How to Read a Seed Packet

The Short Answer

A seed packet tells you when to plant, how deep, how far apart, how much light and water the plant needs, and how long until harvest. The front is marketing. The back is your instruction manual. Here's every term decoded.

"Days to Germination"

This is how many days after planting until you'll see sprouts emerge from the soil. A range like "7-14 days" means some seeds will sprout in a week and stragglers may take two. If nothing has appeared after double the maximum listed time, the seeds may be old or conditions weren't right (usually too cold or too dry).

"Days to Maturity" or "Days to Harvest"

This is the big number — how long from planting (for direct sow crops) or from transplanting (for transplanted crops) until you can start harvesting. A tomato listed at "75 days" means 75 days after you transplant it outside. For a directly sown crop like beans at "55 days," it's 55 days after the seed goes in the ground.

Check which reference point the packet uses — this is a common source of confusion.

"Sow Indoors X Weeks Before Last Frost"

This tells you when to start seeds inside. If it says "6-8 weeks before last frost" and your last frost date is April 15, you'd start seeds between February 18 and March 4. Our Planting Date Finder does this math for you.

"Direct Sow After Last Frost" or "After Danger of Frost"

Plant these seeds directly in the garden after your last frost date has passed. For frost-sensitive crops, many gardeners wait 1-2 weeks past the average last frost date for a safety margin.

"Planting Depth" and "Spacing"

Depth is how deep to bury the seed. A common rule of thumb: plant at a depth 2-3 times the seed's diameter. Tiny seeds like lettuce are barely covered; bean seeds go an inch deep.

Spacing is the distance between plants after thinning. Many gardeners plant seeds closer than the final spacing, then thin seedlings to the recommended distance once they've sprouted. It feels wasteful, but proper spacing prevents disease and competition.

"Full Sun" vs. "Partial Shade"

Full sun means 6-8+ hours of direct sunlight per day. Most vegetables and fruits need this. Partial shade means 3-6 hours, or dappled light. Lettuce, spinach, and some herbs actually prefer partial shade, especially in hot climates. Full shade (under 3 hours of direct sun) is too dark for most edibles.

"Thin to X Inches"

After seeds germinate, you'll often have more seedlings than you need. Thinning means removing the weakest seedlings so the remaining ones have room to grow. Use scissors to snip extras at soil level rather than pulling them out — pulling can disturb the roots of the seedlings you're keeping.

"Packed For" Date

Seeds don't last forever. Most vegetable seeds remain viable for 2-5 years if stored in a cool, dry place, but germination rates decline over time. Seeds packed for the current year will give you the best germination. Older packets may still work — just plant extra to compensate for lower germination rates.