Do Seeds Point Up or Down When Gardening & Planting Seeds?

Taking time to learn proper planting methods will ensure a healthy, productive garden.

New gardeners often have questions about the "right" way to care for their plants. A common concern is directly related to an initial planting step: in which direction the seed should rest in the soil.

Planting

Nature is powerful; usually it makes no difference whether a seed is placed pointing up or down. When the seed germinates, it will always grow toward the light source.

Considerations

More importantly than planting seeds in a specific direction is ensuring that seeds are planted at an appropriate depth. Always check seed packages for instructions, as different plant varieties vary in planting-depth requirements.

Exception

Plant avocado seeds with the bottom portion (base) down and the top up, regardless of whether the seed is started in water or soil.

References

• Ask a Scientist: How Plants Grow Toward Light
• North Carolina State University: Planting Seeds
• California Rare Fruit Growers: Growing Avocados from Seed

Resources

• University of Illinois Extension: Vegetable Gardening Basics