Which seeds should you not soak?
Vegetables. Leafy greens and certain root vegetables are ideal candidates for being planted straight into your garden bed without being soaked first. This is because they have small and delicate seeds that don’t require extra force to jumpstart their germination. If you’re planning to garden this year, you’re probably picking out seeds and getting ready to germinate them. To get things growing faster, you can actually germinate seeds in paper towels and a sandwich bag—no soil needed!
What month is best to start seeds indoors?
Planting seeds is also a great way to grow specific varieties. March is a great time to start seedlings indoors. Generally, start planting seeds indoors 6-10 weeks before the last frost date. A good rule of thumb is to sow annual flower seeds as early after the last spring frost as possible. For early-spring perennial blooms, plant these types of flower seeds in late summer to early fall so that they can germinate over winter.The seed packet should tell you how many days to bloom, which means how long it takes from germination to flowering. If you have a short growing season and the packet says it will be 80 or 90 days to bloom, you will need to start the seeds indoors if you want to see them flower for a couple weeks before frost.
Should I soak seeds before planting indoors?
Soaking seeds will remove any germination inhibitors to help trigger the seeds into growing at the right moment. The boosted moisture concentration around the seeds also signals that it’s ready to grow. Optimal Growing Conditions for Mixed Flower Seeds Water: Your seeds must be kept moist until the majority of the seedlings emerge. This may mean watering once a day, twice a day for short periods of time, or every other day, depending on how fast your soil dries out and how much natural precipitation you get.Drying out—even briefly—can stop growth. If you’re direct sowing seeds (planting them outdoors), water at least once a day. In hot, dry, or windy climates, you may need to water 2–3 times daily to keep the soil from drying out.In a bowl, cover your seeds with warm water and leave to soak for 6-24 hours. Smaller seeds and those with thinner coats need the shorter time, and larger seeds with thicker coats need the longer period. Some seeds will naturally float, and some will stay below the surface. Do not worry about those that float.