If you choose to buy transplants, it is important that you buy from a reputable dealer who will give you the assurance of high quality in his plants. Insist on fresh, stocky plants that are healthy, medium-size, have a deep green color and are free of diseases and nematodes. The best vegetable transplants are not necessarily the tallest and largest available. Do not buy diseased plants or plants that look yellow or wilted. You cannot start out with a sick plant and end up with a good, healthy garden.
Gardening is hard work.
Don't risk losing a good garden by planting inferior seed or setting bad plants. It offers a sense of self-sufficiency and saves money. You can maintain a variety that is not available commercially. There are certain considerations that should be kept in mind when saving seed, however. Some seed dealers have responded to the increasing interest in seed saving by clearly marking open-pollinated varieties in their catalogs.