All About Seeds

Updated 1/2024

Seeds are the foundation of a garden. In this class, you will learn about choosing seeds, growing seeds, and saving seeds. It’s all in the name: this class is All About Seeds. Participants will learn about how to start plants from seed, support seedling growth, and how to save and store seeds.

This class topic is part of the Horticultural Skills priority of the Master Gardener program.

If you enjoyed this class, please join us for another. Current and upcoming classes are posted on our website.

Class Handouts

• Slide Presentation (Slide print-out)

• Participant Class Handout

At-Home Activities

• Dissect a seed to identify its internal structures 

  • Materials: 1 large seed (beans recommended), water, 24-hours of time

  • Seed Dissection Demonstration (Houston Community College)

• Test seed viability to find out if old seeds are still good to plant

  • Materials: old seeds, damp paper towel, plastic zip-top bag

  • Germination Test (University of Illinois Extension) 

• Create seed tape to help space and plant tiny seeds

  • Materials: seeds, toilet paper, glue, measuring tool, marker

  • DIY Seed Tape (Iowa State University Exension)

Related Handouts

• Seed Packet Terminology (Washington State University Extension)

• Hybrid vs Heirloom: Which Seeds to Choose (University of California Cooperative Extension)

• Seeding & Transplanting (University if California-Davis)

• Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors (Rutgers: State University of New Jersey)

• Seed Saving Guide (Seed Savers Exchange)

• Prairie Seed Collecting (University of Minnesota)

• 10-Step Guide to Saving Seeds & Avoiding Cross-Pollinators (University of Minnesota Extension)

• Saving Seeds (Oregon State University Extension)

• Seed Shelf Live

• Seed Storage Guidelines (Johnny's Select Seeds)

Online Resources

 PRO-TIP: Google “site:edu seed starting” (or site:gov) for research-based advice 

• Starting Seeds At Home (University of Minnesota Extension)  

• Seed-Starting Date Calculator (Johnny's Select Seed Company)

• Starting Seeds Indoors (University of Minnesota Extension)  

• Lighting for indoor plants and starting seeds (University of Minnesota Extension) 

• Planting a Vegetable Garden (University of Minnesota Extension) 

• Saving Vegetable Seeds  (University of Minnesota Extension) 

• Seed Saving Basics (Oregon State University Extension) 

• Seed Saving & Sharing (University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension) 

• Sorting out your saved seeds & Germination Test (University of Illinois Extension) 

• Harvesting Native and Indigenous Perennial Seeds (University of Illinois Extension)