Reading The Seed Packet
The front and back of the seed packet is one of the most important parts when starting to grow your seeds. It has essential information you need for your plants to thrive. Every seed packet is different so make sure to read it before you plant.
Seed Depth: Is the distance below the soil surface at which a seed is placed to grow. Planting too deeply may prevent seeds from sprouting. Too shallow and they may be washed away or eaten by pests. The general rule of thumb is to plant seeds twice as deep as they are large.
Seed Space: the recommended distance between seeds.
Sprouts In: The general amount of time that it takes for that variety of seed to start sprouting. If you do not see signs of life within that time, wait a few more days. Sometimes seeds can be delayed by external factors.
Thin Space: Is the distance seeds should be planted for optimum growth. Remove extra seedlings, sprouts, or young plants that are too close together by pulling out the weaker ones. This helps the remaining plants grow better. Wait to thin your seedlings until they are big enough to tell which ones are strongest. It’s best to do this when they have a pair or two of true leaves, not just the first seed leaves. If you’re growing seedlings in containers, try to leave just one healthy plant in each pot, cell, or pellet. For plants in open soil, follow the spacing instructions on your seed packet or growing guide.
Height & Width: The height is the measurement of the plant from the ground to the top-most part of the plant at maturity. The width is the maximum width of the plant measured at its widest part from leaf tip to leaf tip at maturity.
Please note that some seed packets list plants as perennial, but they may not be perennial in Ohio. Always check the hardiness zone on the packet. Newark, Ohio, is classified as Zone 6a, but we recommend using Zone 5 as a guideline, since Zone 6a plants may not survive the winter here.
Annual: A plant that grows, flowers, produces seed, all in one season, and then does not survive the winter. They must be planted each year. Many plants we call annual may be perennial in warmer locations.
Perennial: Plants that are cold-hardy and will return each spring. Some will flower in their first year, while others need to mature before flowering. Some perennials are very long-lived, and others will survive only a few years.
Biennial: “Bi-” means “two,” so as you can probably guess, a biennial generally completes its life cycle in two years. True biennials are vegetative in their first year of growth (meaning they don’t flower). That’s when they store lots of energy in their root systems. In the second year, they use up all this energy to flower and set seed before dying.
Days To Harvest: This is the number of days a plant will take to produce a harvest from the time of planting out in your garden. (Only for Vegetables)
Days To Bloom: This is the average number of days a plant will take to produce blooms from the time of planting out in your garden. (Sometimes on Flower Packets)
Light Conditions:
Full Sun = 6+ hours of direct Sun per day.
Pt Sun = 4 to 6 hours of direct sun per day, including some afternoon sun.
Pt Shade = 4 to 6 hours of direct sun per day, mostly before midday.
Full Shade = less than 4 hours of direct sun per day.
Heirloom: Cultivars of flowers, fruits, and vegetables that are open-pollinated, in use before 1945, and preserved by farmers and gardeners.
Open-Pollinated: Seed produced from natural, random pollination. Open-pollinated cultivars come true to type when seed is saved and replanted.
Hybrid: Hybrid seeds are produced through careful pollination of two specific varieties, generally resulting in a plant that flowers and fruits more readily and is more resistant to pests or diseases. Not to be confused with GMO.