What is on the seed packet?
A seed packet is a tiny instruction manual. Once you know how to read it, you know exactly when to sow, how deep, how far apart and what to expect.
What is on a SeedsChoice packet
Item | What it tells you |
|---|---|
Name and botanical name | precisely which plant you have, for example Ocimum basilicum |
Sowing period | which months you can sow |
Method | start indoors or sow direct |
Sowing depth | how deep the seed goes |
Spacing | how much room the plant finally needs |
Germination time | how many days until seedlings appear |
Position | sun, partial shade or shade |
Read the packet through once before you sow. That alone avoids most beginner mistakes.
Common terms
Annual. Grows, flowers and dies in one season. Sow fresh each year.
Biennial. Takes two seasons: leaves in year one, flowers or seed in year two.
Perennial. Lives for years and returns each season.
Hardy, half-hardy and tender. How much cold a plant takes. Hardy copes with frost; tender needs warmth and must wait until frost has passed.
F1 hybrid. A cross of two parent lines, for vigour and uniformity. Excellent results, but seed saved from it will not come true.
Open-pollinated and heirloom. Traditional varieties that do come true from saved seed.
Sow direct or under cover. Direct means straight into the ground; under cover means indoors or in a greenhouse, to start early.
Germination time. How many days until seedlings appear.
Thinning and pricking out. Removing or moving crowded seedlings so each has room.
Harden off. Gradually getting indoor-raised plants used to life outside before planting out.
Days to maturity. Roughly how long from sowing to harvest or first flower.
Using the packet to plan
Before sowing, note the sowing months and the method, check the depth and spacing, and look at the position the plant needs so you can pick the right spot.
Frequently asked questions
Are F1 hybrids better than heirlooms? Neither is better. F1s are uniform and vigorous; heirlooms have character and come true from saved seed. Choose by what you want.
Can I save seed from my plants? From open-pollinated and heirloom varieties, yes. F1 hybrids will not grow true to type.
My packet has no last-frost date. Use your local last-frost date as the anchor and read the sowing months relative to it.
How deep should I sow? As a rule, as deep as the seed is wide. The packet gives the exact figure, and some seeds need light at the surface.
The full version of this guide is on seedschoice.com.
Ready to sow? What you can sow now
- Vegetables you can sow this month
- Flowers you can sow this month
- Herbs you can sow this month
- Vegetables to sow directly outdoors
- Fast-growing vegetables — quick results, ideal for beginners
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Updated on: 05/10/2026
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