13 Crops You Should Only Direct Sow

Although indoor seed starting is reliable, it isn’t best for all crops! Some veggies and wildflowers have sensitive roots that dislike disturbance, while others have long taproots that grow deep into the ground. Planting these crops in outdoor soil gives them a healthy start to life. 

Though you may transplant some of these crops, they’ll likely experience setbacks and halt their growth while they adapt to the outdoors. Direct sow and skip the wait! Your plants will naturally harden themselves off as they sprout and mature in the garden. 

In this video, Epic Gardening founder Kevin Espiritu and Garden Hermit Jacques Lyakov share the nine crops they prefer to plant direct sow into the ground. We include some bonus veggies and herbs at the end, rounding up our total to 13 crops. Let’s dig in!

Glass Gem Flint Corn

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Glass Gem Flint Corn Seeds

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Mammoth Sunflower

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Scarlet Emperor Runner Bean

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Corn

	botanical name Zea mays
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 5-8’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Though you can transplant corn seedlings, this crop grows best with direct sowings. Transplanted specimens are subject to toppling over when they grow tall with heavy corn ears. Strong winds in late summer and fall threaten your budding harvest!

Outdoor-seeded specimens have stronger root systems that help them resist winds, rain, and excessive heat. Plant corn seeds an inch deep in large, square plots. These plants use the wind to pollinate themselves; they benefit from dense plantings with ample specimens. 

Sunflower

	botanical name Helianthus annuus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 5-15’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Sunflowers have long, deep-searching taproots that grow like carrots or long radishes. When you plant them in pots, the taproot reaches the bottom and grows stunted and contorted. This is why this crop craves to be direct sown! Instead of using containers, plant sunflowers a half-inch deep where you want them to grow in the yard. 

If you’re worried about sunflowers not sprouting, some tricks can help speed up the process. Try soaking the seeds overnight before planting. You may also snip their outer coats to let water in after planting. Snipping the coat is also called “scarification.” It’s helpful for large-seeded species with thick coats like sunflowers, squash, and nasturtiums. 

Pea

	botanical name Pisum sativum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Peas sprout shallow, weak roots that are sensitive to disturbance. Rough them up too much during transplanting, and you’ll set your harvesting period back a few weeks! Rather than waiting and hoping your crop recovers, try to direct sow peas into the ground in early spring or fall.

As with sunflowers, you may soak peas overnight before planting. This speeds up the germination period for quick harvests on healthy, upstanding plants. Make dense plantings in one-inch-deep furrows after soaking the seeds overnight.

Carrot

	botanical name Daucus carota subsp. sativus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3”-3’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Two easy tricks ensure that carrots sprout. The first is to plant them outdoors! Indoor plantings suffer after transplanting, as their roots are extremely sensitive. The part of the carrot we eat is the root, and it matures best without disturbance. 

The second trick is to use a board or flat, semi-heavy object to place on the area. Plant carrots by making a long, quarter-inch-deep furrow. Sprinkle the seeds inside, cover them with dirt, and then place the wooden board or similar object on the soil surface. This helps them stay moist during the sprouting process.

Leave the board for 10 to 14 days while the seeds soak up water and germinate underneath. Check the site in a week, and remove the board when seedlings appear. 

Bean

	botanical name Phaseolus spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2-8’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Beans fill the garden with edible seeds that work well fresh or dried. Though you can find bean starts at nurseries and garden centers, this crop grows best when you direct sow beans in the ground. They’ll mature and produce quicker and more efficiently than transplanted seedlings.

A fun bean-planting style involves squash and corn in a system where the three veggies help each other grow. It’s called the Three Sisters method. Plant all three seeds in mounds—the corn grows tall, the beans twine around the corn stalks, and the squash covers the soil and acts as a living mulch. 

Wildflowers

	botanical name Various species
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-6’
	hardiness zones Varies by species

Pollinators are essential for bountiful harvests. Bugs like bees, butterflies, and hoverflies pollinate our apple, citrus, and nut trees to increase yields. Without these critters, we’d face extreme food shortages. That is why it’s important to plant flowers in the veggie garden!

Wildflower mixes contain native plants and species that pollinators love, luring them into your yard with the promise of nectar and pollen. Though you may start wildflowers in pots, it’s best to plant them in the ground where you want them to grow. They’ll quickly mature and cover bare soil, creating a lush, dense planting with beautiful flowers. 

Radish

	botanical name Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6”-3’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Radishes are low-growing root crops that develop slightly spicy, crunchy, and refreshing interiors. Like carrots, the part we eat is the root. Unlike carrots, radishes only need a month to mature! It’s not worth planting them in pots, as they’ll mature before you can transplant them.

Two types of radishes offer supreme selections for the home gardener. Spring radishes are the typical red types at the grocery store; they grow best from late winter through early summer. Opt for ‘Cherry Belle’ for a classic heirloom ready for harvest 24 days after planting. 

Try winter radishes in mild regions. They overwinter and mature as days shorten and temperatures cool. ‘Round Black Spanish’ is a superb winter variety with green-black skin and creamy white flesh.

Watermelon

	botanical name Citrullus lanatus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-12’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Watermelons sprout green-striped edible melons with watery, crunchy red flesh inside. Sweet, delectable, and refreshing, watermelons are ideal summer crops in warm climates. The crops have sensitive root systems that grow best when direct sown.

Though E.G. founder Kevin directly sows watermelons, he advises doing the same with other melons like cantaloupes and honeydews. Grow these specimens a week or two after your last average frost date, when temperatures range between 70-90°F (21-32°C). Make mounds, then plant two to four seeds per mound. 

Some regions have short growing seasons and little time for direct sowings. You may start melons indoors with special pots. Use biodegradable containers; that way, you can put the roots in the ground without touching them unnecessarily.

Cucumber

	botanical name Cucumis sativus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2-10’
	hardiness zones 2-11

As with the previous crops, cucumbers have small, sensitive roots that dislike disturbance. They prefer growing in early summer when the weather warms and days lengthen. Without support, the vines stay under two feet tall, though they may reach over 10 feet tall with support!

To plant, sow two to three seeds per hole next to a trellis, arbor, or tomato cage. Thin the seedlings so one remains, and let it twine up the supports. Growing cucumbers on trellises allows for ample airflow, leading to healthy, delicious cucumbers come harvest time. 

Turnip

	botanical name Brassica rapa
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Turnips are root crops with creamy, savory flesh that tastes exquisite roasted, sautéed, and freshly grated. Some growers even boil and mash them like potatoes! Because the parts we harvest are the roots, they dislike disturbance and transplanting. Grow turnips outdoors in raised beds, deep containers, or in-ground beds. 

Though most turnips are white with a purple blush on the skin, some are all-white! The Japanese turnip ‘White Lady’ is small, creamy, and white-skinned. Pickle or roast them, or eat them fresh after they mature for a month or two. Turnips also work well as fall or overwintering crops in mild climates. 

Beet

	botanical name Beta vulgaris
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Beets are tender, succulent, and nutritious! They’re ideal veggies for gardeners who grow radishes but want to try cultivating larger root crops. Beet seedlings don’t take well in the garden after transplanting; plant seeds in outdoor soil instead. 

Beet seeds are dried fruits that contain a cluster of seeds. Some suppliers mechanically separate them, though most don’t. You’ll see two or three seedlings pop up wherever you plant beets because the multiple seeds germinate in the hole. After they sprout, thin the seedlings so that one remains every four inches. 

Squash

	botanical name Cucurbita spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 3-11

Squash grows low to the ground on long, rambling vines. The plants have single taproots and many fibrous roots growing off them. Because of their extensive roots, they dislike unnecessary handling. It’s better to plant them in your garden and watch them grow.

Try cultivating squash with the Three Sisters method! Plant squash, corn, and beans in mounds in early summer. You may start as early as one or two weeks after your last average frost date.

Cilantro

	botanical name Coriandrum sativum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Cilantro is an annual herb that is extremely sensitive—it’ll seemingly bolt overnight! High heat, drought, and root disturbance can push cilantro to bolt. You’ll know it’s bolting when you see tall stems emerge from the center of the plants. The stems sprout clusters of white flowers that turn into coriander seeds.