Maybe it would be worth it for this springs planting at least. You seem to be having some bad luck with the seeds. I would probably try to get one more round of spring direct seeding off as well. I always keep trying, lol.

Yeah as long as you can get what you want and need from them. That is a good price IME. The big advantage to growing your own from seed is if you want varieties that are not commonly available. Otherwise it doesn't always pay to invest the time and money into doing your own.

Dave

Yes I think you are right. This year growing from seed is not easy. I got two children under 4. Maybe I should give it up and buy from the nursery. Only concern is that certain things, like spinach, lettuce, beets I need a lot of. Can't really buy one 4- pack. Things like Kale, Collard I'm ok with getting a 4-pack since one pack is enough for us. i'll need more than 4 lettuce plants to feed 2 grown ups and few bites for the kids. But i guess either way it's better to go to the plant nursery this year..

You should review the best direct sow planting dates for some of your crops and forget about starting them inside and transplanting them as tiny plants. I've been eating spinach from the garden for weeks, all of it sown directly outside. Most of those cold weather crops laugh at the cold spells they've endured since planting.

I never use transplants for the green stuff. That effort goes to tomatoes, peppers, and all of the flowers that I grow from seed. They will be transplanted as good sized plants, not tiny babies.

Your PennState Extension has a growing guide that may be useful for you, as well as other helpful information.

When you say you've been eating spinach from garden from weeks, do you mean spinach from this year or over wintered from last year? I had a kale plant that survived winter and i picked some leaves off of it few days ago. I pulled out all my spinach plants end of fall thinking i'll clean up. but i should've kept it. i've noticed the soil is still too cold for direct sowing spinach/lettuce etc. that what i think the reason is at least because my seeds are taking so long to germinate..

Sulani, I'm eating spinach that I planted in February and March.

And another kid suggestion.. Get those four packs of spinach, lettuce, and beets, and use them for your "guideposts" in the garden. And while you are at it, pick up extra seed of the same. Have the wee ones help out in the garden planting in, pulling out and so on those little rows between your plantings of the bigger and healthier plants.

How cold is your soil temp? Spinach will germinate at anything above 35 degrees. I know you all in the NE have had some weird weather this year but does your ground actually freeze? Like rhizo I'm eating baby spinach I direct seeded the first of March. I just wonder if something other than soil temp might be the problem?

Dave

I haven't checked the soil temp. I just thought the reason they weren't coming up was because of it. Most of my seeds I germinated in paper towel and then planted in the garden after they sprouted. Or I sowed in the cold frame and transplanted as babies. Those transplants (few that survived animal attack) seem to be doing better now. Getting bigger . But some of the seeds that I sprouted in paper towel and planted in the garden are just not coming up. I did this with leeks, cabbage and kale last week of March. I see a leek here and there trying to peak through the soil, but not even 5% of what I planted. Out of about 50 cabbage seeds I got 2 cabbage seedlings peaking through now.. No true leaves yet. I wasn't going to have 50 cabbages, just knew things would go wrong and I'd be left with few at the end. Seeds are from Baker Creek ordered few weeks ago. What would you think the problem is ? I mean soil just can't be that cold for already sprouted cold weather crop seeds to not come up in April!