( Updated April 12, 2017 ) Spring isn’t here yet, but the gardening bug has arrived! Today I want to share a really easy, fast and great way to start seeds, a method we have been using for quite a few years! It reduces the time of seed germination by 70%, and more than doubles the success rate as well!
We discovered this method from an older book- Planning The Organic Vegetable Garden a few years ago. It made such a huge difference, we just LOVE it. I will give you all the details here of when and how to use it, plus some tips we have learned along the way!
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!
This method is called pre-sprouting, or pre-germination in the book.
All you need is a plastic or glass container with 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.
Start checking on them the next day. If the seeds are really fresh, some will germinate in as little as 1 day! The fastest ones include everything in the cabbage family – bok choi, broccoli, kale, cauliflower etc, and lettuce. The slowest ones are pepper, eggplant, fennel, celery, which may take 5+ days. The rest such as tomato, beets, chard, squash, onions, will take about 3 days.
It is important to have pots and soil ready to go.
On the next page we will look at how to plant these sprouted seeds, and one thing that you should NOT copy the nurseries!
Continue to Next Page-
Wow! This is a really in depth blog post! I had no previous knowledge of seeds, so this is very helpful!
if you use a weak tea solution, (dilluted unsweetened tea) it provides a boost to starting seeds as well combined with this method.
Ananda – this is AWESOME information!! Wish I’d known this years ago since I grow all my veggies from seed. THANK YOU!!
with your GREEN thumb yours will start in 1 hour i bet! =)
This is really cool! I will have to add some planters to my balcony this season!
xoxo
Lee Anne
http://lifeinatx.com/
I wish I had a green thumb and was able to do this!
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!
wow that’s awesome!! wish you a great garden natalie!!
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 🙂
i am sure your garden will be so lovely cara!!
I have ALWAYS wanted to have a small garden, but have not yet taken the plunge! Maybe this year will be the year!
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
i love the name “kitchen roll”!! xx
Great advice. In my case, it seems like it takes ages for them to grow.
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!
i can just imagine how yummy your garden to table dishes are!! xo
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. 🙂
Oh I love this I’m such a green thumb and absolutely love these tips Thankyou
Rosie
http://www.rosedogandco.blogspot.com.au
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!
thank you erin! wish you a bountiful garden!! xx
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! (:
hope you will! it’s really rewarding! =)
This is GENIUS! I can’t wait to try it out!
I taught 4th grade for many years and this was the method I used to pre-sprout. Great post!
kids always know the best ways to do things! =)
Oh my gosh, this is genius! Pinning this so I don’t forget this amazing trick! Thanks for sharing!
xxo,
Kelly
http://asideofsweet.com
wish you a great garden kelly!!
oh wow this is so cool, I am not much of a gardener so this looks interesting to me
Such an awesome trick! I used to plant a garden every summer growing up!
This looks like so much fun! Definitely want to start my own garden now!
have fun selbe! xx
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
thank you stacy! seeds are great because you can grow so many varieties!
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
hi lauriel, yes that’s happened before. when seeds mold, it means they are no longer alive!
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
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!
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!
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
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!
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. =)
This idea is making me excited for spring to arrive. I love it. Gotta go … off to get my seeds and plastic containers…Thanks!
a beautiful garden to you sandi!! =)
Sorting my seeds today.
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?
hi mindy! yes you can start in bigger pots, as long as you can still mist them and not let the seedlings dry out =)
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!
wish you an amazing garden ashley!! =)
Can I just transfer the sprouted seeds to our raised garden beds or do they need to go in little pots first?
yes, as long as you keep the soil really moist till the seedlings come up! =)
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! 😉
thank you ashley! wish you a great garden!! =)
Can this method also be used for flower seeds? I’m trying seeds for the first time this year in my flower bed’s.
hi susan, yes, any kinds of seeds! =)
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!
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!!! =)
Can I plant the paper towel with the sprouted seeds? Will it work like the papers with carrot seeds on it that they sell?
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 =)
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!
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! =)
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!
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!
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?
hi abby! yes, so for example, lettuce seeds need just a sprinkle of soil on top, vs bean seeds can be planted deeper =)
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I bought some heritage seeds and want them to grow quickly. I am armed with more knowledge now. )
thank you carol!! wish you a bountiful garden!! =)
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?
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!
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
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
Excelent Topics.
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!
thank you gail! feel free to post a photo of your lovely window on my facebook! our home is filled with plants too! =)
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
Hi shantel, leave the seeds in room temperature, and it should work for most seeds ! =)
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.
I read the article 20 minutes ago and now I have started with pepper seeds just now. Wish me luck!
good luck!! peppers take a week to sprout! =)
Do they require being left in the dark?
no, daylight is fine!
Can’t wait to try this. I have some seeds from last year that I’d like to try. Thank you for the information.
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!
hi sonya! yes this works on all types of seeds! happy gardening! =)
What does it mean, depth of one to two seeds?
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! =)
I’m going to try this for my wild flowers.
Thank you for this. I am going to start mine tomorrow morning.
Thank you -i have tried this and it works really well !
I’m going to test some seeds today. Thanks for the information. I’m new to starting a flower garden.
Will this work for Herbs? Such as basil, parsley, sage, rosemary, etc?
yes! the only one i haven’t tried is rosemary. we have so many growing in Cali! =)
What do you use to keep insect pests off broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower?
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?
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.
I have to try your method of planting seeds… Very interesting.. Hurry spring , I can not wait..
I did this but didnt cover it. They all molded.
if the seeds are no longer alive, they would mold.
What about the temperature requirements for germination?
room temp around 65-75 is good for most seeds 🙂
my seedlings are tall and thin and always fall over and die.
Why? What am I doing wrong?
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!
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.
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! 🙂
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!!