Buying Vs. Growing Chamomile

With advances in technology it has become easier to get the things we want, but just because it's easier doesn't necessarily mean it's better.

I've wondered for quite some time whether I should grow my own chamomile or just buy it online. Here are the points I came up with to help me make that decision.

Buying chamomile:
Pros:
- It's fairly cheap.
- You can get it online and have it delivered to your door, which is especially convenient if you live in an apartment and don't have the space to grow your own.
- You can get it any time of the year.
- No hassles of trying to grow it: no mess with soil, no risk of killing the crop, no risk of losing the harvest to a plant disease.

Cons:
- You don't know what you're getting. Just because the label says chamomile doesn't mean it's the right chamomile or that it's organic. The person who grew this chamomile might have used dangerous pesticides on the plant.
- Even if you order it online, depending on where it's coming from it might take a while to get there.
- Sometimes what you get does not look the same as what you thought you ordered. The dried flowers might be pulverized by the time they get to your door, whether by whoever dehydrated them or by the postal service.
- It could be very fresh or years old so it potentially could not give the expected benefits.


Growing your own chamomile:
Pros:
- You know exactly what you're getting as long as the seeds you buy are the correct ones. It won't be easy to tell for sure until they grow.
- The seeds are fairly cheap and if you know what you're doing, you'll have a batch of fresh chamomile right in your own yard or kitchen.
- It's relatively easy to grow and you can grow it in your backyard, in your greenhouse or even in a pot in your kitchen or on your patio.
- The sense of satisfaction when you pick your first harvest.
- You can generally grow it indoors in Winter so you don't run out.


Cons:
- If you've never grown anything before it might become a challenge. If you're anything like me and sometimes kill plants, you might be better off buying chamomile instead of growing it.
- Seeds are cheap but may not be available at your local garden center. In the little town I live in, it's impossible to find them, so I had to order them online.
- Even if you are experienced and know what you're doing when it comes to growing plants, you will still have to wait for the plants to grow before being able to harvest.
- It takes time and effort and the results are not always what we wanted or expected
- Unless you have a big harvest and manage to store some until you can grow a new batch, you'll probably run out and be forced to buy online or wait until Spring to grow your own again, unless you decide to grown it year round in your kitchen.

In the end I've decided to try my hand at growing it.

Do you buy chamomile or do you grow your own?