Plug plants?

[Containergardener]

Does anyone buy plug plants of flowers for ease. I havent before but wondering if may help me a bit this yr, only managed some calendula and rudbeckia for flowering this yr, sunflowers for first time didnt germinate. Still only seedlings yet.

[bramble]

Yes, I bought some trays of trailing lobelia, trailing geraniums and some bedding begonias.
Sometimes I sow them myself and sometimes buy them in.
Depends, if I see them when I'm out and about I buy them.

[Containergardener]

I wondered about buying online .

[veggiechicken]

I've bought plug plants from various suppliers. I also buy the packs they sell in supermarkets and the corner shop.
It depends on what plants you want to buy and how much work you want to put in before being able to plant them out. The small plugs need potting on before they're big enough to go out.

[chillithyme]

I buy my flowers in bedding packs, a bit larger than small plug sizes. I can't manage both veg and flowers from seeds, due to space, so I sow my veg and buy in most of my annual flowers. Perennial flowers I like to sow from seed, though i'm not always successful, but thats just me. I like lidl and Aldi, i'm not sure about online, I can get cheap plants locally, thats why

[Gillykat]

I'll usually grow my bog-standard hardy annuals like calendula, sunflower, nasturtium etc from seed but in the past couple of years I've treated myself to some 'exotic' stuff like Cobea scandens, Ammi major etc (which I've forgotten to sow earlier!) from Sarah Raven and they've arrived in perfect condition as very well grown large plants about five inches tall and ready to either plant outside or, as I prefer, pot on until they're a touch bigger.

Other stuff like lobelia I'll often get from places like Morrisons, Wilko or Homebase

I'm planing to be a bit better organised in future and sow seeds in advance so I'm not having to scout around shops

[Babru]

I'm with you Gillykat, buy some and grow some. I overwinter cuttings of fuchsiasand geraniums I particularly liked, sow some things, buy tiny plugs of some and well-grown plants of others. This year I bought some scarlet and geranium plugs from Aldi, came up great. The plug petunias were a mix of blue and white - not! No blue or white, all hot pink or purple. Still lovely though. Good plants, as long as you buy them the minute they come into store.

[Containergardener]

Thanks . I will have a look around, ive just been pricking out lots and lots of calendula ..so dont need any of those or anything orange

[Thelma Sanders]

in the past couple of years I've treated myself to some 'exotic' stuff like Cobea scandens, Ammi major etc (which I've forgotten to sow earlier!) from Sarah Raven and they've arrived in perfect condition as very well grown large plants about five inches tall and ready to either plant outside

I did wonder about SR plug plants as they're not cheap to buy, and I've been disappointed with the quality of some her Dahlia tubers in the past - but it sounds like the plug plants may be worth a try