Growing from seed is both challenging and rewarding. One of the main reasons to grow from seed is because you can choose the specific varieties for your garden, rather than being limited by what’s offered at the nursery. Plus, if you plan to garden for multiple years, it’s far more cost effective.
If you don’t already own seed starting equipment, it’s important to know the equipment needed to grow strong, healthy seedlings. You can grow from seed with minimal equipment, however the quality of the seedlings and the level of success will vary greatly without the proper equipment.
If you aren’t sure if growing from seed is for you, try it for one or two seasons with minimal equipment. If you love the process, then invest in a better setup so that you don’t spend money on a hobby you might not enjoy!
If you are new to seed starting and want to learn more, check out the full list of seed starting guides we have:
As you read through this article, I’ll show you 3 different seed companies and the information that they contain on their package. Seed companies differ in the information they provide, so I’ll show you the most important criteria, and how to find the information if the seed packet doesn’t provide it.
There are so many great Canadian seed companies out there, and I have a list of amazing organic seed companies that you can check out. The three companies highlighted in this article are ones that I have purchased and planted from and they are:
In this article, you’ll learn the 6 main parts of a seed packet. Once you’re familiar with the 6 parts, you’ll see 3 different seed companies and examples on how to read each of them.
There are 6 main parts to the seed packet that you will want to be familiar with.
Photo and Description: Depending on the company, the packet will have a photo, a drawing or no picture of the plant on it. Also, a small description on the origins, flavour or other features are generally present on the packet.
Days to Maturity: This number is extremely important to know, especially before buying the seeds. This is the number of days required for the fruit to mature where it’s able to be harvested. When the seeds are started indoors, the days to maturity is related to the date that the seedling is planted outside, not when the seed is planted indoors. It’s important to understand your growing zone and the number of frost free days in your zone. If you’re unsure of your growing zone, you can find your plant hardiness zone here on the Government of Canada website.
Timing: This is the time to start your seeds indoors. Generally the packet will list the time based on your last frost, so it’s important to know the date of your last frost.
Seeding: This section of the seed packet gives all of the important information about planting the seed. This includes the planting depth, the light requirements (ie some seeds require total darkness, while others need light), time to germination/sprouting, and any other special requirements the seeds might need. This includes using a heat mat, soaking the seed before planting it, or stratifying it (which could mean scuffing it up with sandpaper, or putting it in the fridge for a few weeks before planting).
Growing or Care: This section discuses how to care for the plant once the seed has germinated; such as watering or fertilizer requirements.
Seed Specs/Life: This section might appear at the front or back of the packet, or even on the flap. This information includes the germination rate (what % of seeds will germinate), number of seeds in the pack, the quality of the seeds, what year it was packed and how long the seed shelf life is (or best before date).
Let’s look at a few different seed packets to identify the above mentioned information.
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West Coast Seeds
The first seed packet is from West Coast Seeds. All 6 criteria areas are present on this seed packet and overall it does a really good job of providing the planting information.
Two items to note:
This seed packet doesn’t mention days to germinate. This information is really helpful to determine if the seeds are successful. For example, if days to germinate is 5 days and it’s been 10 days since you planted the seeds, you’ll likely want to plant a second round of seeds.
Some seed packets include planting instructions for when it’s time to plant outside, (ie how far to plant apart, when to harvest) which is not included on these packets.
Knowing this information, you’ll want to research the days to germinate and how to plant outside to ensure planting success.
William Dam Seeds
Next is a seed packet from William Dam. Similar to West Coast Seeds, this seed packet also touches on all 6 criteria.
One item to note:
This seed packet doesn’t provide a lot of information under Seeding if you’re new to growing. When it mentions the soil temperature of 25-30°, to get to that temperature indoors, you will need a heat mat. Additionally, it makes no mention of the depth to plant the seeds.
You’ll need to research the seed depth since it’s not mentioned. By reviewing the criteria listed at the top of this article, you can compare it to the seed packet to determine if any information is missing, so you know what to research related to that specific seed variety.
The Incredible Seed
The final seed packet is from The Incredible Seed. This seed packet has very clear instructions, however there are a few main items missing from the packet.
Items to note:
There’s no picture of the vegetable on the packet which isn’t a major issue but it’s nice to be reminded of the variety that you own by seeing the photo
Days to Maturity is missing on the seed packet. This information is really important because if the days to maturity is higher than your frost free days then you won’t be able to grow this in your garden.
The Seed Specs information is missing, beyond the number of seeds. The year that the seeds were packed, and the germination rate are missing. The year the seeds were packed is important for you to remember the year you bought the seeds to understand their age and viability. The germination rate is important so you can understand how many of the seeds that you’ve planted should sprout.
If you’re new to growing from seed, this may feel overwhelming at first. However, if you refer back to the 6 criteria at the top of this article it’ll help guide you while reading your seed packets. Like everything, it takes time to be successful. But as you begin growing from seed you’ll start to understand the needs of the different plants. Overall, gardening is a continuous learning process. Whether this is your first year growing from seed, or your fifth, it’s a guarantee that you’ll continue to learn something new every year.
If you want to continue learning more about growing from seed, check out our other articles:
