Guaranteed cultivation joy with ready-to-plant vegetables

I love pre-grown vegetable plants, and I see them as both an extra insurance and a lovely shortcut. By buying ready plants, I don't have to sow and pre-cultivate everything myself - and I can test several different varieties without buying a bunch of seed packets that I only use a few seeds from.

If I don't have time to sow chili early enough for a good harvest, I make sure to buy some nice chili plants of different varieties instead. With pre-grown plants, I can also enjoy the luxury of picking my own tomatoes as early as May, and at the same time know that the plant can give me tomatoes throughout the summer if I just take care of it properly. I can also plant some delicious leek and cabbage plants for an early harvest before my own seeds have really gotten started. And a lovely eggplant can be perfect on the terrace with its beautiful flowers and fruits.

But there are several and larger reasons why I love all the pre-grown vegetable plants so much.

The pre-grown vegetable plants make gardening, and the joy of gardening, more accessible to everyone! When you can buy pre-grown plants, the biggest work is already done - and it becomes much easier to both succeed with and enjoy the plants and the harvest!

Some vegetable plants take a long time before they can provide a proper harvest, and these are perfect to buy as ready plants. Especially if you forgot to sow them in early spring. This applies to, among others, artichokes, chili, and peppers, which should ideally be sown as early as January. If you want to try some new varieties, but maybe don't want so many of each type, it's very easy to buy a ready plant as a taste test. For example, you can try different types of tomatoes and chili. In addition, the ready plants are perfect for getting an early harvest.

Both cabbage plants, leeks, and lettuce are ready earlier than if you sow them yourself. In that sense, the growing season also becomes longer with ready plants. However, the plants I am most excited about are the tomatoes and eggplants because they already have ripe fruits that we can enjoy right away! Furthermore, they look great in pots and on the patio. At the bottom of the article, you will find all the ready vegetable plants on my shopping list.

Feel free to replant the new vegetable plants in larger pots. By adding nutrients and giving the roots more space, the whole plant can grow bigger. It's especially important to replant when there are multiple plants in the same pot, such as with corn and leeks. When it comes to leeks, I also trim the tops - to help the plants grow stronger. Although it might be okay to let the plants grow together in a shared pot, it's worth replanting them so there's one plant in each pot. This way, they can grow even stronger before being planted outside.

Fertilize the plants with liquid nutrients and make sure to keep the soil consistently moist. I use Plantasjen's liquid nutrients, made from fermented green organic waste. It may work fine on a sunny windowsill, but to give the plants the best conditions, grow lights/plant lights are a good tip. With just daylight, you can expect the plants to be a bit spindly and less lush.

The vegetable plants have grown indoors and need to be hardened off before being planted outdoors in the open ground or in pots. This means that they must gradually get used to living outdoors. Start by putting them outside for an hour during the day when it is above freezing. Different plants need different temperatures to thrive. Chili plants need at least 10 degrees, and tomatoes need 5 degrees. Wait until it is warm enough outside before starting to harden these plants off.

Place the plants in a sheltered spot in the shade, and consider using a fleece cover to protect them from wind and sun. Gradually increase the time the plants spend outside, and move them a little further into the light each day. After about a week, the plants can be planted outside, assuming the risk of frost is over. However, remember that different plants have different needs. Wait to plant the chili plants until nighttime temperatures are above 10 degrees and daytime temperatures are above 20 degrees.

If you plant too early without hardening off the plants, they can develop white spots from the sun's UV rays. Due to the light and wind, the edges of the leaves can also become dry, and the entire plant may start to wilt. Unfortunately, these damages can stress the plants so much that it hinders their growth. It is therefore well worth the effort to take good care of these green seedlings.

My first advice before planting outdoors or in a pot is to make sure that the plants have been well watered for a couple of days already. This allows them to absorb a good amount of water, and they will tolerate being planted better. Make sure the soil is loose. You can use Plantasjen's herb and vegetable soil and mix in some existing soil. Also, sprinkle some of Plantasjen's vegetable fertilizer at the same time. This is a long-lasting nutrient for all types of vegetable plants, especially those that bear fruit like chili and tomatoes. This way, the vegetables get the nutrients they need to grow big and strong and provide a good harvest.

Water well after planting, little by little so it seeps deep into the soil. This helps the roots to start seeking deeper for nutrients and water, making them more resistant to drought and well anchored in the ground. It's not only when planting that it's good to add nutrients. You can water with fertilizer water, for example with Plantasjen's liquid nutrient, about every other week during the growing season. You can also make your own fertilizer water, for example nettle water or comfrey water.

When I buy ready-made vegetable plants, it is about ensuring a lovely harvest of everything I want to grow but haven't had time or space to sow and pre-cultivate myself. And it can also be a replacement for what I have sown that may not have turned out quite as I wished. Because believe me, even a gardener can sometimes need a little help!

Here is my list:
Tomato 'Martina' is an early, tall and high-yielding tomato that produces large, flavorful fruits. 150-200 cm tall.
Tomato 'Maskotka' is an early cocktail tomato that produces medium-sized, flavorful, orange-red fruits. 150-200 cm tall.
Tomato 'Red Cherry' is a medium-early cherry tomato that produces small, flavorful, red fruits. 150-200 cm tall.
Tomato 'Mountain Vineyard' is a medium-early, high-yielding variety that produces oval, bright red fruits with juicy flavor. 150-200 cm tall.
Tomato 'Artisan Green Tiger' is a mini-plum tomato with fruits that are green with dark green to yellow stripes. Sweet-tart, fresh taste. 150-200 cm tall.
Tomato 'Marmande' is a large beefsteak tomato with lots of flesh and good flavor. 150-200 cm tall.
Chili 'Cheyenne' has a nice, bushy growth habit that is ideal for pots. Provides early harvest of orange fruits. Good for stews and pickling.
Chili 'Pimiento de Padrón' is a classic chili for Spanish tapas. Plump, large, green fruits with thick flesh. Mild heat. Good for frying!
Eggplant, ready-to-harvest plant with large dark purple fruits.
Leeks, broccoli, and cauliflower in a pot for an earlier harvest while I wait for my own plants.