Seeds require the right conditions or they will fail to germinate or germinate at a greatly reduced rate. Several factors trigger germination including soil temperature, moisture, soaking, stratification or scarification.
Germination is triggered by soil temperature, soil depth, moisture and some seeds require stratification which is a period of chilling prior to sowing. This table is a quick and easy guide to sowing herb and vegetable seeds.
Light: Some seeds require sunlight to germinate, which has been listed as ‘surface’. Sprinkle the seeds on the surface, but gently push them down so that they don’t disperse in the wind.
Light covering: When sowing seeds that require a light covering of soil, add some soil or potting mix to an old kitchen sieve and gently sprinkle over the seeds.
- Stratification: A period of cold prior to sowing.
- Scarification: Gently weakening the thick, outer shell of certain seeds.
I haven’t included when each type of seed should be sowed in this article because this varies depending on location. Some seedlings are frost tender, and should only be planted once the risk of frost has passed. For those of us in warmer climates such as Australia, we can sow seeds much earlier.
º C |
º F |
Depth |
Germination |
Treatment |
|
| Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) | 21-24 | 70-75 | 5 mm | 5-20 days | Scarification |
| Anise (Pimpinella anisum) | 16-22 | 60-71 | 3 mm | 7-20 days | No |
| Armenian cucumber (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus( |
10-15 | 50-60 | 12 mm | 7-20 days | No |
| Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) |
15-26 | 60-80 | 6 mm | 15-25 days | Stratification |
| Aspagagus (Asparagus officinalis) |
23-27 | 73-82 | 5 mm | 2-8 weeks | Stratification/Soak |
| Basil (Ocimum basilicum) | 21-23 | 70-73 | 5 mm | 10-14 days | No |
| Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) | 10-29 | 50-85 | 2.5 mm | 5-8 days | No |
| Bergamot (Monarda didyma) | 15-21 | 60-70 | Surface | 7-14 days | No |
| Blue skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) | 10-15 | 50-60 | 6 mm | Stratification | |
| Bok choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) | 4-23 | 40-75 | 3 mm | 6-10 days | No |
| Borage (Borago officinalis) | 21-23 | 70-73 | 6 mm | 7-14 days | Stratification |
| Borlotti bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) |
50-60 | 2 cm | 7-10 days | Stratification/scarification | |
| Broad bean (Vicia faba) | 12-18 | 53-65 | 5 cm | 10-14 days | Stratification/scarification |
| Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) | 24-26 | 75-80 | 7 mm | 3-7 days | No |
| Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) | 7-26 | 45-80 | 12 mm | 7-12 days | No |
| Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) | 23-26 | 75-80 | 5 mm | 4-10 days | No |
| Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana) | 18-26 | 65-80 | Surface | 7-21 days | No |
| Capsicum (Capsicum annuum) | 23-26 | 75-80 | 4 mm | 14-18 days | No |
| Carrot (Daucus carota) | 7-30 | 45-85 | 5 mm | 14-21 days | Soak |
| Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) | 23-26 | 75-80 | 5 mm | 7-14 days | No |
| Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) | 21-24 | 70-75 | 6 mm | 14-21 days | No |
| Celery (Apium graveolens) | 15-18 | 60-65 | 2 mm | 14-21 days | No |
| Chicory radicchio (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum) | 10-22 | 50-72 | 5 mm | 4-7 days | No |
| Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) |
21-25 | 70-77 | 6 mm | 10-21 days | No |
| Chilli (Capsicum spp.) | 25-28 | 77-82 | 5 mm | 7-10 days | No |
| Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) | 15-20 | 59-68 | 5 mm | 10-14 days | No |
| Climbing bean (Phaseolus coccineus) | 18-26 | 65-80 | 2.5 cm | 6-14 days | Stratification/scarification |
| Comfrey (Symphytum spp.) | 10-15 | 50-60 | 5 mm | 21-28 days | Stratification |
| Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) | 12-20 | 55-68 | 5 mm | 7-10 days | Soak |
| Corn (Zea mays) | 18-29 | 65-85 | 25 mm | 7-10 days | Soak |
| Cress (Lepidium sativum) | 7-10 | 45-50 | 5 mm | 7-14 days | No |
| Cucamelon (Melothria scabra) | 22-24 | 71-75 | 6 mm | 14-21 days | No |
| Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) | 23-35 | 75-95 | 25 mm | 3-10 days | No |
| Dill (Anethum graveolens) | 15-23 | 60-75 | 25 mm | 10-14 days | Stratification |
| Eggplant (Solanum melongena} | 22-25 | 71-77 | 6 mm | 7-12 days | No |
| Endive (Cichorium endivia) | 15-20 | 60-68 | 25 mm | 14-18 days | No |
| Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) | 15-21 | 60-70 | 6 mm | 10-14 days | Stratification |
| Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) | 18-20 | 65-68 | 6 mm | 7-10 days | No |
| Kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) |
7-23 | 45-75 | 10 mm | 6-10 days | No |
| Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) | 10-29 | 50-85 | 10 mm | 3-10 days | No |
| Leek (Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum) | 21-29 | 70-85 | 5 mm | 10-14 days | No |
| Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) | 18-21 | 65-70 | 5 mm | 7-14 days | Stratification/Scarification |
| Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) | 21-23 | 70-75 | 5 mm | 10-16 days | No |
| Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) | 21-23 | 70-75 | 3 mm | 7-10 days | No |
| Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra, G. uralensis) | 18-21 | 60-65 | 5 mm | 14-21 days | Stratification/Scarification |
| Luffa (Luffa aegyptiaca) | 26-29 | 80-85 | 5 mm | 21-25 days | No |
| Mint (Mentha spp.) | 22-24 | 72-75 | 6 mm | 10-16 days | No |
| Mizuna (Brassica rapa var. Laciniifolia) | 7-29 | 45-85 | 6 mm | 5-14 days | No |
| Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) | 18-24 | 65-75 | 6 mm | 7-21 days | Stratification |
| Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum) | 21-24 | 70-75 | 5 mm | 10-16 days | Stratification |
| Mustard (Brassica nigra) | 12-18 | 55-65 | 10 mm | 7-10 days | No |
| Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) | 15-20 | 60-68 | 10 mm | 7-12 days | Scarification/Soak |
| Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) | 15-18 | 60-65 | 20 mm | 3-10 days | Scarification |
| Onion (Allium cepa) | 22-24 | 72-75 | 5 mm | 6-12 days | No |
| Oregano (Origanum vulgare) | 18-21 | 65-70 | 5 mm | 10-21 days | Stratification |
| Curly parsley Petroselinum crispum |
18-21 | 65-70 | 3 mm | 7-21 days | No |
| Continental parsley (Petroselinum crispum neapolitanum) |
21-23 | 70-75 | 5 mm | 14-28 days | No |
| Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) |
10-21 | 50-70 | 6 mm | 14-28 days | No |
| Pea (Pisum sativum) | 18-21 | 65-70 | 25 mm | 7-14 days | Scarification/Soak |
| Pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) | 25-35 | 68-95 | 20 mm | 7-14 days | No |
| Radish (Raphanus sativus) | 12-23 | 55-75 | 5 mm | 5-7 days | Scarification |
| Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) | 20-23 | 68-73 | 12 mm | 7-14 days | Soak |
| Rocket (Eruca vesicaria ssp. sativa) | 15-20 | 60-68 | 5 mm | 7-14 days | No |
| Rockmelon (Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis) | 28-30 | 82-86 | 20 mm | 7-10 days | No |
| Rosella (Platycercus caledonicus brownii) |
26-29 | 80-85 | 10 mm | 10-14 days | No |
| Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) |
21-26 | 70-80 | 6 mm | 14-28 days | Stratification |
| Sage (Salvia officinalis) | 18-21 | 65-70 | 3 mm | 10-14 days | Stratification |
| Saint John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) |
21-23 | 70-75 | Surface | 10-20 days | Stratification |
| Self heal (Prunella vulgaris) | 21-23 | 70-75 | 2 mm | 14-21 days | Stratification |
| Silver beet (Beta vulgaris var. cicla) |
10-30 | 50-86 | 15 mm | 5-10 days | No |
| Savory (Satureja hortensis) | 18-21 | 65-70 | 3 mm | 7-14 days | No |
| Society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea) | 18-21 | 65-70 | 3 mm | 14-21 days | No |
| Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) | 20-22 | 68-71 | 12 mm | 7-21 days | No |
| Spaghetti squash (Cucurbita pepo) |
25-35 | 77-95 | 20 mm | 7-14 days | No |
| Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) |
7-20 | 45-68 | 15 mm | 5-7 days | No |
| Spring onion (Allium fistulosum) |
23-25 | 73-77 | 5 mm | 7-14 days | No |
| Squash (Cucurbita spp.) | 23-26 | 75-85 | 2 cm | 7-10 days | Nick |
| Swede (Brassica napus) | 16-30 | 60-86 | 20 mm | 4-10 days | No |
| Sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata) | 13-18 | 55-65 | 3 mm | 2-8 weeks | Stratification |
| Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) |
10-25 | 50-77 | Surface | 4-14 days | No |
| Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) | 18-21 | 65-70 | 3 mm | 14-21 days | Stratification |
| Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) | 18-29 | 65-85 | 3 mm | 6-8 days | Scarification/Soak |
| Turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) | 18-29 | 65-85 | 10 mm | 7-10 days | No |
| Valarian (Valeriana officinalis) | 16-18 | 60-65 | 10 mm | 7-10 days | Stratification |
| Verbena (Verbena officinalis) |
20-26 | 68-80 | Surface | 14-90 days | Stratification |
| Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) | 26-29 | 80-85 | 25 mm | 4-12 days | Scarification/Soak |
| Wild garlic (Allium ursinum) | 15-20 | 59-68 | 5 mm | 7-10 days | Stratification |
| Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) | 25-35 | 77-95 | 10 mm | 7-14 days | No |
