy from reputable suppliers — fresh stock with tested germination beats a bargain packet every time.” When it comes to bargain brands, Hermanson notes that “for easy direct-sow staples — radishes, bush beans, zucchini — affordable packets from a solid brand perform just as well.” All said, you may jump to an impulse purchase when you see the neatly-arranged seed packets at the store, but don’t buy any seeds until taking this one necessary step.
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