Seeds or saplings?

Some plants are happiest sown exactly where they will grow, some are easier bought or raised as seedlings, and some are grown from cuttings or roots rather than seed. Here is how the plants in this guide sort out.

Sow seed directly in the pot

Leafy and root crops that grow quickly from seed: coriander, methi, spinach, radish (NC State says to sow radish directly) and leafy amaranth (TNAU broadcasts the seed mixed with sand, then thins seedlings to 12 to 15 cm). Among flowers, NC State says to sow zinnia and sunflower directly once it is warm, and warns that moss rose dislikes transplanting.

Sowing more every week or two keeps leafy crops coming: NC State suggests sowing spinach every one to two weeks.

Source: NC State Extension; TNAU Agritech Portal, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension, checked 26 October 2026.

Raise seedlings first, or buy them

NC State’s vegetable handbook names tomatoes, peppers, eggplant (brinjal) and lettuce among crops commonly planted as transplants. For tomato, NC State suggests starting seed indoors five to six weeks ahead or buying transplants; TNAU transplants tomato seedlings at 25 days old. For chilli, NC State suggests starting seed six to eight weeks ahead and handling seedlings gently, because the roots are sensitive to disturbance. Lettuce can go either way.

Source: NC State Extension; NC State Extension; TNAU Agritech Portal, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University; NC State Extension; NC State Extension, checked 26 October 2026.

Grow from cuttings, divisions or roots

• Stem cuttings: money plant and coleus root readily in water; inch plant roots at the joints; rosemary is more reliable from cuttings than from its slow seed.
• Leaf cuttings: jade plant and peperomia.
• Division: mint, lemongrass, snake plant and peace lily; spider plant also makes plantlets and aloe makes offsets.
• Rhizomes: ginger pieces with several buds, and divided turmeric.
• Semi-hardwood cuttings or layers: TNAU propagates mogra from 15 to 20 cm semi-hardwood cuttings or layers.

NC State’s basic method for stem cuttings: take a 4 to 6 inch (10 to 15 cm) piece from a healthy plant, remove any flowers, strip the leaves from the lower third to half, and push that part into moist, clean, well-drained mix. It notes vermiculite alone is a poor rooting medium because it packs down and stays too wet.

Source: NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; NC State Extension; TNAU Agritech Portal, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University; NC State Extension, checked 26 October 2026.

Buying and sowing seed

• Read the packet. NC State says packets usually show the year packed and a germination percentage, the share of seeds expected to sprout.
• Buy only a year’s worth. Germination falls as seed ages; store spare packets sealed, cool and dry.
• Sow at the right depth. NC State’s rule of thumb is two to four times the seed’s width; very fine seed is just pressed onto the surface and misted. The packet may say otherwise; follow it.
• Prevent damping-off. Keep the mix moist but not wet; NC State links excess moisture with damping-off, a disease that topples seedlings.
• Give light at once. Seedlings need bright light as soon as they come up, or they grow weak and leggy.
• Harden them off. NC State suggests at least two weeks of gradually longer outdoor spells before planting out, avoiding windy days and temperatures below 45 °F (about 7 °C).

Source: NC State Extension, checked 26 October 2026.

Checking a nursery plant before you buy

• Turn the leaves over. Whitefly nymphs sit on leaf undersides (UC IPM), and mealybugs gather under leaves along the main veins (Illinois Extension).
• Look for sticky leaves or black film. UC IPM describes honeydew and sooty mould as common signs of whiteflies.
• Check for webbing and speckled leaves, signs of spider mites (Illinois Extension).
• Be wary of waterlogged pots and yellowing, collapsing growth: for many plants in this guide, NC State links overwatering with yellow leaves and root rot.

Once home, consider keeping a new plant apart from the others for a while and checking it again before it joins the rest.

Source: University of California Statewide IPM Program; University of Illinois Extension, checked 26 October 2026.

General gardening information, not professional advice. Plant toxicity details are a starting point, not veterinary or medical advice: if a pet or child may have eaten a plant, contact a veterinarian or doctor promptly.