Do Not Start These 9 Seeds Indoors
Some seeds are better sown directly in the garden rather than started indoors in trays. Gardening expert Madison Moulton explains which common vegetables don't transplant well and why direct sowing gives you better results.
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Starting seeds indoors is ideal for tomatoes, peppers, and other slow-growing crops that need a head start. But some plants hate being transplanted so much that you’re better off sowing them directly where they’ll grow, even if it means a later harvest. Sowing indoors is not impossible, but you’ll see far better results if you wait for the right window to direct sow instead.
The plants on this list are the ones gardeners generally do not start from seeds indoors. They either develop root systems that don’t tolerate disturbance, or they grow so quickly that the indoor head start doesn’t offer any real advantage.
Trying to start them in trays just creates extra work and often results in stressed plants that underperform compared to direct-sown ones.
Carrots
The long taproot on carrots makes transplanting nearly impossible without damage. When you try to move a carrot seedling, the taproot either breaks or gets bent, and you end up with deformed, forked carrots instead of the straight roots you wanted.
Carrot seeds are small and slow to germinate, which tempts people to start them indoors where they can control conditions. But those tiny seedlings have already started developing their taproot by the time they’re big enough to handle, and disturbing it at any point ruins the crop.
Direct sow in loose, well-draining soil and thin seedlings once they’re a couple inches tall. The thinning process is tedious, but it’s less work than trying to transplant and dealing with the inevitable failures.
Beets
Beet seedlings look sturdy enough to transplant, and technically, you can move them if you’re very careful. But why bother when direct sowing is simpler and produces better roots?
Transplanting sets beets back even when done gently. The roots take time to recover from the disturbance, and you often end up with smaller, less uniform beets. Some transplanted beets never develop proper roots and just sit there producing leaves.
Plant them where you want them to grow and thin to proper spacing once seedlings emerge. You can eat the thinnings as baby greens, which makes the whole process more worthwhile.
Radish
Radishes mature so fast that starting them indoors is pointless. From seed to harvest takes three to four weeks with spring varieties, sometimes even less. By the time you’d transplant them, they’d be halfway to maturity anyway.
The small root system doesn’t handle transplanting well either. Radishes develop their edible root quickly, and any disturbance to that developing root affects the final shape and quality. You’ll get woody, misshapen, or split radishes from transplants.
Direct sow every couple of weeks for continuous harvests. The quick turnaround means you can succession plant throughout spring and fall without worrying about getting an early start indoors.
Turnips
Like other root crops, turnips put down a taproot early that doesn’t appreciate being moved. Transplanted turnips often develop tough, fibrous roots when you’re after tender, sweet roots.
Turnip seeds germinate readily in cool soil, which is when you want to grow them anyway. There’s no advantage to starting them early indoors when they prefer cool weather and can be direct-sown as soon as soil is workable in spring.
The seeds are large enough to handle individually, making direct sowing straightforward. Plant them at proper spacing from the start, or sow a bit thicker and thin to the spacing you want. Either way works better than trying to transplant.
Lettuce
Lettuce grows fast and tolerates cool soil, so starting it indoors doesn’t gain you much time. You can direct sow lettuce weeks before your last frost date since it handles cold well, which eliminates the main reason for starting seeds indoors.
Transplanting lettuce isn’t impossible, and some gardeners do it successfully. But lettuce seedlings are delicate, and the transplanting process often impacts their growth just when you want them to put on size quickly. Direct-sown lettuce germinates within a week in cool spring soil and grows steadily without the transplant setback.
Sow a row or block every two weeks from early spring through early summer for continuous harvests.
Beans
Bean roots are also sensitive to disturbance. Whether you’re growing bush beans or pole beans, direct sowing after the soil warms gives you healthy, productive plants without the transplanting headaches.
The main issue isn’t root damage, per se. Beans develop their root system rapidly, and even careful transplanting disrupts enough roots to stress the plant. Stressed bean plants are more susceptible to disease and produce lighter yields than unstressed plants.
Wait until soil temperature reaches 60°F before sowing. Cold soil causes beans to rot before germinating, which is probably why some gardeners consider starting them indoors. But the solution is waiting for warm soil, not dealing with transplants.
Melons
Melons have sensitive roots and don’t recover well from transplanting. While you can start them in large peat pots or soil blocks that minimize disturbance, direct sowing in warm soil works just as well without the risk.
The vining growth habit means melons need space regardless of when you plant them. Starting indoors doesn’t save garden space or extend the harvest window enough to justify the transplant stress in most climates.
In short-season areas where soil doesn’t warm up until late spring, starting melons indoors in biodegradable pots can work. But for most gardeners, waiting for warm soil and direct sowing produces healthier plants that establish faster and fruit more reliably.
Cucumbers
The root system of cucumbers hates being disturbed. Transplanted cucumbers wilt dramatically even with careful handling, and they take a week or more to recover and resume growing. Direct-sown cucumbers skip that recovery period entirely and often catch up to transplants within a few weeks.
Like melons, cucumbers need warm soil to germinate and grow well. If your soil is warm enough for cucumbers to grow after transplanting, it’s warm enough for seeds to germinate quickly. You’re not gaining anything by starting indoors except extra work and stressed plants.
Some gardeners in very short-season climates do start cucumbers indoors to extend the growing window. If you’re in this situation, use large containers and transplant the entire root ball without disturbing it at all. Even then, expect some transplant shock.
Squash
Summer squash and winter squash both dislike transplanting, though winter squash tolerates it slightly better. The large seeds germinate quickly in warm soil, usually within a week, so there’s minimal time saved by starting indoors.
Squash plants grow large and put down extensive root systems early. Trying to transplant a squash seedling almost always damages roots, even when you’re careful. Those damaged roots mean the plant sits there sulking for a week or two instead of growing vigorously.
Direct sow after your last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 70°F, and you’ll have germination within days and strong growth from the start.
