Prices of tomatoes and peppers in your area

[NJCher]

I visited a local nursery and saw plants outside at a Walmart.

I think the prices were high. A tomato plant 4 inches tall was $3.50 and $3.44 respectively. You save a big whopping six cents at Walmart. Same prices for peppers.

Flats were $16–impatiens, alyssum, etc. at the nursery.

A raised bed with 9 tomato plants would be $31.50 and a raised bed of 12 peppers is $42.

I have my own plants because for me it’s not just one bed of tomatoes—it’s more like 20 (my own plus community garden).

Plants at Walmart—some were healthy but others were dead. They don’t care because they just return dead plants and get a credit.

[Unwind Your Mind]

1. I bought my plants last weekend at the farmers market

6 tomatoes, 3 tomatillos, 2 cukes and a 6pack of sugar snap peas for 45 dollars

The plants are healthy with lots of leaves and buds already on the tomatillos

I am pleased 😀

[NJCher]

2. there certainly are advantages to buying them

if you're not growing good sized amounts like mine:

--cost of starting soil
--cost of trays
--time spent doing it (which I do not mind it all; I actually love it)
--finding places on a south side window for them to grow
--watering them
--walking them outside every day for a few hours, then more, just to get them hardy

One thing about tomatoes, though, is that I don't trust some places to take them inside when it is still cool. If they are stored outside, it has an effect on the fruit that grows later in the season. When you grow your own, you have complete control over it.

[Unwind Your Mind]

4. Yes, I'm strictly small time hehe

I do still give away lots of tomatoes when they’re really coming in.

I’ve never had good luck with seeds so I always buy plants once frost danger has passed.

My husband asked me why I didn’t haggle a little and I said it’s because I know how much work goes into growing anything and it would feel wrong to bother over a few dollars.

[jmbar2]

3. Once my new raised garden bed gets growing...

I figure I'm going to have $200 lettuce! And that was using a lot of recycled stuff.

Still, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love being able to pick just what you need. And the plants become sort of like pets to me.

[JustAnotherGen]

5. I go to

J and J Nursery in Raritan Township - they are the only place I trust. Even if they are a few cents more - it's of no matter to me. They are local.

[NJCher]

6. whole foods

has the same size tomatoes and peppers as the others mentioned in the OP but they are $2.99 ea.