The seed-starting master chart
Most sowing failures come down to two things: soil that is too cold, and seed planted too deep. This chart gives the germination soil temperature, sowing depth and days to sprout for 41 common vegetables, herbs and flowers, plus how many years the seed keeps and which crops reward repeat sowing. Sort it, search it, and stop guessing. New to raising your own? Work through the Seed Starting Masterclass alongside it.
| Crop | Soil temp to germinate | Depth | Days to sprout | Seed keeps | Succession |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🍆Aubergine | 75-90°F | 0.25" | 8-14 | 4 yrs | single sowing |
| 🌿Basil | 65-85°F | surface | 5-10 | 4 yrs | single sowing |
| 🟣Beetroot | 50-85°F | 0.5" | 7-14 | 4 yrs | every 3 wks |
| 🥦Broccoli | 45-85°F | 0.25" | 5-10 | 4 yrs | single sowing |
| 🥬Brussels sprouts | 45-85°F | 0.25" | 5-10 | 4 yrs | single sowing |
| 🫘Bush beans | 60-85°F | 1" | 7-10 | 3 yrs | every 2 wks |
| 🥬Cabbage | 45-85°F | 0.25" | 5-10 | 4 yrs | single sowing |
| 🥕Carrot | 45-85°F | 0.25" | 14-21 | 3 yrs | every 3 wks |
| 🥬Cauliflower | 45-85°F | 0.25" | 5-10 | 4 yrs | single sowing |
| 🥬Celery | 60-70°F | surface | 14-21 | 3 yrs | single sowing |
| 🌿Coriander / cilantro | 55-70°F | 0.25" | 7-14 | 3 yrs | every 3 wks |
| 🥒Courgette & squash | 65-95°F | 1" | 6-10 | 4 yrs | single sowing |
| 🥒Cucumber | 65-90°F | 0.5" | 6-10 | 5 yrs | single sowing |
| 🌿Dill | 60-75°F | surface | 10-14 | 3 yrs | every 3 wks |
| 🌿Fennel | 60-75°F | 0.25" | 10-14 | 3 yrs | single sowing |
| 🥬Kale | 45-85°F | 0.25" | 5-8 | 4 yrs | every 3 wks |
| 🥬Kohlrabi | 45-85°F | 0.25" | 5-10 | 4 yrs | every 3 wks |
| 🧅Leek | 50-85°F | 0.25" | 10-14 | 2 yrs | single sowing |
| 🥬Lettuce | 40-75°F | surface | 7-10 | 1 yr | every 2 wks |
| 🌼Marigold | 70-75°F | surface | 5-10 | 2 yrs | single sowing |
| 🍈Melon | 70-90°F | 0.5" | 5-10 | 5 yrs | single sowing |
| 🌺Nasturtium | 55-70°F | 0.5" | 7-14 | 5 yrs | single sowing |
| 🌿Okra | 70-95°F | 0.5" | 7-14 | 2 yrs | single sowing |
| 🧅Onion (from seed) | 50-85°F | 0.25" | 10-14 | 1 yr | single sowing |
| 🥬Pak choi | 50-80°F | 0.25" | 4-8 | 3 yrs | every 2 wks |
| 🌿Parsley | 50-80°F | 0.25" | 14-28 | 2 yrs | single sowing |
| 🥕Parsnip | 45-70°F | 0.5" | 14-28 | 1 yr | single sowing |
| 🫛Peas | 40-75°F | 1" | 7-14 | 3 yrs | every 2 wks |
| 🌶️Pepper & chilli | 75-85°F | 0.25" | 8-14 | 2 yrs | single sowing |
| 🫛Pole / runner beans | 60-85°F | 1" | 7-10 | 3 yrs | single sowing |
| 🎃Pumpkin | 65-95°F | 1" | 6-10 | 4 yrs | single sowing |
| 🔴Radish | 45-85°F | 0.5" | 4-7 | 4 yrs | every 2 wks |
| 🌿Rocket / arugula | 40-70°F | 0.25" | 5-7 | 3 yrs | every 2 wks |
| 🍃Spinach | 40-70°F | 0.5" | 7-14 | 3 yrs | every 2 wks |
| 🧅Spring onion | 50-80°F | 0.25" | 10-14 | 1 yr | every 3 wks |
| 🌻Sunflower | 65-85°F | 1" | 7-14 | 5 yrs | single sowing |
| 🌸Sweet pea | 55-65°F | 0.5" | 10-21 | 3 yrs | single sowing |
| 🌽Sweetcorn | 60-95°F | 1.5" | 7-10 | 2 yrs | every 2 wks |
| 🍃Swiss chard | 50-85°F | 0.5" | 7-14 | 3 yrs | every 3 wks |
| 🍅Tomato | 70-85°F | 0.25" | 6-8 | 4 yrs | single sowing |
| 🥔Turnip | 50-85°F | 0.5" | 5-10 | 4 yrs | every 3 wks |
No crop matches that.
Temperatures are the soil the seed sits in, not the air, so a cold spring bed can lag weeks behind a warm windowsill or heat mat. Sow small seed shallow, big seed deeper, and keep everything evenly moist until it is up. Turn these numbers into dates with the frost-date sowing calendar, keep the salad coming with the succession planting calculator, and see what to sow now with what to sow this month.
Free to cite: link back to this page. Figures are typical ranges; your variety, soil and season shift them.