What veggies should you grow from transplant over direct seeds? Veggies have been grown from direct seeds for far longer than transplant. Sometimes I wonder if transplants are any better. Here I will discuss my opinion on transplanting vs direct seeding. The list for me is constantly evolving and benefits of both direct seed and transplant can be hard to weigh out.
Skip to Bottom of page for a table of our recommendations or read on thanks.
Time is probably the number one reason people select transplants. If you can start your plants 6 weeks ahead of time you can get a 6 week earlier harvest right? Maybe. In my experience yes and no. Are your plants healthy and ready to take the stress of planting and natures elements? If yes then I would say you are getting yourself ahead. Extending your harvest season with transplants is invaluable. If your plants are weak you might be better of direct seeding. I have been growing transplants commercially all my life. In my travels while delivering to retailers or just snooping around box store garden centers I have seen the good the bad and the ugly. One tip of advice find someone local who cares or grow your own transplants. The “Guaranteed Plants” that are often times guaranteed to fail can be a great waste of your time and effort.
Transplants improve weed management. Avoid several weeks of weeding in your crop cycle by using transplants. Transplants establish faster creating a canopy to shade out tough weeds.
Transplants allow for better garden organization. Sometimes direct seeds don’t germinate leaving holes and wasted space in the garden. Seeding extra and then thinning rows or moving direct seedlings can help; but it is easiest to get perfectly spaced plants by transplant.
Direct seeding has many benefits as well. Seeds harnesses natures intuition. Seeds have a natural way of knowing when to grow its in their DNA. Many factors affect seed germination and seedling growth. Soil temperature is probably the most influential but day length, microbial activity and more play roles in germination and growth. Plants will grow according to the environment they are sown into. When sown during cooler weather plants will grow slow; they will keep cells tight and more frost tolerant they are hard. When sown into warm weather they’ll grow rapid and soft; they know its time to compete with weeds. These growth characteristic can improve garden success. So when time isn’t a priority direct seeding is a great choice.
Direct seeding of short lived veggies and many root veggies is often better than transplant. Some leafy veggies that go to seed rapidly like arugula, cilantro, mescaline salad mixs etc. are better direct seeded. Many root veggies like carrots don’t transplant well but there are a lot that do ex: Onions.
Here Is My Reccomendation
| Transplant | Direct Seed |
| Artichoke | Arugula |
| Broccoli | Beet |
| Cabbage | Carrots |
| Cauliflower | Cereal Grains |
| Celery | Corn |
| Collards | Dry Beans |
| Cucumbers | Garlic From Clove |
| Eggplant | Green Beans |
| Kale | Lentils |
| Kohlrabi | Mescaline Greens |
| Leeks | Mustard Greens |
| Lettuce | Peas |
| Okra | Potato from Tuber |
| Onion | Radish |
| Pak Choi | Spinach |
| Parsnip | Turnips |
| Pepper | |
| Pumpkin | |
| Rhubarb | |
| Shallots | |
| Strawberry | |
| Summer Squash | |
| Sweet Potato | |
| Tomato | |
| Winter Squash | |