Germinating seeds in 1/3 time with 3X more success, yes, you have to try this!
This is our FAVORITE method to germinate seeds quickly. As passionate gardeners, we have been using it to start seeds for over 10 years! It works great for all herbs, flowers, and vegetables seeds. For most types of seeds, this is our go-to method!
In this article, we will look at-
When and how to use this seed germination method.
Comparison of two methods: germinating seeds on paper towel vs. germinating seeds in soil.
Some helpful tips we have learned along the way, and readers questions at the end!
Definitely check out the tips, because there is one thing that you should NOT copy what the nurseries do!
And feel free to download this pretty (and free ) printable planting calendar when you start the seeds! =) 
Or make this seed storage box from cardboard boxes!
Our favorite method to germinate seeds super fast with much more success.
We discovered this method to start seeds from an older book- Planning The Organic Vegetable Garden. It made such a huge difference , we just LOVE it and have been using it every year for the last 10+ years! This method is called pre-sprouting, or pre-germination in the book.
Step one: germinate seeds on paper towel
All you need is a plastic or glass container with a tight lid. Clear ones will make it easier to see through, but not required as the seeds don’t need light to send out roots.
Put a piece of paper towel or white paper on the bottom of the container, add water till the paper towel is thoroughly moist, but no puddles of water.
Sprinkle seeds in groups on the damp paper towel, close the lid, and make a note to yourself what type of seeds are where, especially when you have seeds that look identical, for example- broccoli, kale and cauliflower.
Place the container with seeds out of direct sun.
This is very important, because a closed container can get super hot, and all the germinating seeds would die from the heat.
Start checking on them the next day. If the seeds are really fresh, some will germinate in as little as 1 day! The fastest germinating seeds include everything in the cabbage family – bok choi, broccoli, kale, cauliflower etc, and lettuce. The slowest seeds to germinate are pepper, eggplant, fennel, celery, which may take 5+ days. The rest such as tomato, beets, chard, squash, onions, will take about 3 days.
Step 2: Plant germinated seeds in pots
It is important to have pots and soil ready to go.
As soon as you see roots coming out, plant them right away. If the roots get too long, it will be hard to separate the roots from the paper towel. If that happens, just plant the paper towel!
It may seem hard to pick up a tiny seed, but it really is quite easy. you can use a tooth pick, or just your fingers, which is what I do.
Plant them at a depth of 1-2 seeds size ( shallow depth for small seeds, deeper for bigger seeds) , and gently mist them daily for the first week.
We also like to put the pots in saucers and fill the bottom with water till the soil in each pot is saturated, then empty the saucer. It will take a couple of days for the little green leaves to pop out. Now they will need full sun to grow strong and healthy!
Comparison of germinating seed on paper towel method with germinating seeds in soil.
Here’s how to germinate seeds in soil, which is what most people do:
In a pot filled with soil, sprinkle some seed, add a thin layer of soil, water thoroughly. And wait.
Sounds familiar? Once you try the paper towel method to start seeds, you will rarely go back to the soil method. Here’s why.
Pros of germinating seed on paper towel:
- Great success rate: Have you ever scatter a whole packet of 300 seeds, just to have 3 plants survive? The reason is soil tend to dry out, while the paper towel maintains consistent moisture level. When we germinate seeds on paper towel, we sow 12 seeds if we want 10 broccoli plants, because almost all of them will germinate and grow. When we get fresh seeds from a good seed company, the germination rate is almost 100%!
- Test old or new seeds: If you have seeds that are a few years old, germinating seeds on paper towel is a great way to quickly test if they are still alive. We have been able to grow healthy plants from cabbage or tomato seeds that are over 5 years old! If you store seeds in a cool and dry place, some can have quite a long life. We also use this technique to find out if the new seeds we got are good quality.
- Faster germination: For example, cabbage seeds take 1-2 days to germinate on paper towel and another 2 days to leaf out, while it can take 2-3 times longer if sown directly in the soil.
Cons of germinating seed on paper towel:
There is one extra step of planting the germinated seed in soil. So if you want to plant a whole field of flowers or vegetables, this method will not be practical.
Now you see the pros and cons, it is very easy to see which method is better for the home gardener!
Some helpful tips we have learned along the way, and readers questions:
- 90% of the time we use this method to germinate seeds, but we sometimes direct sow seeds that grow super easily and super fast, or less attractive to pests, such as arugula, radishes, or carrots.
- Although you see seedlings grown in six-packs at nurseries, I think it’s a fantasy because those plants were grown in perfect greenhouse conditions with daily fertilizers. It’s very hard to grow seedlings to that big in a six-pack for home gardeners. We prefer to grow them in 4 inch pots, or a long deep planter like in the above image. This allows the seedling to grow quicker and bigger before being transplanted, so they don’t disappear with one bug bite!
- Have pots and soil ready! Because the seeds could germinate in as little as one day! If your seeds grow into the paper towel, yes, you can plant the paper towel.
- For the first 1-2 weeks after planting them in pots, mist the seedlings or gently water them, and keep the soil moist. They are fragile and can fall over easily!
- Our favorite seed companies are Baker Creek Seeds, and Bountiful Gardens, both are started and ran by some great passionate people! Just look at that gorgeous green corn below from Baker Creek, irresistible!
Below is an extreme example of how much we love this method! =)
A couple of delicious pics from our garden-
You may also love to see how to create living structures from all these plants here-
Wish you a beautiful and bountiful garden this spring!
Melissa
Wow! This is a really in depth blog post! I had no previous knowledge of seeds, so this is very helpful!
Kaos
if you use a weak tea solution, (dilluted unsweetened tea) it provides a boost to starting seeds as well combined with this method.
Ann
Ananda – this is AWESOME information!! Wish I’d known this years ago since I grow all my veggies from seed. THANK YOU!!
ananda
with your GREEN thumb yours will start in 1 hour i bet! =)
Lee Anne
This is really cool! I will have to add some planters to my balcony this season!
xoxo
Lee Anne
http://lifeinatx.com/
Kyla Currier
I wish I had a green thumb and was able to do this!
Ronni Bergman
Kyla Currier, you don’t need a green thumb to have a garden. I don’t have one, my husband did, but we divorced 25 years ago. I learned some essential things from him, that are necessary to having a nice garden. Through trial and error of leaving out the essentials, I have wasted quite a few growing seasons!
If you follow these few simple absolute musts, you will be suprised at how simple growing a garden is:
1.The Seeds: Germinate just like this article explains. Super simple and reliable. Follow package directions for sunliight. (Full sun, or partial,for less- 2. The Soil: And this is crucial. It must be turned over, either by digging, or tilling. First year is there hardest, subsequent years are a matter if turning over with shovel, but 1 St time garden, the rocks need to be picked out , and the clumps of dirt broken up. 3. Also crucial: FERTILIZER… Depends on your soul, but basically, if you can just put some manure on/in (usually your local cow/horse farm will gladly let you take some out of his stalls, take your shovel! free of charge. Dump it on, shovel it under, evenly. Ideally, this should be done in the fall, after your last hardest, so it can break down over the winter, and not risk burning, or over fertilizing. Although I have had to put in in in Spring, just before planting, and I just made sure to use about 1/4 the amount, and get the OLDEST Pooh in the field/barnyard. And my plants loved it. Just make sure to evenly distribute. 4. Water: Make sure to check your soil daily, to make sure it is moist, (if not, water with hose — never during mid day heat), continue to check daily, in the evening or late afternoon until you get accustomed to how your particular soil drains/maintains moisture., due to your climate and rainfall. Be creative, you don’t always have to stand there and hold the house. If soil gets dry, plants WILL wilt and quickly die, also, continued dry soil will effect produce production. Mist plants in the eve, or morn, they will love you! 5. Lastly, everyone’s favorite part of gardening…WEEDING. Pull weeds between rows after watering (roots pull out easily). Stay on top of it, avoid plant killers, it’s poison you will end up consuming. Weeding is necessary to allow sunlight to get to the entire plant. AND, the VEGGIES will get all the watering, instead of the weeds. Same with nutition from your soil. AND THATS IT!! I’m confident if you follow these few simple rules, you will have tastier, healthier food, for a healthier you. Keep in mind kids LOVE learning, and being helpful. Andy if you want to start extra small, you can try some tomato plants in 5 gallon buckets, on your porch. Like I said,cI DO NOT have a green thumb. I don’t even have any house plants, because they tend to die every winter. But girl, I can grow tomatoes, cukes, and squash and zukes as good as anyone, and miles better than the grocery store has to offer!!! It’s prob not too late if you get in in THIS week!! HURRY!!! You’ll be so glad you did, And it is so rewarding, and good for the soul to get DOWN TO EARTH!!! ☀️🌱😊
Natalie
What an awesome idea! I had a tiny garden last year that I adored, but we’ve since moved to a place where I can have a garden about eight times the size of my former one. I’m SO excited to get started, and I’ll definitely use this method!
ananda
wow that’s awesome!! wish you a great garden natalie!!
Cara of Stylish+Geek Blog
Wonderful post! I have not tried planting from seeds yet but I will this come Spring. In the past I have grown roots from stems and that proved to be gratifying. Your advice will surely come in handy when I have a try at planting seeds 🙂
ananda
i am sure your garden will be so lovely cara!!
Breanna
I have ALWAYS wanted to have a small garden, but have not yet taken the plunge! Maybe this year will be the year!
Jordan
This takes me back to school when we used to grow seeds on kitchen roll! This is such a helpful and insightful post 🙂
hellomissjordan.blogspot.co.uk xx
ananda
i love the name “kitchen roll”!! xx
Traveling Cats
Great advice. In my case, it seems like it takes ages for them to grow.
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen
I absolutely love this method – it looks like a great way to be more successful than I have with seeds in the past. Not only that, but I do have some old seeds that I’d love to try this on!
ananda
i can just imagine how yummy your garden to table dishes are!! xo
Carla (@charliesue)
What a brilliant tip! I love how easy it is to get through your seeds this way- I definitely have a few packs where I’m not sure they’ll ever grow. 🙂
Rosie
Oh I love this I’m such a green thumb and absolutely love these tips Thankyou
Rosie
http://www.rosedogandco.blogspot.com.au
Erin
No way!!! I’ve never thought to do this but I definitely am going to now. I love gardening but really dont like the sowing gamble. lol. Planting 300 and only getting 3. Thanks for sharing!
ananda
thank you erin! wish you a bountiful garden!! xx
Alyssa Dawson
What a good idea! I don’t have a green thumb at all, but I really like these tips, it makes me want to retry this whole plant growing thing! (:
ananda
hope you will! it’s really rewarding! =)
Shannon Peterson
This is GENIUS! I can’t wait to try it out!
Laurie
I taught 4th grade for many years and this was the method I used to pre-sprout. Great post!
ananda
kids always know the best ways to do things! =)
Kelly - A Side of Sweet
Oh my gosh, this is genius! Pinning this so I don’t forget this amazing trick! Thanks for sharing!
xxo,
Kelly
http://asideofsweet.com
ananda
wish you a great garden kelly!!
Myrabev
oh wow this is so cool, I am not much of a gardener so this looks interesting to me
Brenda
Such an awesome trick! I used to plant a garden every summer growing up!
Selbe
This looks like so much fun! Definitely want to start my own garden now!
ananda
have fun selbe! xx
Cathy
I like various flowers, sensitive plant, elephant ears, oxylis. I love houseplants, but some can be bought in seed form, which I do not have good success with, help! Will your method grow my seeds to plants?
Stacy Bolton
This is terrific!!!! I pinned it too so I will have it to use as a reference! I don’t know why but seeds always intimidate me LOL
ananda
thank you stacy! seeds are great because you can grow so many varieties!
lauriel
Ooh, I love your idea to jump-start germination! I do have to ask though, have you ever run into trouble with seeds molding instead of sprouting? I’ve had my share of failures, and I’m not really sure what the problem was… :/
xo,
lauriel
EyeForElegance.com
ananda
hi lauriel, yes that’s happened before. when seeds mold, it means they are no longer alive!
Katie Matthews
I used to help my dad prepare all the seedlings ready for planting when I was younger! This takes me back a bit! Gorgeous images!
Katie <3
RobynK
I was just researching this to prepare for our first garden at our new home, this post is perfect. Thank you so much for sharing the great information!
Ivette @ All About Bham
This is awesome! I just moved from New York City so gardening is definitely not my strong point. Hopefully now I can get to know more about planting!
Nasya Smith
I’m not much of a gardening type but I have always dreamed of having an herb garden, I have a lot to learn!
Turquoise and Tortoiseshells
Lauren | Wicked Spatula
Wow, great idea! We just bought our house last April and had a small garden with plants I bought already started at the farmers market. They did great but we want to use seeds this year! I’ll definitely be doing this! This may be a silly question but do you just place one seed in the starter pots before transplanting? I’ve tried to grow herbs before by just sprinkling a handful of seeds in the pot and it usually doesn’t flourish as I hoped. Thanks!
ananda
thank you lauren! for 4″ pots, i put 1 seed if it’s tomato, broccoli, or other plants that take a while to grow or does not like transplanting, such as squash. if it’s onions, lettuce, cilantro, i put 3 or more seeds per pot. =)
Sandi
This idea is making me excited for spring to arrive. I love it. Gotta go … off to get my seeds and plastic containers…Thanks!
ananda
a beautiful garden to you sandi!! =)
Debbie Dunfee
Sorting my seeds today.
Mindy
I will be doing a garden of only pots this year for the first time. Would you still transplant to larger pots or start out in a bigger pot size?
ananda
hi mindy! yes you can start in bigger pots, as long as you can still mist them and not let the seedlings dry out =)
Ashley
Love this! My daughter and I just started our seeds today. They are a older seeds so I’m hoping they are still alive. Fingers crossed!
ananda
wish you an amazing garden ashley!! =)
Lucy N.
Can I just transfer the sprouted seeds to our raised garden beds or do they need to go in little pots first?
ananda
yes, as long as you keep the soil really moist till the seedlings come up! =)
Ashley ~ 3 Little Greenwoods
Thank you so much for this fabulous information about seed sprouting! We are searching for seeds today and are planning on using your method!
Found you on StumbleUpon! 😉
ananda
thank you ashley! wish you a great garden!! =)
Susan
Can this method also be used for flower seeds? I’m trying seeds for the first time this year in my flower bed’s.
ananda
hi susan, yes, any kinds of seeds! =)
Linda
If I pre-germinate my seeds, can I them place them in 4″ cowpots with organic potting soil? If so, I would be able to eliminate smaller containers with seed starting mix and a heating pad, correct? Just want to get it right, I have purchased a lot of seeds from Baker’s Creek ( so much to choose from) and don’t want to waste any of these precious seeds, also bought a grow light. So exited, I have wanted to start my gardens from seeds for years, but somehow never have. This is my year! I also have 2 neighbors joining me who also purchased seeds so we will have our own neighborhood co-op with so many delicious varieties!
ananda
hi linda! yes 4″ pots are great! however a heating pad can be great for seedlings like tomatoe, pepper, etc. they grow quicker when the soil is warm! baker creek seeds usually germinate 100%, and last a few years, so i would start with only 5-10 seeds each! good luck!!! =)
Angela
Can I plant the paper towel with the sprouted seeds? Will it work like the papers with carrot seeds on it that they sell?
ananda
yes angela, but it’s better to plant the seeds just when they send out roots, so the roots won’t get tangled with other seeds =)
Liz
Thank you for this! I feel like I’m behind so it might help me to not be so late in the planting game. This is my first time not buying plants so I’m hoping you can give me a few more pointers like once they start to sprout green out the soil do I then put them under a grow lamp? I’m worried because April can still be a bit cold here in VA sometimes. How long would you recommend them being under the grow lamp before transplanting outside? Thank you!
ananda
hi liz! if it’s a heat loving plant like tomotoe, it should stay inside when temp is below 45. the leafy ones and cabbage family can take a lot more cold. just watch for freezing spells. if it’s nice and sunny, take them outside for the day! =)
Vickie
What about the really tiny seeds like Lobelia, ally sum, and impatiens? I have tried finding pelleted seeds for these and can’t find them. Only veggie seeds. Even if you sprinkle them on the wet towel they will be close To each other. Help!
ananda
hi vickie, for the super tiny seeds like celery root, lobelia, it will be easier to sprinkle them far part on the towel, and plant the towel. or sow them in a pot and mist daily till they come up!
Abby
Thank you so much for this post! This year will be my first real garden, and I hope to prove that my thumb is, in fact, green! I have a (dumb) question…when you say you plant the seeds 1-2 seeds deep, does that mean whatever size the seed is is how deep you generally plant it?
ananda
hi abby! yes, so for example, lettuce seeds need just a sprinkle of soil on top, vs bean seeds can be planted deeper =)
Carol Alexander
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I bought some heritage seeds and want them to grow quickly. I am armed with more knowledge now. )
ananda
thank you carol!! wish you a bountiful garden!! =)
Cindy
Looks fantastic! Could I incorporate this with the eggshell idea I’ve seen- where people use washed eggshells as their planter pots? I’m thinking one sprouted seedling per eggshell?
ananda
thank you cindy! =) eggshells can work as planters, but personally i prefer larger pots like 4″ to 6″. plants tend to stop growing in really small pots, unless being constantly fertilized like how the nurseries do!
Lorri Sprague
I live in south central Texas, summer temps can be 105 with 30s and 40 in winter. We get varied amounts of rain in spring but very little rain in summer.
I would like to know if there’s any hope in growing rhubarb here and if so what tips do you have for getting it started? Love your page! It’s colorful, instructive, easy to read/follow and gives me hope. Thank you………….ls
ananda
hi lorri, i did some research, and yes you can grow it through the winter for a spring harvest! =) here’s a a great article http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/travis/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Rhubarb_Tx_Style2013.pdf
jaime.areola
Excelent Topics.
Gail Plaskiewicz
Oh my gosh! I grow all my veggies from seeds but never knew to do this. Our picture window in our Living room has a window ledge on it. Right now I have 3 pots on it. The sun comes through and below it is our radiators. In the winter, my sister says the plants think it’s a green house. Right now on there I have shallots, parsley and I have to replant my basil. Those were growing outside in pots until it got to cold for them so I brought them in. I am going to do this with my basil and maybe some flower seeds too! I am so excited to try this!
ananda
thank you gail! feel free to post a photo of your lovely window on my facebook! our home is filled with plants too! =)
Shantel Jefferies
2 quick questions. 1 I have done everything that your article says I am just not sure where to put them after I have don all this I have seen some articles that says to put them in the fridge and some says to leave them out. can you please help? and 2 does this work for starting rose seeds?
Thank You
Shantel
ananda
Hi shantel, leave the seeds in room temperature, and it should work for most seeds ! =)
Rod
Interesting and looks like it’ll work well for any place where it’s colder but as I live in Australia at 27 degrees from the equator( equivalent to southern florida) and the temperature is 30 degrees C. (& more) 7 or 8 months a year (80-85F?) and even winter is not too cold, would not suit gardeners here as described mostly as the overriding need is to keep seeds from being cooked or fungi etc. So also putting the seedlings out in the sun quick/ easy to transplant when so small doesn’t impress me and is both more TIME consuming & critical when transplanting from what I can see. My experience is that a holed plastic tray 5cm or 2 inches deep minimum, potting mix/sand/fertilizer pellets works well. Sprinkle seeds on top regularizing the seeds. Sprinkle THINLY with some coarse(friable) sand on top. Place in medium shadow and keep moist with atomizer (some steady light rain works wonders). When seeded ( similar to article times), in due course graduate to bright shadow and to part sun and full sun as required in due course. Transplant plants at something resembling your pleasure. Whisk sand away with a small brush when size or condition permit and re-use sand and your tray for the next batch. I usually get a good result from this. Cheers.
Rahul Thacker MD
I read the article 20 minutes ago and now I have started with pepper seeds just now. Wish me luck!
ananda
good luck!! peppers take a week to sprout! =)
Alma
Do they require being left in the dark?
ananda
no, daylight is fine!
Mary Ann
Can’t wait to try this. I have some seeds from last year that I’d like to try. Thank you for the information.
Sonya
Great tips! We just moved to our new home with loads of gardening space and that also made me challenge myself on to gardening! Just one question though I live in The Philippines where it’s basically summer half year and rainy on the other half. Now is summer and based on research I have done it’s best to plant during summer so am very keen to finally start.
Will this pre-sprouting technique work on all types of seeds, specifically herbs?
Thanks so much for this wonderful post and will be checking your site for more gardening tips from now on!
ananda
hi sonya! yes this works on all types of seeds! happy gardening! =)
Cindy
What does it mean, depth of one to two seeds?
ananda
if a seed is 1mm in size, we would plant it 1mm to 2mm deep. if a seed is 5mm in size, we would plant it 5mm to 10mm deep. hope that helps! =)
Jean
I’m going to try this for my wild flowers.
Tammy
Thank you for this. I am going to start mine tomorrow morning.
RS
Thank you -i have tried this and it works really well !
Denise Robinson
I’m going to test some seeds today. Thanks for the information. I’m new to starting a flower garden.
Cherie Athanasoulias
Will this work for Herbs? Such as basil, parsley, sage, rosemary, etc?
ananda
yes! the only one i haven’t tried is rosemary. we have so many growing in Cali! =)
AHarris
What do you use to keep insect pests off broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower?
Khushbu Merchant
Hi. I read through some of your posts on growing veggies and plants. Brilliant.
however, I do have some query:
1. Growing plants by putting leaves in water method – Does this method work for every vegetable/ fruit/ flowering plant/ non-flowering plant, etc
2. Pre-sprouting Seed method – Do you usually buy new seeds? Can we do this from the fruits that we eat? If yes, does it need some preparation?
ananda
hi! here are the answers – 1. no, only certain plants can be rooted in water. 2. you can save seeds, just wash clean and dry them so they won’t mold. some hybrid varieties will not produce the same result when grown.
charles
I have to try your method of planting seeds… Very interesting.. Hurry spring , I can not wait..
Pam
I did this but didnt cover it. They all molded.
ananda
if the seeds are no longer alive, they would mold.
Sandy Grieves
What about the temperature requirements for germination?
ananda
room temp around 65-75 is good for most seeds 🙂
praimnath sankar
my seedlings are tall and thin and always fall over and die.
Why? What am I doing wrong?
ananda
it is most likely that they are not getting enough direct sun. seedlings need at least 5 hours/day of direct sun after being planted in soil!
Sam
Hey! Thank you very much for these tips! I have a quick question about planting germinated seeds. Would you plant them with the tap root down or up? The tap roots of my beans came out in just a day when I used your method, and now I’m wondering which way I should plant it. I don’t want to ruin my progress. 🙂 Thanks, Sam.
ananda
hi sam, roots down or side ways would make it much easier for seeds to come up, but they will make a u-turn and still come up if planted the other way. happy gardening! 🙂
Linda Silver
OMGoodness. Thank you for this terrific article. I just moved to PA and I have a whole bunch of seeds that I have not planted. So this is an awesome help. I will be starting asap. Blessings to you and yours!!
Romina
muchísimas gracias por compartir esto, sembré semillas de lechuga y ya pasaron 10 días y no paso nada. Entonces encontré tu pagina y puse algunas semillas del mismo paquete de semillas de lechuga en papel el día de ayer y hoy ya están geminando, 1 día exacto como pusiste en tu nota.
ananda
so glad to hear! remember to plant these in soil in 1-2 days! =)
Brittany
Do you think this method will work with milkweed? I have asclepias tuberosa seeds and the packet doesn’t say a whole lot.
ananda
yes it should work, and if the seeds are no longer live, you will be able to tell in 1-2 wweks!
Margaret
This is such great information! Can you use this method with flower seeds as well?
ananda
yes! 🙂
Heather
Hi Ananda,
I have just tried this method and it is fantastic! 2 packs of Calendula Ivory Princess @ $3 each, I already had the seed raising mix and I have 204 healthy little plants all potted up. It would have cost me at least $84.00 to buy these seedlings and I doubt that my local outlet store would have them in that colour anyway! I will be sprouting all my flower seedlings from now on. Thank you so much for sharing all the great tips with us, I personally find it really inspiring. Cheers!
chrisele L nelson
Im trying to get a jump start on veggies and flowers. Living in zone 5 many flowers can take some time to look nice. Can you do all seeds this way? Also, if the germination takes 14-21 days how much sooner will they sprout doing it with this method? For example Rosemary can take 14-21 days so what would be a better way to estimate when sprouting will occur?thanks
Chrisele
ananda
hi! the seeds will likely germinate in 7-10 days, just make sure they are in the right temperature, not too cold!
Jason Boyle
Hello there!
I was just wondering, if it’s a stupid or good idea to start growing marijuana strain in forests nearby my hometown now..Autumn is coming and the plants won’t be ready to harvest for 100% sure before winter comes… But will they survive the winter and start growing in spring? I probably won’t be around in springtime when i usually would put out the seedlings in the forest.. what do you think?
Thanks for your input!
ananda
hi jason, i have not grown marijuana, maybe some active communities online would be better to answer your question. good luck!
Byrd
Hi there! So I tried ur method & my seeds are just starting to sprout! (2 dats????) I’m wondering if I am able to plant them directly as is into either my flower beds or the containers I’ll be leaving them in all summer or should I start them in starter pots & transplant in a few weeks? I have calendula,zinnia,aster & nasturtium But would also like to do leafy herbs as well. *It is perfect conditions outside; warm,sunny,waaay past last frost*
Thanks so much!!!
ananda
hey! congrats! =) you can plant them directly, make sure to water gently & daily for a week. this trick is super useful too – http://www.apieceofrainbow.com/easy-trick-to-jump-start-your-veggie-garden/
starter pots give you more control though! =)
Jeff
When misting the seeds and seedlings DO NOT use tap water! Tap water contains any amount of chlorine, fluorine or chloramines which depress or inhibit plant growth. Use rain water, preferably or mineral water instead.
ananda
thank you jeff for sharing your great tips! 🙂 i agree rain water is better than tap water, but if rain water is not readily available, tap water could work too.
Helen
Hi, i have tried your method for succulent seeds (echevaria) and it is day 7 and nothing yet. This is my firsttime planting. Should i discard if nothing grew after 3 weeks? I read online echevaria seeds germinate period is 3 weeks.
ananda
hi helen, i have not grown Echeveria seeds, but definitely give it 3 weeks. if the seeds are alive, they will sprout. good luck! =)
kenneth thompson
when useing paper to germinate cilantro seeds the white item that appears is it a stem or root? When moveing it to container does this stem or root plant up or doem
ananda
the first white that appears from each seed is the root. plant it down will be a little easier on the plant, but not required. 🙂
Fanny
Good article on growing vegetables and flowers from seeds! We just had great success with this method! Keep it up.
Amy
Hi there, quick question. Might be silly, but thought I would ask. When you are going to move them to the soil, is there a specific way you should put them in the soil? Sprout down/up? Or does it matter? Thanks
Amy
ananda
hi amy, i try to put the roots side down , but it really doesn’t matter. they all come up! 🙂
smith
so, we have to actually close the container with lid and make the germinating seed die from the heat? or what do you mean by it?
ananda
no, you have to keep the container away from sun so it won’t get too hot, and close the lid till seeds germinate