Growing from seed can be difficult when you are a beginner. There are a lot of terms, instructions and special care items you need to learn and remember, especially if you want to grow a wide selection of plants. However, growing from seed is extremely rewarding, is fun to do and is worth learning. The first step to gain confidence is by trying it first hand. So, today we are going to take you through 8 easy to grow seeds, no matter your skill level.
Let’s first discuss why a seed might NOT be easy.
Seeds can be divas! Some seeds need heat to germinate, others need cold. Some need to be scraped, and others need to be eaten and pooped out by animals (for real… just ask the Kentucky Coffee Tree). Although, we suppose any seed being pooped out isn’t that big of a diva…
So which seeds are easy?
The seeds listed below are easy because they can be planted directly into the garden and they will happily grow. No scraping, freezing or pooping required. These seeds are:
- Lettuce
- Kale
- Zucchini*
- Bush Beans*
- Peas
- Basil*
- Dill
- Cilantro
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So, what makes these seeds easier than others?
Here are 3 reasons why these seeds are simple!
- They can all be directly planted outdoors in the garden, rather than indoors first.
- The majority of these plants have a short date to maturity so they will grow quickly, and give food quickly.
- Apart from the three with an *, all of these plants are cold tolerant so you can plant them at the beginning of the season and not worry if you planted them too soon.
- Bonus reason: Most of these plants are shade tolerant too!
A quick note on the first point: although these seeds don’t need to be started indoors, all of them can be. This is done to speed up the date of harvest.
Let’s talk about kale as an example. Kale can tolerate very low temperatures and can be sown outdoors in early spring. However, the rate of growth will be slower in the cold than it will be indoors in room temperature. By starting them indoors it allows you to harvest them sooner. If you decide to start them indoors first, follow the guide on the seed packet which identifies when to start indoors when compared to your last frost date.
Remember, if you start your seeds indoors, you will need to harden them off before planting them outdoors. Hardening off is done so plants can acclimate to the varying temperatures, and for wind and sun strength. When you sow directly outdoors, you skip this process as the plants are already used to the outdoor weather!
If you are new to seed starting and want to learn more, check out the full list of seed starting guides we have:
- How to Pick The Best Plants for Your Garden
- Avoid These 8 Mistakes When Starting from Seed
- How to Make Peat-Free Seed Starting Soil
- How to Read a Seed Packet
- What You Need to Grow Your Own Seeds Indoors
