The Pros and Cons to Transplant Tomato Seedling VS Plant Tomato Seeds

There are many reasons to start with seedlings, rather than starting your own seed.

THE PROS

The advantages of using pre-started seedlings (purchased locally or through mail order or shared from gardening friends) generally focus on convenience, space constraints, and timing. Starting tomatoes from seed requires up-front planning, selecting and purchasing of seeds, and an appropriate space in which to grow the seeds. And packets of seeds often provide far more seeds for a variety than are required.

By eliminating the steps and materials involved in starting your own seed, planting your garden with purchased tomato seedlings could end up being more cost-effective. By obtaining just the number of plants you need, you avoid the conundrum of what to do with the numerous excess seedlings that often result from overly ambitious gardeners starting too many plants of too many varieties. You also avoid the annual angst of trying to nurture self-started seedlings along in a healthy state in the typically unsettled late winter and early spring weather.

Transplanting reduces the need for general labor. Not only do Growers Transplanting automated transplanters plant at a rate of up to 2 acres per hour with minimal manpower, but the reduced weed problems and upkeep associated with transplants eliminate the need for such practices as crop thinning and lessens weed management. These key elements result in significant, immediate and long-term savings.

THE CONS

If you do choose to plant your garden with purchased tomato seedlings, it is important to know the various risks. Tomato seedlings are quite tender and there is always the chance that mail-order plants will not arrive in good condition. The cost of seedlings, when compared to seeds, is significantly higher, especially when considering shipping costs. And, of course, you’ll have a much narrower selection of tomato varieties if you buy seedlings than you would if you started them yourself.

If you purchase seedlings locally, you might still encounter plants that have been mishandled, underwatered, or infected with diseases.

Seedlings that are greenhouse-grown may not have been hardened off properly. (On this note, larger is not necessarily better, as smaller, well-hardened seedlings will adapt more quickly to being planted out than leggy, less-hardened specimens.) It is important to watch for seedlings that have been only recently transplanted and have yet to develop an effective root system in the container.