Being able to properly direct sow seeds in your garden is a crucial skill for any gardener aiming to create a flourishing and productive garden. It can be very disappointing when seeds fail to sprout, and one common reason for this is planting them too deep in the soil. When seeds are buried too far down, the young shoots that sprout from them struggle to reach the surface where they can access sunlight and air, leading to the seeds rotting. If you find that you’ve planted your seeds too deep, don’t worry – there are solutions. Tiffany Selvey, Onions Australia’s Garden Editor and in-house Master Gardener, explains, “If you realize that you’ve planted your seeds too deep, what you do next will depend on how long it has been since they were planted. You may be able to dig them up and replant them, or you may need to start fresh with new seeds.”
A general guideline for planting larger seeds is to bury them at a depth that is about two to three times the width of the seed. For smaller seeds, less than one inch in diameter, they can simply be placed on loosened soil. If you’re a beginner gardener, you can try using the genius bottle cap hack to make seed starting easier and ensure they are planted at the correct depth every time. Selvey recommends, “These general guidelines may not always apply. For the best chance of germination, follow the depth recommendations on the seed packet, if available.”
How to ensure your seeds sprout
“One way to know if you’ve planted seeds too deep is if they are not germinating as expected in your garden,” Selvey advises. Depending on how recently you planted the seeds, your next steps may vary. “If you’ve only just planted the seeds and realize you buried them too deep, you can dig them up and replant them if it has only been a day or two. This method works better for larger seeds like squash or beans that are easily visible.” After carefully rescuing the seeds, you can replant them at the correct depth. “Smaller seeds such as lettuce or beets are usually not salvageable,” Selvey notes. “They are too tiny to retrieve from below the soil.”
Before giving up, check how long it typically takes for the seeds you planted to germinate. If you’ve exceeded the expected germination timeframe, it might be best to start anew with a fresh batch of seeds planted at the correct depth. Fortunately, seeds are affordable and simple to sow, so there’s not much money or time wasted in starting over.
