Secrets Garden Centers Don't Want You To Know!

In this video I'm going to show you how to get free plants for your organic vegetable garden. It's 100% legal!
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[@Investigativebean]

I feel like a gardener no matter what. I have grown from seeds, cuttings, bare roots, bulbs, tubers, cromes, grafts, and plugs. It doesn’t matter. You still have to keep it all alive, and it’s all still cathartic

[@amendria]

I’ve never heard “you’re not a gardener, if …” from anywhere. I believe gardening is gardening, regardless how you start.

[@jvjdrn]

Totally agree.

[@CynthiaLamb-jf2md]

If you can put a seed in the ground and it grows into a plant, you are a gardener 😂❤

[@judyhowell7075]

We hit the jackpot at Lowes, neglected plants for .25 each vs $4.98. All are healthy and beautiful

[@alzenaabernathy492]

I always hit that section at Lowe's, sometimes finding perennials whose only fault is being past spring bloom.

[@Flying_Doodle_Homestead]

Depends on your Lowe’s. Ours wouldn’t sell me the dying plants I wanted to buy to revive. Said they had to send back to the nursery for credit.

[@vaderladyl]

I had a lot of success with that clearance aisle myself. All sorts of plants that I had nursed back to health and now are adorning my home.

[@di4085]

​@@Flying_Doodle_Homestead Lowe's always has a discount section in the back with lots of dying plants they don't even bother to water anymore.

[@filly3594]

We've also purchased neglected and ratty-looking plants from local garden centers. Many of them did well when they were actually taken care of and some of them were just too far gone and lived, but didn't thrive, and those we eventually gave up on and tossed them. We live along the Front Range of Colorado and have geraniums in containers that we bring into our basement when it gets cold in the Autumn. Those geraniums are between 6 and 8 years old and they survive on a table in front of an Eastern-facing window and being well watered once a week and fed once in February. In the Spring, once it's warmed up, we bring them out to our Eastern-facing covered patio, trim them up (they get leggy reaching for the morning sun through the window over the winter) and feed them (Miracle-Gro), and they stay on our patio until the Autumn cold arrives again. The geraniums go nuts all summer - tons of blooms. One of our favorite flowering plants are Nasturtiums. We plant the seeds (new ones or collected from the spent plants from the prior year(s) the second week of April and 1-14 days later they start coming up and within 6 weeks they are starting to bloom. They bloom ALL SUMMER and don't stop until they die back with the first freeze and their round leaves, different colors of blooms, and their vining over the edge of their containers (one of which is a huge half barrel that is completely hidden by their overspill by the end of the summer) make them a beautiful carefree plant. No deadheading is needed, but they need to be watered every day, fed every 3 to 4 weeks (Miracle-Gro again), and sprinkled monthly with snail & slug pellets because the slugs LOVE to eat the roots. Nasturtium flowers are edible, in fact, if you go to an upscale restaurant, you may see them gracing your plate.

[@mermaidasuna4640]

I used to buy transplants. Some of the garden was transplants like celery tomatoes and peppers but everything else I grew from seed. I just moved onto my 5 acre homestead and started all my plants from seed. It's such a rewarding feeling to be able to see my hard work pay off. I also don't care if someone thinks I'm a "real" gardener or not. Nor do I care if it's a transplanted or grown myself from seed. All that matters is that I have food growing. When harvest comes that's what counts.

[@Crazychickenlady448]

Yeah, the plants you mentioned need longer and in places like here (Michigan), you really have to start them early. Until very recently, I didn't have a place to start them that wouldn't be destroyed by children or animals. If I wanted to grow them, I had to buy transplants! I do prefer to get them from private parties or plant shows, rather than to get them from big box stores, but that's mostly because of the difference in cost. ❤

[@AmysAttitude]

​@@Crazychickenlady448Children and pets depend on you to know right from wrong. It's your job to teach them to leave things alone that they have no business touching. I absolutely cannot stand adults who always blame children when it's literally your job to show them the right way, at all times, in all cases.

[@Crazychickenlady448]

@@AmysAttitude Wait, my comment on saying it's ok to buy transplants suddenly turned into an accusation of me being a bad mother? Ok, fine, bad mother I am then. I don't blame kids fir being kids, nor do I blame my cats for being curious klutzes. I was simply pointing out that it was difficult to start plants from seed successfully.

[@jamisonrayned.7052]

Amy certainly does have an attitude.... sometimes the space that children and animals take up leaves little room for shelves of seedlings... not everyone is as gloriously perfect as you.​@@AmysAttitude

[@ronndapagan]

I used transplants this year as well as had seedlings in my greenhouse planted around Mother’s Day. I do container gardening. I have more seedlings almost ready to plant in my greenhouse.

[@splifsis25]

I don’t have any space to grow from seed and I’m in zone 7. So I have to buy transplants. I’m proud to support a local business and still grow food in my garden 🪴.

[@alexandrevaliquette3883]

I use to live in a zone 4, with 3 roomates. From my small bedroom I could grow about 30-60 plants. I then offer them to my mother for her garden and keep only 10 of them. If there's a will, there's a way. I did it with Kratky method, so almost no manipulation and no watering. 100% easy success!

[@PackRatManiac]

I'm an advocate for "rescuing" plants from the garden centers at stores. I saw some pepper plants starting to get attacked by aphids at my grocery store. I rescued them and took care of the aphids. One pepper plant is loaded with peppers. The Habanero plant is taking a bit longer to put on fruit but the hot ones are usually slow growers in my experience. People buying plants from the stores aren't cheating, they are rescuing plants from a horrible demise of neglect and becoming stunted from living in a tiny pot.

[@Chudchanning]

Almost every plant I ever get from a chain store is rootbound. I'm new to vegetable gardening though and noticed the tomato plants from Walmart seem to be diseased or something, I'm trying to salvage them though

[@donnasantamaria8317]

I also am a plant rescuer! I rescued an orchid plant from Walmart clearance section last year and it just bloomed today! So rewarding! I always have several "patients" recovering in my plant hospital in my kitchen window.

[@margaretvanson3601]

Me too. I bought a sad looking chocolate crackles tomoto. Put in 70ltre bag of tomotoe mix, buried up to leaf tops. Now it's a picture of health and producing the most delicious black cherry size tomotoe in grape-like bunches. And they are delicious!

[@vaderladyl]

Yep all my plants are rescues and they are beautifully healthy now.

[@culinarygurly987]

I too, am a rescuer. My best one was a W. mart tomato plant that I knew if it did not find a home and soon it was going to get root bound and just wither away. I got it to the counter and I knew this was a $16 plant but she was beautiful and needed a bigger pot of she was going to stay in a container. I get there and there is no barcode to ring her up. The manager was super frustrated ( apparently this is a common problem in the garden center of that w. Mart) she went searching for the tomato on their system and could only find the small started plant....this plant was about five foot tall and fruiting heavily. I told her the price and she gave it to me for the price of the small starter ($3.99) That plant produced well past the end of summer into late fall and earned the name Audrey ( little shop of horrors joke in the house) and then we found volunteer tomatoes around the potting site the next spring ( Audrey 2 lol). She was the gift that kept giving once she got room to stretch her roots more

[@songstress56]

I get my seedlings from an Amish nursery down the street from my home. They are super cheap, hardy/healthy, and they have a huge selection! I buy them in the 4 and 6 packs.

[@chuckabell7456]

Real gardeners only grow from seeds, hand water, raise their own chickens, carp, and kelp for fertilizer, turn their own compost, and hand till the soil. ! Gardeners come in all types. IMHO, if you do somewhat more than visit the grocery store for all your produce/fruit, and a shop for cut flowers then you're a real gardener! Plus maybe the occasional dirty hands or gloves are a good sign.

[@jomaina4046]

😂You're funny. If what you said about being a" real gardener" is true, I don't want to be one😂 I like getting plants from kitchen scraps they are the real free plants. You just eat the food than plant.😂😂

[@tammyrawdon3587]

Definitely gloves... I got an infection in my finger from a poke that was so slight that I barely noticed it & it didn't even bleed, so I thought that it didn't break the skin.

[@TheChardygirl007]

Incorrect. REAL gardeners raise their own fish to turn into fertiliser. 😄

[@dscully7725]

​@@TheChardygirl007 In the pond that you dug yourself, of course. By hand 😂

[@TheChardygirl007]

@@dscully7725 stop peeking over my fence! 🤣

[@jastrik]

I feel like if it produces or survives I did a fantastic job. 🤣

[@cocomayleaf5871]

Word!

[@MrsB197something]

Me too😅

[@levans3447]

Same ! If I can keep it alive I feel totally satisfied !!

[@robynsjewelryideas]

I look for extras. Something else to add, if buying herbs. In the garden center at Walmart they were selling one basil plant for $4.89(?), I went to the produce section and in the pots there, there were a good 10 plants and they were $3 and change.

[@CarlaQuattlebaum]

Crazy, ain't it? Good to know that sometimes, the better deal on a plant is in the GROCERY section.

[@di4085]

That's what I did last year I had a couple of basil plants that I bought in the produce section and put them in one big pot outside.

[@VeliaRees]

Im glad people helped people. 🎉😮

[@anneramirez9577]

Some of us simply don’t have the space in our homes, and the extra money, to start seedlings indoors. In Texas we get a warm early spring, so I just started my seeds outdoors. Then the wind came up…

[@happy_bubble7]

My problem too, up in Oklahoma. Our locals said wait til at least Easter to harden off... and that's when tornado season started 😂

[@myeishabreedlove1959]

I am not an experienced gardener, but enjoy seeing what can grow. I have started my seeds indoors for a few years. I use empty water bottles cut in half, put some potting soil in, then seeds and then some more potting soil. I put the top half of the bottle back on and tape the sides so if it gets knocked over, there isn't such a big mess. I take a piece of scrap paper and label the bottles. Take the water bottle top off, then put them in the window. If you have a double pane window it helps to create a hot house/greenhouse. I have also started seeds on my dining room table. Plant the seeds then take a clear container, like a storage container for food, clothes, etc. and put it on top. The seeds started at about the same time as the ones in the window. Hope this helps and happy gardening. ❤❤❤

[@daygirl2659]

I love a variety of Cherry Tomato called Husky Cherry Red. I find them at Home Depot and I look at each container and I can usually find a few that have extra plants growing in them😁 This year one container had 3 plants in it and the other had two so I didn’t feel quite as bad paying $5 per container❤️

[@1LindaJMacKay]

I'm glad you broached this topic! I usually start all of my own veggies, but found 6 packs of various hot peppers for sale at .29c per 6 pack,as well as cabbage and other things I didn't start on my own. Felt a little sheepish, but 29c for 6 Habanero? Yes! I bought many and felt I was 'saving them' as it was end of June so would hqve hit the compost! Also found a Tradescantia Zebrina for 29c which is now a houseplant and has been propegated indoors into 4 new plants! I prefer to grow from seed, but there is no shame in buying good quality seedlings! 💚 Have an awesome weekend! 🌻

[@kathyley5661]

Yes, thank you much! I really don't have space to start seeds.

[@juneramirez8580]

Where on earth can you find plants for 0.29 cents?

[@NextLevelGardening]

👍🏼😃

[@kayeyeager8006]

@@juneramirez8580 yes yes yesss please share.

[@Gardening-FarmtoTable-andMore]

I also did a video on smart shopping tips when buying plants. He is right on

[@cbdcdiva6872]

OmG you are so right. The "oh...you're not using seeds?" When I'm in the garden center, nursery or box store is a real thing. I live in the DC metro area and winter told Spring to "hold my beer" and the last known frost was frosting waaaaaaay past mid April. So I did start seeds indoors but I also bought some multi-packs of some Spring items to help me get my garden going. My attitude is, I'm the one tending it so it's all good. If anyone has an issue? I ask, so how about that late frost we had?? And they slink their judgy butts away. It's gardening! Enjoy it!! Sheesh! *steps off soapbox, struts away*

[@MessodyKadosh]

Live in the NYC metro area it feels like we didn't have a spring.

[@suzboeh633]

loved your post, "Winter told Spring."🤣 Here in Ohio, there was a week when Winter, Spring and Summer all showed up to the Garden Party. One at a time please!

[@patriciareed3510]

😂

[@elizabethcain215]

You are hilarious I love your spirit

[@cbdcdiva6872]

@@MessodyKadosh I know! What was up with that!?

[@PaullaWells]

Freakin' great tips! I never thought about using a bucket of water to tease the starts apart! I can't believe I never thought of it either. 🤣 Thank you so much!

[@NextLevelGardening]

You're welcome! They practically fall apart

[@rawwillpower4408]

Yeah I thought that was genius and why I didn't think of that lol

[@PaullaWells]

@@rawwillpower4408 - Right?!? 😝

[@Lexajones]

Same! Super smart!

[@msginnny]

I was about an hour away from going to the garden center to buy my plants, feeling guilty, when I saw your video. Constructing my new raised beds and filling them took quite a lot longer than I expected and I hadn't started seeds as yet. But your advise was a great help and I'm looking forward to filling up the beds with lots of new plants, no guilt!

[@marysills4317]

Excellent info. My grandfather was a farmer all his life. What he grew he grew by seed. Except one veggie. He always bought tomato plants.

[@kymmellinger8962]

I have been gardening for 45 years always trying to learn and improve. I live in the PNW and contending with slugs, snails, and birds can be daunting. Some things I buy transplants and for others I grow from seed. Presently, I work in the nursery at my local Coastal store and I am constantly gleaning from my customers. No shame either way. Just get your hands dirty!

[@kaylajones2376]

Yakima girl here!

[@melissasullivan1658]

Yup. I absolutely love growing from seed but I will never grow strawberries, lavender or rosemary from seed again. It’s just not worth my time. 😏 Ps. I lived in Seattle until 2013. I miss it so much!

[@cynthiadoe3096]

Oregon here, the snails and slugs are ridiculous this year!! I have an over abundance of both! Lol.

[@sherimatukonis6016]

Slugs hate marigolds. Use those for a border around your garden. Deters slugs & attracts polinators

[@MrsB197something]

Absolutely ❤

[@LeeOfBent]

I see it this way: If I start waaaay too many tomatoes and peppers and give the extras to a few fellow gardeners because I ran out of space to keep them, thats fine. I'm one step removed from a professional nursery. The only difference is that nurseries/stores get money for the same thing, I get a plate of cookies for payment.

[@joel6221]

Seriously? Who gets embarrassed about buying plants?

[@rgbeee.1826]

Probably the same young people who think they discovered succulents.

[@isabelleblain6263]

I do both - growing from seeds, and transplants. We are Canadians who spend the winter in Florida. By the time we get back North, it is too late to start a number of veggies from seeds. So I am very happy to do transplants for those. I start the the faster growing ones from seeds. It works for me. I feel I have the best of both worlds.

[@j.b.6855]

I will admit to buying 6 packs, my first year. The wife volunteered me to start "our" garden. But in my second year I came to the conclusion I would go broke with the size of garden I wanted. As a budget gardener it just made sense to get some led shop lights and some seeds. I will say that it is a wonderful thing to see little seedlings pop up in Feb-March when there is snow on the ground outside. That alone would be enough to start from seed.

[@judyw5584]

i like that you asked about "taboo" or "snobbery" for seeds vs transplants. i think most of us try our best to start from seed. it is a pride issue. we want to do it. but if you aren't a full time stay at home gardener, sometimes you revert to transplants. in my honest opinion, what i find lacking is teaching videos on where things failed! because they will. i am not a full time stay at home gardener, so i appreciate tips and tricks from those who are, and also see what failed, because if they failed, chances are i might too. i am less discouraged to try then. i will take more chances growing a 100 seed packet at cost of $1 seed vs a $5 plant. it is a good feeling to grow and care for something you wanted and you will use and eat and enjoy. that is the most important thing. you can do it, but you will fail sometimes. important to teach yourself why things went wrong

[@runnerchik69]

Great video! I mainly do transplants due to time and space, however I almost never buy from Lowe’s or Home Depot. I buy from a local family-owned nursery that offers A LOT of variety! Much cheaper than the big box stores and my yield has been off the charts! Plus I’m supporting a small business and that’s always a goal of mine. I definitely want to get started with doing more seedlings though. Just need to get the right setup so I have the space and the time to take care of them. 🙌🏼🙌🏼♥️

[@deewinston5651]

Thank you Brian. I never thought about dunking the multiple transplants in water to separate them. Perfect. No damaging the roots.

[@elrivas2020]

Love that way to separate them

[@elsadakota1021]

More and more nurseries are having fewer and fewer six packs. They sure know how to make $$$. I sometimes get live basil from the grocery store and seperate, also, when they get taller I’ll cut them back, remove most leaves and put in water to root. I totally agree with you on going smaller with 6 packs. They actually grow way better for me than the bigger 4-6 inch pots

[@katiebroome9564]

I love the seed starting process! Makes me almost instantly proud of our progress!! ♥️♥️

[@tomjeffries58]

Some of my favorite spring plants are the volunteers. I get a lot of them here in zone 9a. I even have a tomato that started itself last year and it's still producing.

[@thomasbrooks8112]

I really enjoy your videos. I know this video is almost 2 years old, but it's still pertinent today. I live in a retirement community, and I've had to grow my tomatoes in fabric grow bags . Last year, I did extremely well! BUT, I didn't have a seed starting station setup at that time and was forced to buy my plants from starts at the local big box stores. I ended up buying around 15 starts at an average cost of about $8 each for the plants I put in my grow bag garden last year!! That's $120 for my plants! Yhis year I got smart and put together a small indoor seed starting station. With everything I needed, grow lights plant trays, and a nice 4 foot adjustable steel shelf unit I'm into everything about $200. Yes, more than I spent for starts last year, but when I spread it out of several years I'll be much less expensive. Plus I'm planning on selling some starts to help recoup some of my initial outlay! I'll also be able to start 100's of plants to share with family and friends, and my cost each year will be to buy a few packages of seeds, and those seeds will remain viable for at least a few years. I really appreciate all the tips and tricks that you and others have taught me about seed starting here on KZbin. 😊

[@jrae6608]

You can take a small sucker stem off tomato and transplant that in dirt or start in water. Can get several sucker stems off one tomato plants

[@sundayoliver3147]

@@jrae6608 Did not know that, thanks!

[@Myricaulus]

A German here, did i just hear Sauerkraut? Thats so stereotypical of you, i love it :-D Great Channel btw

[@samwiginton339]

I'm still going through the growing pains of learning to start some plants from seed, but at the big box stores here plants were 4.50 per plant for say tomatoes each so i went to an Amish farm and got 36 plants for $20 and a few other things next week i will make a trip back to get herb plants for my wife's inside herb "garden" until i get better at raising my own from seed and maybe i will let some go to seed so i don't have to buy so many seeds, great tips on getting transplants from a garden center

[@melissasullivan1658]

Growing from seed is a labor of love and not for the faint of heart. I love it personally (I find it life affirming/optimistic 🥰) but I’ve also seen a lot of pro-seed-only channels poo poo nursery starts without considering that not everybody has the kind of extra time and attention is takes to grow from seed.

[@roseallen9057]

I never knew you could put them in water to loosen them. Always learning something new!!

[@pedrotenn2007]

I buy from garden centers and start from seeds. The variety available at garden centers is very limited. I have 4 types of tomatoes I started from seed. Varieties not available at a garden center. Plus your videos on how to do this have helped me along the way, tremendous help! The fertilizer you recommended is amazing!

[@karennoble3795]

I love seeing your videos. I’ve been gardening since childhood. I gained my love of dirt through 3 of my grandparents & my dad. Now my children & grandchildren have the passion too, along with all my siblings. I love changing my tactics & methods with new things I learn & I thank you for that.

[@luzamart2]

I too am glad you are talking about this topic. Not everyone has the space or time to do a seed starting station. I’m teaching my DD with special needs to garden, and even when we do start seeds, she wants immediate results and transplants help with this. Shopping for deals is so rewarding.

[@julseabate4173]

Thank you so much Brian! As a third year gardener I really need the specific instructions (separating the seedlings!!) the more detail the better for me you have helped me so much! Love from 9b sonoma.

[@elainekomara8555]

I go to the local farm market and buy some plants from them. They have (like you said), multiple plants in the packs.. I started some seeds inside and put them next to the sliding door window. They are doing great too.. Although, sometimes my cats get into mischief and will play and throw the dirt all over the floor in my kitchen.. Plants survived.!! It’s all good.

[@Tracysop1]

Yes, I’ve felt a little embarrassed to start with transplants instead of seeds. Multiple health problems caused me to start too late for seeds this year, but I really wanted to start a garden and begin learning, so I did transplants into containers. I didn’t know how easy it was to divide, or I could have gotten a little more bang for my buck. Great tips. Thank you!

[@NextLevelGardening]

Hope you're doing better

[@Tracysop1]

I am. Thank you.

[@juliemcgugan1244]

If you leave a few of each plant to go to seed, you’ll be able to collect it and have seed for next season.

[@luannschomel2642]

Keep on growing honey !!!! You are doing great !!!

[@Nicksonian]

As someone who works in a garden center, I didn’t hear anything that we don’t want people to know.

[@Where2nextWade]

It's a click bait heading.

[@jodyvollmer4125]

Yeah, a bunch of nonsense. I stopped watching.

[@amandabolden2077]

Thank you for the tips! I started my seeds late so I bought a few transplants for my vertical planter to get some earlier tomatoes and peppers. I really liked the idea of separating the seedlings in water to make it easier to get them apart, and the ways to save money.

[@Sundrop2204]

Brian, just wanted to say how much I have appreciated your informative, inspiring and incredibly useful videos and how beneficial they’ve been in helping me in my gardening journey. When I started out a a gardening newbie 3 years ago when the pandemic hit, your video content were the ones I watched the most and learnt a lot from. Fast forward to today, I’m a more savvy gardener now (though no expert) with a vegetable and herb garden to call my own, and grow everything from seed or cuttings. It is a very rewarding and satisfying experience indeed having come thus far and I owe some of my tomato and chilli growing success to you. 🤩👍 While I agree that there shouldn’t be any shame from buying transplants as everyone’s gardening journey is different and that what matters is that we are growing our own food in the end, its so good that you are also advising others on alternate options to be more cost effective and get more value from their buck which is what home sustainable gardening is about. Thanks so much for helping and inspiring so many people including myself with our gardening journey and that we can take it to the ‘Next Level’ in our own way. 🙏🤩😍

[@Denise_B17]

I start from seeds, bulbs and starts. I went to a store that carries everything. I was shocked and saw several racks of free plants. I got several of them. Some were flowers and others were vegetables. Some were near death. Some ended up saving some. Some didn’t make it. I don’t mind transplants. Sometimes I don’t have time to get seeds started.

[@TrackOfAllJades]

Just saw my local farmer's market has transplants for 5 bucks and under. I think I'll pick some up this weekend to fill out my yard.

[@susanriggs8896]

I start many things, especially veggies, from seeds. Such a pleasure looking through the seed catalogues and imagining my garden full of flowers and veggies! Because my garden is small, though, I look for smaller version of veggies and try not to overdo things. But there's no denying the guilty pleasure of going to the nursery and checking out the beautiful displays of flowers and spending too much money.

[@bclarkquilts]

Great advice on transplants! And I love how you separated them to get more bang for your buck. Thanks, Brian! Love your videos!

[@melissastewart5838]

Hey! It's nice to see your still here and sharing!!

[@myrnaedmisten599]

I didn’t know about that technique for separating plants!! Brilliant!

[@janicemartin1580]

Love the tip about putting plant in water to gently nudge the seedlings apart. That has always been such an issue for me. Thanks!

[@katiemoyer8679]

I 👩🏻‍🌾 noticed…None of the stores locally have six packs of starts this year, very rare to find a four pack, always finding spotty variety with an incredibly Huge price on any size. Pricy singles or nothing seems to be the business plan 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@JS-jl1yj]

This year, my usual garden centre is selling single transplants in 1-gallon pots with astronomical price tags. No idea why.

[@cbdcdiva6872]

Yes! This! But if the tip on finding multiple seedlings was gold!

[@katiemoyer8679]

@@cbdcdiva6872 , I’ve used that method for years, just slide out the entire tray of plants on the shelf and look at them from side at eye level…the ones with multi seedlings are then ez to spot.

[@joantowers7832]

I consider myself a Gardener, simply because I’ve gardened for 40 years in Oregon, and now am expanding my knowledge in my new home ( & creating all new garden beds) in SE Texas. I’ve failed many times, lost plants to environmental and personal error, completely redesigned large OR yard three times over the decades. Experienced yes, great gardener no but determined! Also haven’t been very successful (yet) with seeds but I keep trying! Love your videos, Thanks! JT

[@juliareedy7103]

I had an incident and needed to start from scratch. I thought about buying from a store (and wouldn't judge anyone who would) but I had some really special plants I was growing and I was extremely excited to have the final product so I started over from seed. Bonnie is considered a local company where I'm at so I can usually find pots with multiple plants in them and I definitely look for them but I definitely understand where the 1 plant for like 7$ isn't worth it.

[@davidchrisman855]

I use both transplants and seeds. Love them both and don’t care hearing anything from anyone with a problem from that. It works for me and that is all I care about. You do you and I’ll do me I say. Keep up the good work.

[@rodsCanAm]

Loved your work with the basil plants. I had no idea and usually planted the entire clump together. Thanks!!! Rod. Peoria, AZ

[@giapetto2]

I have about 200 sq ft of veggie garden but have no good indoor space to start seeds (I have done so in the past for plants I can't find locally). So I generally buy plants such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant which gives me more variety than I could get with seeds. I still direct seed in the garden things like beans, squash, chard, etc. For transplants, I used to find 6-packs, then they went to 4-packs for the same price. Now ONE plant is the same price or more!!! And a packet of seeds for $2.99 or more! I do look for containers with more than one plant when possible; however, I have seen nothing as lush and healthy as those you show here. I've purchased annuals and house plants from the "almost dead" discount rack at Lowes, which is always feels like victory! Gardening used to be for poor people, now, with plants, soil amendments, a truck-load of compost, irrigation, etc. we are growing the six hundred dollar tomato!

[@MrsMouse873]

I brought a 6 pack of mangetout and got 18 seedlings from over seeding, what a bonus, they are all lovely and growing well too. I hope you get your garden going again before the film crew comes in! Such a shame you have had issues but it's fantastic to be able to learn how to deal with the various issues

[@anneramirez9577]

Mangetout! I had to look it up! We call them snow peas.

[@MrsMouse873]

@@anneramirez9577 that's really interesting, im beginning to find we have a lot of our own terms and names for things in the UK! It's like with Zucchini I had to look that one up we call them Courgettes 😅

[@corinnenygren428]

Never thought about putting them in water to separate the roots. Brillante. I can do that for some of the annual flowers I buy. Also never thought of adding potting soil to the soil to help them get a better start, that makes sense. As always, thanks for the great tips.

[@marystarrett8595]

Hi Brian, I agree with your comments about the subtle negative prejudice against transplants on You Tube I personally think there is Nothing wrong with transplants at all. I think that the transplants from the local nursery usually come from seeds that were grown locally and have a built-in hardiness for the unique growing conditions where I live vs. seeds sourced from catalogs. I am fortunate enough to live in an area with a GENEROUS seed exchange program in our Library. It is really nice to have that as a free resource for seeds that are locally grown and naturally robust right where I live. ..,So anyway, my only caution about transplants is bringing in diseases or pests from an outside source. I would really encourage your viewers to closely examine any outside plants. Perhaps a video idea....what to look for on transplants to give them a pass or strategies about isolating transplants until you are sure they are bringing any unwanted friends. Thank you for always bringing your bountiful knowledge to your fellow gardeners.

[@ivanhawkins3552]

Do you have a big garden

[@stefmcclure9386]

I love your water method of separating seedlings! Thank you for great advice once again.

[@mirandahein5344]

I struggled with seeds at first then found a few years of success with transplants and that allowed me to learn about my plants’ needs and growing habits! Now I start almost everything with winter sowing, and I hardly ever buy transplants. But I love your list of why they’re so useful.

[@jacquelinehoward5183]

I'm in Southern Ontario, Canada, and on Victoria Day weekend (aka May 2-4) our local Horticultural Society holds a plant sale annually. It usually has perennials split from the members gardens, but they had a few veggies too. I almost had a polite canadian fight for the last tomatoes! I had to replace some damaged/dead seedlings of mine. But I also found a few things for my flower garden. But I do have a couple of veggie gaps left I'll go to the center for. Happy Spring Gardening!

[@jeanshamsi4358]

save seeds from your veggies and fruits/put them in envelope (refrigerate, esp cherry seeds)/mark them and date/plant for free. Been doing this for fifty years. Over winter if veggies going bad, throw them into flowerbeds/ volunteers come up early and are hardy. plant fruit trees from seeds too. chestnuts/ black walnuts/etc. works well.

[@alicecowan3499]

This was the first time I started all my seeds. It was so much fun and gave me something to do late winter and early spring. Not sure my husband appreciated plants all over the house for so long. But he will when he eats everything ! Lol

[@elizabethjarrell2078]

Thanks for the how to tip about separating group of seedlings. Great idea. I will remember this one for the future. Gardening is so satisfying. I love it. ❤️

[@anniecochrane3359]

Lots of great advice, as always :) I"ve never thought to soak clumped seedlings in water to better separate. cool tip. I am happy to buy seedlings when necessary, and so do a mix of raising my own by seed, planting seed direct (peas, beans, raddish, carrot, parsnip, beetroot for example) and shop bought seedlings.

[@billmoore6688]

Good tips. I’ve separated plants before but you taught me something today to dip it in water to help separate the roots. Thank you

[@amyk6028]

Great video. This year, I bought about half my garden from transplants at Pike Nursery. Glad you showed us how to separate out the seedlings. Never thought about dunking them in water 🤔

[@christyw2010]

Great video! I recently picked up a 4” Suhyo cucumber plant from a big box store and was able to get 6 plants. Great for sharing with friends. Thank you for the tips. ☀️🌻🐝🙏

[@erincarlson4035]

I started all my tomatoes and peppers from seed and I was so proud at how well they did! 2 days after I moved them out to my high tunnel, the rooster scratched them all up! Ack! Luckily I had the money to replace the destroyed plants with starts from Lowes. Phew. Crisis averted! Cost me $130, but i learned a couple of good lessons. 😊

[@nancyrunion5525]

I’ve always bought transplants, that’s how I learned and got started. So it’s normal for me. But I noticed it’s getting expensive so I might try seeds. Thank you for your KZbin channel

[@tkaart2242]

Yes. I have picked that up on KZbin. Most KZbinrs act like everything must come from seeds and/or special seeds you have sought out or with a story.

[@jtharp9265]

At age 56 - I finally figured out how to make my own transplants ! 1st the prices of everything is going up daily / weekly - Thank goodness i purchased all my heat mats & led lights in December 2021 - Now i have varities of all kinds of veggies - Not just like 2 or 3 tomatoes or 4 peppers - I even had a plant sale ( gave alot away to help my community ) It made me feel so good - Here in Montgomery County, Texas Even Gas is at $4.39 A dozen of eggs at aldis was $2.47 ( we are looking into getting chickens soon ) Im 56 - my husband is 58 and he is still working - Thank goodness we almost have our home paid off as food alone is truly hurting us ... God bless you all and i pray everyone starts GROWING ..... Mrs Josette Tharp Texas 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@gb9276]

Here in SoCal dozen brown eggs is at $6.00 and a gallon of gas is at $6.69. Thanks, Brandon!😡

[@catriamou]

@@gb9276 a fellow sufferer here in SoCal. Outrageous prices. Not sure how young newly employed are surging this storm I live too far from Costco to make their lower price for gas work. Grrrrrrrrr

[@kayleneormond8353]

Great tips! I did not know about taking the soil off! I just tease them apart. Holding by the leaves was also a good tip too. I also did not think about putting potting soil in the hole, instead of my garden bed, or replanting in pots to let them recover, so next year I will try all these things.

[@sydneykasmar]

Good reminders about purchasing starter plants. I'd forgotten about checking the roots and appreciate your technique of using water when separating plants.

[@tbchamplin1628]

You’re on spot, Brian. WHERE you buy plants is important. My tomatoes, lettuce and green beans from Rogers Garden in Newport Beach, CA, are growing well because they only sell quality healthy plants. I love Home Depot but their vegetable plants haven’t met my expectations.

[@susieclark1498]

Yep, I've felt a bit embarrassed buying starts but I've gotten over it if I find a great deal or "just can't wait". Thanks again for your great tips and for giving us permission to garden the way we want to. God Bless you.

[@ivanhawkins3552]

You sound so good I wish we can be friends

[@denisesc21]

Such a big taboo!!!! Glad you hit that topic. Also love the idea about how to separate the roots in water

[@Pamalumpa]

I have tricky clay soil and have only been officially gardening a few years. Transplants have helped a lot. This year I did get brave and started seeds inside - so far lettuce, peas and marigolds are now growing in the garden. I did buy tomatoes and sweet potatoes so wish me luck!

[@kristastern2616]

Happy you have figured out your compost problem, and sounds like it should be a quick fix!!

[@maryanngibson3690]

so happy that you are showing people this great stuff, excellent.

[@annmc3878]

We’ve done both. Especially in years where we were too busy (young kids), we bought transplants. In 2019, we had some tomatoes and peppers that we bought that really did poorly, so I decided to go back to grow them from seeds. So I had seeds for the garden going into the pandemic. We often buy annual flowers instead of growing them from seed as we only have so much room to start plants.

[@donnalawrence8593]

Thank you. Again. Holy Crap. I learned alot. The roots from taking out of the pot should be a no - brainer. Definitely makes sense. I left the plants in the containers for a few days. I have pain issues ,but I didn't check either. Some of the roots were out of the bottom. Thanks for teaching me and others who don't leave a comment. Much appreciated. Peace, love , best health, and happiness to all.

[@donnalawrence8593]

PS. I just saw an ant on my tomato plant I got him off. I went into the house and got crushed garlic to put around plants. I put some into soil around tomatoes ,pepper,and hot peppers. I bought chocolate mint tea and lemon mint tea. No garlic close to that. We live in Pennsylvania. Thank you over and over.

[@debbiep7419]

Great tips, very useful! I recently used the bowl of water to separate plants and it made things SO much easier. Can't wait for the sauerkraut video on the other channel. I don't really care for it but I'm hoping that 1) homemade will taste better and 2) I can preserve smaller amounts (water bath, I hope) for my hubby to enjoy.

[@lisalea3853]

I start some rare vegetables from seeds, buy some seedlings and I’m experimenting with over wintering. Thanks for all your videos.

[@hillbillyshadetreefarm5732]

While I started most of my spring plants from seed for the varieties and the gardener growth challenge, I find no shame in buying starts. I started 8 varieties of tomatoes from seed but purchased 2 new varieties as starts because they we're beautiful plants, cost friendly and they helped me get a jump on my succession planting. I also purchased strawberry starts because I failed at starting them from bare root. I'm excited to see you shopped at my favorite San Diego local nursery Walter Anderson's. I can't say enough about the support and service they offer to gardeners of all levels plus free garden classes.

[@luannschomel2642]

OMG ! Dunk the seedlings in water to remove the dirt and separate the roots !!!!!!! Best tip for me at the moment.. Thankyou !

[@jacquelynraila6219]

I started growing from seed last year because I needed 150 petunias, and the cost would have been prohibited if I had to buy transplants. Also could not find eggplants or okra transplants. OMG everything grew!! I only have 4 shelves w heating mats that I have in my dining room ( which now looks like botanic gardens) This year I also started more veggies. Again germination was 90+%!! I do need to adjust when I start seeds because some things got too big, too fast. But I have found friends who also start from seed and now share. Love your show. From Denver...

[@mytwocents7527]

I agree with what you said about starting from seeds to get the variety you want. When you go to the garden store, the choices that they offer are basically the most common that people buy. What is offered is pretty much the same. What’cha get is what they got.

[@scottmoss3916]

being new to gardening I am following your lead and attempting to grow all my plants from seed. I am also going to attempt to collect my own seeds for next year from this years plants.

[@patriciajones9711]

We can't plant until early to mid-June. I buy both garden center items and I plant seeds. I have seen a lot of the push on KZbin videos to grow your own from seed like you mentioned, but your views are the ones I pay most attention to!

[@gingermele3111]

I live in an apartment and if I have any dirt in my apartment to grow seeds in or potting soil, these little bugs come in and get it and everything. I bought lettuce plants and I’ve been enjoying fresh lettuce for two months now.❤

[@sebouquin2430]

I had a hard time getting peppers to germinate, so I bought a couple 6 packs for $1.97 each (jalapeños & habaneros). I finally got some seeds to get going. My seed jalapeños definitely look better than the starts I bought, and I also ended up with a mystery pepper plant with the jalapeños 😂. It’s not the first time I purchased pepper X and ended up with pepper Y in the garden. It’s all fun, and I enjoy the guessing game in the garden (I have a few tomatoes that I’m not sure what they are yet since they got mixed up when my toddler tried to help). I will definitely check for root bound plants from now on. Great tip. Thanks 👍🏼

[@darklordmenet]

nope, i've seen lots of youtubers transplant from garden center plants....guess i'm just someone watching weird channels....lol....but not a single one of them have ever talked about what you have. THANK YOU!!!

[@robcale8165]

This is the first year I've gone totally seeds. For economy. So far so good and it's teaching me some things I took for granted. Thanks for the video Next Level.

[@lispottable]

I have picked that up too. I always used to buy my transplant because I worked full time 12 hour shifts. Now I’m retired and have time for the fun of starting my own. It’s still gardening. We pit way too much pressure on ourselves. I say garden however you can and need to!

[@lisamart53]

Yeah sometimes it's overwhelming but I do buy starts and grow some from seeds it's ok to do both this is my third year gardening and still learning but some of the videos I watch they do make it sound wrong to buy plants and I know they just want us to learn to grow are own but sometimes it's hard or we have alot going on so it's ok to go and buy some plants and I want to say is thank you for letting your viewers know it's to buy plants.

[@phenixwars1]

Great timing! I need to buy flower seedlings for my garden and was dreading the amount I was going to have to spend.

[@robertjohnson9832]

Yes, I can see the sigma on youtube applied to buying transplants. Since most people can't tell if I started from seed or transplant, it doesn't matter. I get many of my transplants from the local famers market and supplement with plants from the garden center. I have eight types of heirloom tomates from these sources. I suck at growing from seed. They always end up long a nd leggy. I like the water bucket method of separating the plants. I will try it next year. Thanks for another great, timely video.

[@lanetower3411]

Thank you. I always used to pick the biggest transplant, but I’ve come to realize that that was often the most rootbound one. Good tips. I tried to grow all from seed this year, but gave in and bought a few transplants. Some of my seedlings just aren’t doing well. Not sure why.

[@MrsB197something]

Yes some times people that have alot of money and experience are condescending to those just starting out or income limited. I do both seeds and transplants and both can make a lovely garden ive found. Thanks for all the advice and wonderful tips

[@joepodunk284]

And here I thought I invented the bucket of water technique 🤣 I've been doing that for years especially with " tray packs " of Onions! I also buy veggie starts but I look for the one's with multiples always!🤫 Love your growing tips!! Thank You.