starter packs v. starter pots

When shopping around for starter plants, I noticed they tend to be available in either packs (paks) or pots. Packs usually have 3 or 4 individual starter plants; depending on the pack and type of plant. I think packs are a good way to buy starter plants for your container garden. It allows the gardener to arrange the plants according to the container shape and size. Some people like to spread their plants around as opposed to planting a giant clump. The root ball of a plant from a pack tend to be small, 3/4" x 2". This is an ideal size for placing starter plants in containers with multiple pockets like the strawberry jar pots.

I recently planted strawberry plants (which i acquired from Binder Farm) from packs of four into one of the strawberry jar planters. The planter has 6 pockets. I planted the rest at the top as well as direct sowed in borage seeds.

Another benefit to buying starters by packs is that there will be greater yield of whatever your plant produces. Tomatoes are sometimes sold in packs. If tomatoes are desired, buying the starter plants is definitely the way to go. There might be a concern of having too many tomatoes but you can always make sauces, which can freeze, or give tomatoes to famiky, friends, and coworkers. Everyone loves home grown tomatoes!

Herbs are usually sold in pots. The sizes I've seen start at 3" inches. I find the smaller pot is an adequate size for buying herbs. It's small enough to manage and repot with other herbs in a larger container. And, I'm only interested in starter herbs as opposed to buying herbs that have been established. Not only that but herbs tend to be prolific growers. They will keep producing more leaves and sprout more shoots each time you cut them or pick them. A little herb plant can go a long way! Most small potted herbs are inexpensive and sometimes there are great deals the more you buy.