Read by Michael Flamel

 

Confessions of a Seedling Enthusiast (and Occasional Seedling Grim Reaper)

After more decades than I care to count—let’s just call them “mini decades”—I’ve come to accept a hard truth about myself:

I have purchased thousands of seedlings.

Truly. From polished nurseries with string-lit greenhouses to farmers markets where seedlings ride on the back of pickup trucks, to online sources that promise “robust, vigorous juveniles” and occasionally send something that looks like it survived a long Winter in Narnia.

Some have flourished into triumphant, fruit-bearing champions.

Others… have died a quick and numinous death.

And every time one perishes—no matter how many seedlings I’ve raised—I still feel it in my gardening bones.

So, I decided enough was enough.

It was time for your intrepid gardening reporter to gather everything I’d learned the hard way—and then back it up with interviews from gardeners across the GreenPrints community and plant experts across the country—to create the definitive guide to choosing seedlings that will actually thrive.

The result is as follows:

A joyful, practical, lighthearted, deeply researched celebration of everything a gardener needs to know to pick winners—whether shopping online, at a nursery, or wandering a farmers market with coffee in one hand and high hopes in the other.

Seedling Success Secrets—Revealed!

1. The Stem Tells the Story

If a seedling were a person, the stem would be the spine, posture, and attitude combined.

Look for:

• Straight, strong stems
• No kinks, bends, or odd corkscrews
• Even color—not pale green or yellowing

Avoid:

• Stretch-a-lot seedlings that are tall, skinny, and leaning like they’re auditioning for a windy-day commercial
• Stems with dark mushy spots (the calling card of damping-off disease)

Expert wisdom:

A longtime nursery manager in Vermont told me, “If the stem looks like it’s already having a bad day, imagine it after transplant shock.”

I’ve never forgotten that.

2. Leaves Speak the Seedling’s Truth

Leaves may be small on young seedlings, but they’re loud talkers.

Healthy leaves should be:

• Deep green
• Free from holes or chewing
• Without splotches, spots, stickiness, or powder

Red flag:

Sticky residue often means aphids—tiny, clingy, joy-sapping aphids.

Herb example:

Healthy basil seedlings have compact, shiny leaves.

Avoid basil seedlings that are already flowering—they’re screaming, “I’m stressed!”

3. Size Matters… But Smaller Often Wins

We gardeners love a big, impressive seedling.

But experts repeatedly told me, “Don’t fall for the tall ones.”

Oversized seedlings are often root-bound, overfertilized, or simply older than they should be.

Choose compact, young seedlings—the ones that look like they’re ready for school but not yet applying to college.

Tomato example: A 6-inch tomato seedling with a sturdy stem is better than a leggy 10-inch one that looks like it grew up indoors on a diet of hope and insufficient sunlight.

4. The Roots Are the Dealmakers

Where allowed, (gently!) lift the seedling from its pot.

Inspect the roots.

Healthy roots:

• White or creamy
• Abundant, but not a solid swirling mat
• Fresh-smelling

Unhealthy roots:

• Brown or black
• Smelly
• Circling tightly (severely root-bound)

Pepper example: Peppers hate disturbance, so a root-bound pepper seedling often never recovers and produces exactly three peppers all Summer—ask me how I know.

5. Soil: The Seedling’s Resume in Dirt Form

Soil quality reveals how the plant has been raised.

Healthy soil should be:

• Moist, not soggy
• Not bone dry
• Free from slime, mold, or algae
• Free of fungus gnats doing aerial acrobatics nearby

If a seedling has mushrooms growing in its pot… you may be buying more than you bargained for.

6. Multi-Plant Seedling Pots: A Blessing or a Curse?

We’ve all seen them:

Four tomato seedlings crammed into a single pot like siblings fighting over a bathroom.

This is a tricky one.

Experts say:

• Multi-packs are fine when seedlings are young
• Avoid containers where seedlings are already competing for light
• Avoid pots with seedlings of dramatically different sizes (a sign the bigger one is hogging all the nutrients)

7. Know the Plant’s Personality

Some species are tougher than others.

Herbs

• Basil: Choose bushy, not leggy; avoid premature flowers.
• Parsley: Slow starter—tiny is normal; avoid yellowing leaves.
• Cilantro: Always slightly offended at being alive; choose freshest and greenest you can find.

Peppers

• They should be compact and dark green.
• Avoid flowering peppers—they transplant poorly once they start reproducing.

Tomatoes

• Look for a thick stem the diameter of a pencil.
• Look for fuzzy hairs—future roots waiting to form.
• Avoid plants with blossoms. (They’ll stall after transplanting.)

8. Local Beats Distant, Every Time

Farmers market seedlings grown within 20 miles usually outperform seedlings shipped from faraway greenhouses.

Why?

They’re acclimated.

They’ve tasted the wind, the sun, the chilly nights.

They know the neighborhood.

One gardener told me, “If they were born here, they’ll live here.”

Hard to argue with that.

9. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

Nursery workers, farmers, and expert growers love questions like:

• “How long have these been potted?”
• “Were these started with artificial light or greenhouse light?”
• “Do they need hardening off?”
• “Do they have siblings who made different life choices?”

If you can make them laugh, they often give you the real advice—the kind they don’t tell everyone.

The Definitive Seedling Success Checklist for Gardeners Everywhere

Take this with you when buying seedlings—online, in nurseries, or at farmers markets.

SEEDLING SUCCESS CHECKLIST

(✓ = good to go)

Stems

• Straight and sturdy
• Not leggy
• No dark or mushy spots

Leaves

• Deep green and evenly colored
• No yellowing or browning
• No holes, chew marks, or sticky residue
• No powdery mildew or white fuzz

Size

• Appropriately small for its age
• Compact, not stretched
• No early flowers

Roots

(If allowed to check)

• White, healthy roots
• Not root-bound
• No foul smell

Soil

• Moist but not soaked
• No mold, mushrooms, or gnats
• Fresh smell, no swamp odor

Container

• Fits the plant (not over-crowded)
• Not cracked or slime-covered
• No algae coating

Provenance

• Locally grown if possible
• Seller can answer basic care questions

Conclusion: Choose Wisely, Plant Boldly

After thousands of seedlings—and a lifetime of joys, failures, and sweet triumphant harvests—I’ve learned that choosing a healthy seedling is part science, part art, and part intuition.

But with the right eye, the right questions, and this trusty checklist, you’ll dramatically increase your success rate—and avoid the heartbreak of seedlings who depart this world far too soon.

So, this Spring, as you venture out with hope in your heart and soil under your fingernails, take this guide with you.

May your seedlings be strong, your garden be abundant, and your adventures full of joy.

 

Your intrepid gardening reporter, always learning—

Don Nicholas