New to gardening. Where do I buy plants?

bnm

Mon, Feb 24 2020, 8:34 am

Hi all. I am new to this.

Last year I just bought 3 ready plants in Home Depot and 1 packet of seeds. We managed to get multiple cherry tomatoes, 1 jalapeno that got eaten before we picked it, our basil plant dissapeared and the green beans we where growing from seeds started vining then stopped. The woman at the local farmer's stand said last summer was not ideal growing conditions for any of that with all the humidity and that I started too late in the season.

I live in NJ. I have a gated off garden with various raised sections, there is 4 sprinkler heads there that cover the whole area. What would be the simplest things to grow that are the least hands on? Where do I buy the plants? Is it better to raise them from seed or to buy ready plants?

amother

Blue

Mon, Feb 24 2020, 9:20 am

Starting from seed begins much earlier in the season. Often seeds are started indoors and then transplanted outside. Otherwise you can buy seedlings in home Depot etc. Check the last frost date for your area and what the recommendation for the plants you want are. I've done better with seedlings than seed but you can try both. Cherry tomatoes and cucumbers grew really well for me. We got a few peppers and some sugar snap peas. Zucchini was hit or miss depending on the year.
Have fun and enjoy your veggies!!

amother

Beige ↓

Mon, Feb 24 2020, 9:47 am

You can start your seeds indoors now if you want to grow from seed. Where to buy them depends on what type you want; any packet from any store that sells gardening supplies should be fine, but there are some specialty varieties that are harder to find. I recommend tomatoes to the beginning gardener, especially cherry tomatoes. Compared to peppers, they germinate much faster, and they grow more easily in different types of conditions. Unless there is a variety of pepper that is hard to find seedlings of, I'd say it's better to grow peppers from seedlings. Growing from seedlings basically just means that you get to skip the first step, but if you don't grow from seed, you can't replant heirlooms from year to year.
Pea plants are generally not difficult. If you have the supports, it's a pretty good option. You will have to do something about whatever's eating your garden though, no matter what you grow. (Choosing hot peppers helps keep mammals away, but you said the jalapeño disappeared, which indicates that the problem is birds.)

amother

↑ Beige

Mon, Feb 24 2020, 9:52 am

If you do plant peppers from seed, it's a good idea to get a heat mat. Also, I've heard that pepper seeds germinate better if you soak them in weak chamomile tea, but I've never tried it myself.

sky

Mon, Feb 24 2020, 9:58 am

We’ve done both - seeds and plants. The seeds do need attention but if you have time that’s the cheapest and most fun. If they don’t work you can always buy plants. The years we do plant seeds I plant a lot and normally enough make it to replant.

I plant our plants outside between pesach and shavous.
My favorite to plant are cherry tomatoes because they grow so fast and you can eat them immediately. The kids love them. The large tomatoes can rot or an animal can steal before ready to pick. But we still plant some reg tomatoes. Tomatoes plants need tomatoes gates ir stakes for support.
We also plant:
cucumbers - if it’s a climbing plant then plant with a cage, trellis, or near a fence.
Zucchini
Eggplant
Peppers - small sweet ones
Chilly peppers
We’ve tried melon with no luck.
Sugar snap peas are easy to grow on a trellis or gate from seeds. Just stick them in the ground.
There are nurseries all around that sell plants for cheaper then Home Depot.

I find planting is magical for kids.