Whether you live in a tiny apartment or have a sprawling garden, did you know there are many easy plants to grow from seed indoors? If you don’t know where to start, you’ve stumbled across the right site and landed in the right place. Whether you’re looking for countertop edible staples or to start an indoor garden of sorts, I’ve put together some tried and tested plants on this list.
Before we dive into the best easy plants to grow from seed indoors, it’s important to remember that ‘best’ is subjective as it depends on where you live; factors such as the climate, humidity, general room temperature, and amount of light play a part in achieving the ‘best’ results.
But if you’re new to growing indoor plants, don’t worry about the details, give it a go and troubleshoot later. The basic guidelines are:
- Light. About 3-5 hours of daylight or indoor growing lights.
- Moderate humidity. If none (cold climates), water more frequently by checking when the soil is dry.
- Warmth. If you’re warm enough, your plant will be too.
Best Easy Plants to Grow from Seeds Indoors – Edible Edition
1. Basil
Basil is an excellent herb to start with. A surplus just means pasta, pesto and have we mentioned pasta?
Basil loves warm soil and can thrive with little care once it’s germinated and gained a few inches. Since it’s fairly fuss free, it’s always at the top of my list of easy plants to grow from seeds indoors AND outdoors. Once your basil has roots and sprouted, keep a robust produce going by pinching off mature leaves and propagate the cuttings into new plants.
I love a good value for money deal, so I’d recommend this Basil seed – non-GMO and you get 1000 seeds for under $2. You won’t be using all the seeds at one go (or will you?), but having extra just means you can sow multiple batches and share them with your friends!
2. Mint
A healthy mint plant can easily be as invasive as weeds in an outdoor garden. It’s a fast-growing herb and does best in a shallow container or pot. To get started, sprinkle mint seeds in fresh, loose soil and cover with a thin layer of soil. Water daily to keep the soil moist. Once it’s 3-4 inches, pinch just below the leaf and propagate for bigger produce.
3. Rosemary
Rosemary is a crowd favourite to grow indoors from seed. However, it’s notoriously known as a slow grower and can take up to 6 months to stabilise as a mature plant. Rosemary plants are an aroid which means it loves heat and warmth and doesn’t require too much water. Sow in fresh soil, barely cover the seeds and spritz with water daily until it starts sprouting.
If you’re wondering how often do you water rosemary plants, instead of sticking to a routined schedule, it’s best to water when the top 2 inches of soil is dry.
4. Peppers
With a large variety to choose from, growing peppers indoors has been proven to be fairly easy. To ensure success, plant the seeds ½” deep, water gently and cover the container or pot with cling film or plastic wrap. This ensures sufficient warmth and humidity for the seedlings to sprout. Without sufficient warmth, your pepper plant is likely to experience stunted growth and produce stunted peppers, if any.
A good tip to remember, if you’re planting hot pepper seeds, remember to put on a pair of gloves as the seeds themselves are pretty hot to handle!
5. Tomatoes
Here’s one for gardeners with a bit of experience as tomatoes can be a bit challenging from seed to harvest. As a mature plant, tomatoes will do well outdoors with a proper trellis cage or a garden stake. But to get the plant started from seed, indoors is best.
Tomato seeds require moist soil and should be placed where there’s plenty of sunlight or on a heat mat. When sowing, pay attention to how many tomato seeds per hole. You would want to aim for 2-3 seeds, assuming 1-2 of the 3 seeds will grow. Once the plant has 4-6 inches on it, place each plant in its own container or in the ground. If all 3 seeds sprout, you would need to be extra gentle in separating the plants as the roots will be soft and can break easily.
It’s important to use good quality seeds to ensure success growth and to get good quality tomatoes. You can extract them from your own fresh tomatoes or buy them online. My favorite one to use are these cherry tomato seeds from Amazon as they’re (once again) non-GMO and you get 250 seeds for under $2. A steal!
Best Plants to Grow Indoors from Seed – Flower Edition
6. Marigolds
Marigolds are an annual plant and it’s high on the list of easy plants to grow from seed indoors. The seeds don’t require any pre-treatment such as soaking or nicking but they need light and warmth to germinate. After sowing, cover with a very thin layer of soil and place it where there’s a healthy amount of sunshine.
7. Nasturtium
If growing edible flowers indoors has been on your to-do list, here’s a flower that tops the list as they’re relatively fuss-free and easy to grow. Did you know nasturtium flowers and leaves are edible? Both beautiful and functional! Soak nasturtium seeds for 6-24 hours then plant them one at a time to allow sufficient space for growth. Place in a sunny spot for optimal results.
8. Zinna
Zinnia is an easy plant to grow from seed indoors simply because it’s a fast grower. However, it needs warmth and would do best towards the end of spring. Sow in a mix of soil, compost, and coir and mist slightly every day until the seeds germinate. Do not soak or let the soil sit in excess water as zinnias thrive in a warm environment.
9. Peace Lily
This is a personal favourite as the peace lily is fuss-free, produces beautiful leaves and gorgeous flowers. If your home has low light, this is the plant to grow indoors. After sowing, mist the soil then water sparingly. A common problem is an overwatered peace lily plant. So just like the rosemary plant, don’t follow a strict schedule. instead, check the soil with your finger and only water when it’s dry to the touch.
10. Coleus
More popular in tropical countries, coleus are almost necessary to grow indoors from seed as their seeds are tiny and can easily be washed away outdoors, causing random growth around the garden. Just like marigolds, they need warmth and light to germinate; sprinkle the seed over a mix of compost and soil and leave uncovered.
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Which Indoor Plants Grow the Fastest?
If you’re looking for edibles for your kitchen, these would be the fastest growing indoor plants:
- Basil
- Chives
- Spring Onion
- Coriander
- Rosemary
- Dill
- Kale
- Spinach / Water Spinach
- Arugula
- Pak Choy
- Radish (requires deeper planting containers)
There are many benefits to prioritizing herbs as your choice of indoor plants. Not only does it mean access to herbs for all your cooking and a cheaper grocery bill, but the subtle and gentle aromas are a natural way to keep your home smelling fresh. If you don’t want to think about which herbs to pick and choose, get a nice selection of different seeds, sow them all and see which works the best for you.
One of the better brands of seeds is Sereniseed, they’re certified organic, non-GMO and have a health growth success rate. They even have a variety pack of seeds consisting of 10 different herbs!
If you’re wondering which flower seed germinates fastest, below is a list of 10 plants. However, while these seeds germinate fast, it’s helpful to remember that flowers, especially brightly coloured flowers, require warmth and sunlight to continue blooming once mature.
If your home has plenty of sunshine or you have growing lights, your plants will be happy indoors. Otherwise, once they’ve stabilised, they might need to move outdoors to thrive and bloom.
- Coleus
- Zinnia
- Calendula
- Cosmos
- Poppy
- Morning glory
- Violet pansy
- Sunflowers (requires more sunlight)
- Sweet Alyssum
- Cornflowers (also known as Bachelor’s Buttons)
Getting Started 101
If you’re overwhelmed or don’t know where to start, here’s a list of everything you need to get started:
- Seeds – Flowers, indoor plants, mixed herbs or all of them
- A sowing tray – there are many types available, the most common being a plastic tray. Personally, I prefer this biodegradable one simply because I can cut the ‘pot’ and plant it into the container without uprooting the seedling or plant. Easy and hassle-free!
- Potting soil – mix your own or get a bag of pre-mixed potting soil. You can’t go wrong with Miracle Gro
- A gardening mat – just to keep things nice and tidy, especially when dealing with soil. I like this extra large mat that’s waterproof. But if you’re on a budget, skip the mat and use any waterproof sheet, large container or just be extra careful to avoid a mess (I love the mess, a mat is necessary for me!)
- A spade or trowel – as you’re working with seeds and small pots/holes, a regular spade would be too big. I use a seedling spade, but you could also opt for an old dinner spoon!
Assuming you’re new to gardening, don’t overthink it. Get your supplies and get started. Indoor plants a true joy to have, and the process is meant to be therapeutic not frustrating. So get started and get growing!
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