In gardening, seeds, starts, and slips are different methods of initiating the growth of plants. Here's a quick overview of each:

1. Seeds:
   • Definition: Seeds are the most common way to start plants in gardening**. They are the mature, dormant embryos of plants enclosed in a protective seed coat.**
   • Use: Gardeners often plant seeds directly in the soil or in containers to grow a wide variety of plants, including vegetables, flowers, and herbs.
   • Advantages: Starting from seeds allows for a vast selection of plant varieties, and it can be cost-effective. It also provides a sense of satisfaction as you watch your plants grow from tiny seeds.
2. Starts:
   • Definition: Starts, also known as seedlings or transplants, are young plants that have already germinated and grown for a period of time before being transplanted into the garden.
   • Use: Gardeners typically purchase or grow starts from seeds indoors or in a controlled environment to get a head start on the growing season. These young plants are then transplanted into the garden when they are strong enough.
   • Advantages: Using starts can accelerate the time it takes to harvest crops or enjoy flowers since the plants are already established and have a better chance of surviving pests, weather, and other challenges.
3. Slips:
   • Definition: Slips are small, young shoots or offshoots of certain plants, primarily sweet potatoes and some varieties of yams. Onions are another example of plants typically planted by slip.
   • Use: Gardeners use slips to propagate sweet potato and yam plants. These slips are grown from mature tubers and then planted in the ground to produce new plants.
   • Advantages: Using slips for sweet potatoes and yams ensures the genetic continuity of specific varieties, and it's the preferred method for propagating these crops.