Soaking Seeds Before Planting

One of the greatest challenges we face as gardeners is waiting for seeds to sprout. I know I sit and stare at the seeds like I can will them to grow faster; however, that’s not the case but I can’t resist checking and staring.

To make things easier, you should soak your seeds first. This will help them germinate faster. The following tips will help you if you’re going to be soaking seeds.

Reasons for Soaking Seeds

Why should you soak your seeds and what happens when you soak them?

Presoaking is a number one secret many gardeners use for success in starting plants and giving them better success overall.

Seeds need moisture to start sprouting. This simple procedure exposes seeds to an unnatural amount of moisture breaking down their natural defenses and absorbing more water than usual.

Seeds swell as water penetrates the seed coat and embryonic inside begins to plumpup.

After soaking, seeds should be kept away from direct sunlight and warm temperatures.

How to Soak Seeds Before Planting

You don’t have to use a special type of seed soak solution.

All you need to do is put your seeds into a bowl with some tap or distilled water and plan on soaking your seeds right before you plant.

You don’t want to leave them in the water too long and you don’t want to allow them to dry again.

Items Needed for Soaking Seeds

You will need a few things before you start soaking your seeds:

A container large enough to hold all of your seeds. (Plastic bag works)
Enough filtered water (preferable) or tap water to cover seeds.
Seeds you’re wanting to soak (peas, beans, corn, squash, melons, etc.)
Strainer or coffee filter to drain the water after soaking is complete.

Details When Soaking Your Seeds in Water

Water should be warm, I’ve found this is not necessary but helps.
Be careful when you soak seeds, not to soak them longer than 24 hours.
Generally, soak seeds at least 10 to 24 hours before planting.
Do not let seeds dry out after soaking.
Seeds do not have to be soaked in a container or bag; however, I like to use a glass mason jar.
If you use a plastic bag, remove the seeds after soaking to prevent mold.

Is Soaking Seeds Necessary?

No, soaking seeds isn’t necessary but soaking seeds helps them to germinate more quickly.

Soaking seeds before planting makes them more likely to sprout, and soaking seeds after planting also helps increase the chance of sprouting.

Seeds that receive constant water absorption have better growing conditions than those that don’t, hence why you want a moist ground instead of dry ground.

Are there seeds you shouldn’t soak? Yes, some seeds are too small to soak, like carrot, bok choy, lettuce, etc. these seeds are too small and would be a difficult to manage if they were wet.

Different seeds require different conditions when planted so get to know your seeds. However, you a good rule of thumb is if you can handle the seed easily, you can soak it.

How Seed Soaking Relates to Life

As I was thinking about these seeds soaking in a jar I realized there are so many times we soak ourselves in either positive or negative ways.

If you soak (immerse) yourself in the positive, you’ll become the person you want to be sooner.

If you focus on the negative, it’s like pulling a large weight and you’ll eventually get to where you want to go but it’s going to be a lot harder and take a lot longer.

I hope you realize how amazing you are and soak yourself in positivity. You’re amazing, believe it!

Life Coach & Garden Mentor

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Soaking Seeds Before Planting