When growing hydroponic plants, you will need to follow the same guidelines soil-based gardeners use with seed starting. The key thing is to know what the vegetable, herb, or flower plant needs to best start from seed. Here’s a handy chart to reference before you start a plant from seed. (PDF version link available below)
Seeds that Need Light to Germinate
- Achillea species — YARROW
- Ageratum Houstonianum — FLOSSFLOWER
- Alyssum montamum — BASKET OF GOLD
- Anethum graveolens — DILL
- Antirrhinum majus — SNAPDRAGON
- Aquilegia species and hybrids — COLUMBINE
- Arabis species — ROCK CRESS, WALL CRESS
- Begonia species — BEGONIA
- Brassica oleracea Acephala — ORNAMENTAL CABBAGE
- Browallia speciosa — BROWALLIA
- Campanula species —BELLFLOWER
- Capicum anuum — ORNAMENTAL PEPPER
- Chrysanthemum Parthenium — MATRICARIA, FEVERFEW
- Chrysanthemum x superbum — SHASTA DAISY
- Coleus x hybridus — COLEUS
- Coreopsis grandiflora — TICKSEED
- Doronicum cordatum — LEOPARD’S BANE
- Gailardia x grandiflora — BLANKET FLOWER
- GerberaJamesonii hybrids — TRANSVAAL DAISY
- Helichrysum bracteatum — STRAWFLOWER
- Impatiens Wallerana — IMPATIENS
- Lactuca sativa — LETTUCE
- Labutaria maritima — SWEET ALYSSUM
- Lynchis chalcedonica — MALTESE-CROSS
- Matthiola species — STOCK
- Moluccella laeves — BELLS OF IRELAND
- Nicotianna alata — FLOWERING TOBACCO
- Papaver orientale — ORIENTAL POPPY
- Petunia x hybrida — PETUNIA
- Platycodon grandiflorus — BALLOON FLOWER
- Pelargonium domesticum — GERANIUM
- Primula species except P. sinensis —PRIMROSE
- Reseda odorata — MIGNONETTE
- Salvia species — SALVIA (Red flowered varieties)
- Sanvitalia procumbens — CREEPING ZINNIA
- Sauterne species — SAVORY
- Tithonia rotundifloria — MEXICAN SUNFLOWER
- Hypericum perforatum — ST. JOHNSWORT
- Nepeta cataria — CATNIP
- Urtica dioica — STINGING NETTLE
Seeds that Need Darkness to Germinate
- Borago officinalis — BORAGE
- Calendula officinalis — POT MARIGOLD
- Catharanthus roseus — PERIWINKLE
- Centaurea Cyanus — BACHELOR’S BUTTON
- Consolida ambigua — LARKSPUR
- Coriandrum sativum — CORIANDER (CILANTRO)
- Delphinium species — DELPHINIUM
- Foeniculum species — FENNEL
- Gazania rigens — TREASURE FLOWER
- Lathyrus odoratus — SWEET PEA
- Myosotis species — FORGET-ME-NOT
- Nemesia strumosa — NEMESIA
- Palaver species except Porientale — POPPY
- Phlox species — PHLOX
- Primula sinensis — CHINESE PRIMROSE
- Salpiglossis sinuata — PAINTED TONGUE
- Schizanthus x wisetonensis — BUTTERFLY FLOWER, POOR MAN’S ORCHID
- Tropaolum majus — NASTURTIUM
- Verbena species — VERBENA
- Viola species — VIOLA, VIOLET, PANSY
Seeds that Require Soaking before Sowing
- Abelmoschus esculentus — OKRA
- Armeria maritima — THRIFT, SEA PINK
- Asparagus officinalis — ASPARAGUS
- Hibiscus species — MALLOW
- Pomona species — MORNING GLORY
- Lathyrus latifolius — PERENNIAL PEA
- Lathyrus odoratus — SWEET PEA
- Liriope Muscari — LILYTURF
- Lupines species — LUPINES
- Pastinaca sativa — PARSNIPS
- Petroselinum crispum — PARSLEY
Seeds that Need Stratification before Sowing (Cold Treatment)
- Angelica Archangelica — ANGELICA
- Aquilegia species and hybrids — COLUMBINE
- Brassica oleracea Acephala — ORNAMENTAL CABBAGE
- Dicentra spectabilis — BLEEDING HEART
- Dictamnus albus — GAS PLANT
- Helleborus niger — CHRISTMAS ROSE
- Hemerocallis hybrids — DAYLILY
- Lavandula angustifolia — LAVENDER
- Machaeranthera tanacetifloria — TAHOKA DAISY
- Phlox paniculata — PHLOX
- Primula species — PRIMROSE
- Trillium ovatum — WAKE-ROBIN
- Trollius europaeus — GLOBEFLOWER
- Viola species — VIOLA, VIOLET, PANSY
Seeds that Must be Scarified (nicked or filed) before Sowing
- Baptisa australis — WILD BLUE INDIGO, FALSE INDIGO
- Hibiscus species — MALLOW
- Ipomoea — MORNING GLORY
- Lathyrus species — PERENNIAL and SWEET PEA
- Lupinus species — LUPINES
- Glycyrrhiza glabra — LICORCE
- Calycanthus — SWEET SHRUB
- Mimosa Linnaeus (Mimosaceae) — MIMOSA
Seeds that Need Cool Temperatures (55ºF) to Germinate
- Aubrieta deltoidea — FALSE ROCK CRESS, PURPLE ROCK CRESS
- Cheiranthus Cheiri — WALLFLOWER
- Dictanmnus albus — GAS PLANT
- Erigeron species — MIDSUMMER ASTER, FLEABANE
- Eschscholzia californica — CALIFORNIA POPPY
- Heuchera sanguinea — CORALBELLS
- Iberis sempervirens — CANDYTUFT
- Lathyrus latifolius — PERENNIA PEA
- Lathyrus odoratus — SWEET PEA
- Matricaria Menziesii — BABY BLUE EYES
- Palaver species — POPPY
- Pentemom hybrids — BEARD-TONGUE
- Phlox Drummondii — ANNUAL PHLOX
- Rosmarius officinalis — ROSEMARY
- Thymus species — THYME, MOTHER OF THYME
Seeds that Need Warm Temperatures (80ºF) to Germinate
- Capsicum — PEPPER
Hardy Annuals
(Seeds that may be sown outdoors in early spring as soon as soil can be worked and will not be affected by late spring frosts)
- Allium Ampelpprasum — LEEK
- Allium Cepa — ONION
- Anethum graveolens — DILL
- Anthriscus Cerefolium — CHERVIL
- Arctotis species and hybrids — AFRICAN DAISY
- Beta vulgaris — BEET, SWISS CHARD
- Borago officialis — BORAGE
- Brassica species —BROCCOLI, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CABBAGE, CAULIFLOWER, CHINESE CABBAGE, COLLARDS, KALE, KOHLRABI, MUSTARD, TURNIP
- Centaurea Cyanus — BACHELOR’S BUTTON, CORNFLOWER
- Consolida ambigua — LARKSPUR
- Coriandrum sativum — CORIANDER (CILANTRO)
- Daucus Carota var. sativus — CARROT
- Eruca vesicaria — ROCKET
- Eschscholzia californica — CALIFORNIA POPPY
- Gypsophila species — BABY’S BREATH
- Latuca sativa — LETTUCE
- Lepidium sativum — GARDEN CRESS
- Lobularia maritim — SWEET ALYSSUM
- Machaeranthera tanacetifolia — TAHOKA DAISY
- Matricaria recutita — CHAMOMILE
- Mentzelia Menziessii — BABY BLUE EYES
- Origanum Majorana — MARJORAM
- Pastinaca sativa — PARSNIPS
- Petroselinum crispum — PARSLEY
- Phlox Drummondii — ANNUAL PHLOX
- Pisum sativum — PEA
- Raphanus sativus — RADISH
- Reseda odorata — MIGNONETTE
- Spinacia oleracea — SPINACH
Seedlings that Resent Transplanting (Note: For Soil based; Rockwool starts should transfer okay)
(Sow seeds where they are to grow or in individual pots)
- Anethum graveolens — DILL
- Anthriscus Cerefolium — CHERVIL
- Beta vulgaris — SWISS CHARD, BEET
- Borage officinalis — BORAGE
- Brassica species — MUSTARD, RUTABAGA, TURNIP
- Carum Carvi — CARAWAY
- Coriandrum sativum — CORIANDER (CILANTRO)
- Daucus Carota — CARROT
- Eruca vesicaria — ROCKET
- Eschscholozia califfornica — CALIFORNIA POPPY
- Foeniculum species — FENNEL
- Lavatera hybrids — TREE MALLOW
- Linum species — FLAX
- Lupines species — LUPINE
- Nigella damascena — LOVE-IN-A-MIST
- Palaver species — POPPY
- Pastinaca sativa — PARSNIP
- Petroselinum crispum — PARSLEY
- Phlox Drummondii — ANNUAL PHLOX
- Pimpinella Anisum — ANISE
- Pisum sativum — PEA
- Sanvitalia procumbens — CREEPING ZINNIA
- Sesamum indicum — SESAME
- Spinacia oleracea — SPINACH
- Trachymene coerulea — BLUE LACE FLOWER
- Tropaeolum majus — NASTURTIUM
- Zea Mays — CORN
Seeds that Should be Sown as Soon as Possible
(They are not long-lived and should not be stored)
- Angelica Archangelica — ANGELICA
- Chrysanthemum coccineum — PYRETHERUM, PAINTED DAISY
- Delphinium species — DELPHINIUM
- Dimorphotheca sinata — CAPE MARIGOLD
- Geranium sanguineum — CRANESBILL
- Gerbera Jamesonii hybrids — TRANSVAAL DAISY
- Kochia scoparia — BURNING BUSH
- Salvia splendens — SCARLET SAGE
Seeds That Will Germinate With or Without Exposure to Light
- Lobularia maritima — Alyssum
- Asteris — Aster
- Cole sata — Cole Crops
- Celosia cristata — Celosia
- Cosmos bipinnatus — Cosmos
- Cucumis — Cucumbers
- Dianthus caryophyllus — Dianthus
- Solanum melongena— Eggplant
- Pingit vaccinia caltha — Marigold
- Cucumis — Melons
- Piperis — Pepper
- Cucurbita — Squash
- Solanum lycopersicum — Tomato
- Zinnia elegans — Zinnia
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