Gardeners Swear by This Easy Step to Speed Up Seed Germination

Published on February 11, 2026

Soaking seeds before planting them mimics the favorable growing conditions after a spring rain. Water wakes up many types of seeds and signals to them that it’s the right time to sprout. So do you need to soak seeds in water before starting them indoors or sowing in your garden? That depends on the type of seeds. Here’s what you need to know about which seeds to soak and how to try this technique correctly.

Why to Soak Seeds Before Planting

All seeds have an outer coat that protects the plant embryo inside. Some seeds have a thick exterior coat to shield that tiny plant inside from dryness, injury, fire, an animal's digestive tract, or disease. That tough outer coat is nature’s way of protecting seeds until they have a more ideal moment to sprout into new plants. But when you’re growing them at home, a tough seed coat can slow down germination.

Soaking seeds in water hacks that protection system and makes seeds sprout faster. A pre-soak softens that outer protective coat so it absorbs water, helping the embryo to break dormancy and start growing. Because the softer coat is easier to split open, the baby plant spends less energy busting out and puts more energy into growing shoots and roots.

If you live in a climate with a short growing season, soaking seeds before sowing can help you squeeze a few days or weeks of growing time in for your plants. Soaked seeds sprout faster and turn into productive plants sooner.

Which Seeds to Soak

Large seeds with tough coats can benefit from soaking before planting. These include several popular vegetable and flower seeds.

Veggie Seeds to Soak

• Peas
• Squash
• Beets
• Peppers
• Beans
• Cucumbers
• Pumpkin
• Corn
• Chard

Flower Seeds to Soak

• Nasturtium
• Sweet pea
• Lupine
• Sunflower

Seeds That Don't Need Soaking

Small seeds or seeds with thin coats do not need to be soaked. These include many types of veggies such as tomatoes, basil, lettuce, cabbage, kale, carrots, chives, watermelon, and radishes. And many popular types of flower seeds such as black-eyed Susan, zinnia, bachelor’s buttons, and foxglove also don't need soaking first. While it won't hurt the seeds to soak them, it won't help speed up their germination much. Plus, getting tiny seeds wet can cause them to clump together, making them harder to sow.

How to Soak Seeds

Once you've selected seeds you want to soak, follow these simple steps to start the germination process.

1. The day before you are ready to plant seeds, place them in a shallow bowl or other vessel and cover them with a few inches of warm water. Place them away from direct sunlight indoors where they can stay at room temperature.
2. Let the seeds soak between 8 and 24 hours, long enough for the coats to soften and the seeds to swell, but not so long that they to start to crack or rot. Soaking overnight is usually adequate for most seeds. Depending on the type of seed, they may increase in size or change color after soaking. Leaving seeds in the water too long can drown the plant embryo and cause the seeds to rot.
3. After the soaking period, skim off any floating seeds. Older seeds especially may have gone bad, and have air inside that makes them float. Keep the seeds that have sunk to the bottom of your bowl, indicating they have taken up enough water.
4. Drain the water off the seeds. Depending on the size of the seed, you can dump the water and seeds into a fine-mesh sieve, or through a coffee filter. Then place your soaked seeds on paper towels to help wick up excess water.
5. Plant the seeds within a few hours of taking them out of the water. You’ve activated their germination process, so they’re ready to sprout. During this time, it's critical that the seeds don't completely dry out again.