Planning tool

Seed Depth Planner

Use catalog sowing-depth data to separate tiny shallow-sown seeds from larger deep-sown seeds before preparing rows, trays, or raised beds; source notes below explain the vegetable and indoor-start guidance behind the checks.

Planning tool

Current seed-depth check

Normal direct row

Use the catalog depth as the row starting point, then check seedbed moisture, soil temperature, and spacing.

Seed depth cross-section Normal direct row · catalog depth check Static soil cross-section shows shallow cover, standard row depth, deep furrows, and tray-depth candidates.
Light cover68 seeds
Standard rows18 rows
Deep crops17 crops
Indoor starts50 crops

Default seed-depth context presets

Use Tiny seed or light cover, Normal direct row, Large seed or hill, Indoor tray, Sandy or drying bed, or Clay or crusting bed before asking users to interpret exact sowing-depth numbers.

Light-cover seeds (68)

Standard 1/2-inch rows (18)

Deep furrow or hill crops (17)

Indoor tray candidates (50)

  • Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Roma Tomato Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Genovese Basil Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Marketmore 76 Cucumber Use tray medium and cover near 1"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Arp Rosemary Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Chief Mix Celosia Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Common Lemon Balm Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Common Thyme Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Dense Blazing Star Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Eastern Bee Balm Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Grandiflora Petunia Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Greek Oregano Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Indian Summer Rudbeckia Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Joe Pye Weed Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Munstead Lavender Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Sweet Alyssum Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Tall Double Mix Strawflower Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Tall Maximum Snapdragon Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Tall Utah Celery Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Tall Verbena Use tray medium and cover near 1/8"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • American Flag Leek Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Black Beauty Eggplant Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Broadleaf Sage Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • California Giant Zinnia Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • California Wonder Pepper Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Common Chives Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Early White Vienna Kohlrabi Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Evergreen Bunching Onion Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Florence Fennel Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • French Marigold Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Globe Amaranth Gomphrena Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Green Curled Endive Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Green Globe Artichoke Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Italian Flat Leaf Parsley Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Long Island Improved Brussels Sprouts Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Purple Coneflower Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Red Stem Malabar Spinach Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Toma Verde Tomatillo Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • White Stem Bok Choy Use tray medium and cover near 1/4"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Bright Lights Swiss Chard Use tray medium and cover near 1/2"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Georgia Southern Collards Use tray medium and cover near 1/2"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Golden Acre Cabbage Use tray medium and cover near 1/2"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Lacinato Kale Use tray medium and cover near 1/2"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Snowball Y Cauliflower Use tray medium and cover near 1/2"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Waltham 29 Broccoli Use tray medium and cover near 1/2"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Delicata Winter Squash Use tray medium and cover near 1"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Hale's Best Jumbo Melon Use tray medium and cover near 1"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Small Sugar Pumpkin Use tray medium and cover near 1"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Sugar Baby Watermelon Use tray medium and cover near 1"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.
  • Waltham Butternut Squash Use tray medium and cover near 1"; thin cells after emergence if more than one seedling grows.

Inputs

Seed and bed context
Start with tiny seed or light cover, a normal direct row, large seed or hill crops, indoor trays, sandy drying beds, or clay and crusting beds before using exact catalog depth.
Catalog sowing depth
Each catalog entry stores a sowDepthIn value so depth can be checked beside spacing, row spacing, germination temperature, and start method.
Seed size and start method
Small seeds, indoor starts, and direct-sown rows need different handling even when the same crop can be started more than one way.
Soil texture and seedbed
Adjust field depth only after preparing a fine seedbed, moistening the row, and considering whether the bed is sandy, clayey, crusting, or dry.
Spacing context
Depth is only one part of stand establishment; pair it with in-row spacing, row spacing, thinning, soil temperature, and irrigation.

What it returns

Planning guidance

Seedbed first
Prepare a fine seedbed before sowing so shallow seed is not buried under clods and deeper seed has firm seed-to-soil contact.
Texture adjustment
UMN notes that sandy soils a little deeper than clay soils can be appropriate, but the catalog depth should stay the starting point.
Uniform rows
Open furrows and close them carefully so seed is covered at a uniform depth instead of disappearing into uneven ridges.
Indoor-start rule
For indoor trays, UMD recommends covering seed at about twice the diameter of the seed, with small or medium seed rows about 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep.
Chart context
Use Planting Depth chart values as vegetable-depth context with spacing, row spacing, thinning, and germination temperature rather than treating depth as the only establishment rule for every catalog category.
Moisture caveat
Keep shallow seed evenly moist without washing it out; deeper seed still fails when planted into cold, compacted, or waterlogged soil.

Shallow-sown candidates

Deep-sown candidates

Supporting planning paths

Source basis