How to Read a Seed Packet

Some seed packets are easy to decipher, with all the most basic information listed on the outside of the packet. Others have much more to offer, with more details about the variety and how to grow the seeds inside. There are even packets that have useful information inside.

Botanical Interests packets are chock-full in this regard. There is so much included in them that you may wonder what exactly each piece refers to. We can help with that! This piece is meant to address the content of Botanical Interests seed packets and how to read them. 

Our packets are the kind that have instructions and variety-specific materials inside and outside the folded paper. There are so many things to glean from the included info. Here, we explain what info is provided and where to find it for successful growing.

Seeds Featured In This Article

Reading the Seed Packet Exterior

Aside from the obvious variety names and basic growing instructions, there is much to cover on the exterior of your Botanical Interests seed packets. There may even be a few things you have yet to discover about them. 

On the Front

At the top of the seed packet is the common name of the plant. This is the most commonly used name outside of the botanical realm. Common names are important, even though they’re not considered botanically significant, because they hold colloquial meanings about a plant.

The first word after the common name, in all capital letters, is the type of plant. You may notice TOMATO or CAT GRASS listed at the top. Underneath is the common name for the plant type. For example, cat grass has Oats listed.

Below that is the botanical name. This is the botanically agreed upon genus and species for the plant in question among the scientific community. Botanical names help people determine a plant’s specific needs by acting as a funnel for information about the species, including native range, habits, and the like. 

On some of our seed packets, you’ll see a green banner superimposed over the common and botanical names. This indicates you’re working with a USDA Certified Organic plant. You’ll also notice the USDA Organic seal on the top-right of the packet. 

On the Back

The blue panel on the left can be cut out and included with your starter pot or a stake placed next to your plant. This panel includes the common name, a drawing of the seedling (so you know what it was you planted), days to emergence, and seed planting depth. 

Finally, the far left flap indicates there’s more info inside! Here we go. 

Inside Your Seed Packet

I didn’t know for a long time that Botanical Interests seed packets were so full of useful tips that the interior of the packet is used to give important info as well. This shows how much goes into these packets before they’re manufactured and sent to stores. 

The Left-Hand Interior

The left-facing page repeats the common name and gives a little botanical deep dive into the plant. Specifically, the family and info about the plant family are included, as well as its native range. All these bits give you more information about the plant’s growth habits. 

Hardiness is also repeated, just to give you another place to reference the plant’s lifecycle. Then there’s material about starting your seeds. All the soil, light, and water needs are part of this, as well as the proper temperatures to work within. 

General information about the plant, its history, and its uses are present too. Additional information and alternate ways to use your harvest are included.

The Right-Hand Interior

The right-facing inner page acts as a space to carry over topics that couldn’t fit completely into the left-hand inner page. If that isn’t the case, you’ll see fun words about the plant, quotes, or poems. Information about the last frost date may also be listed here. 

A Few Seed Packet Examples

To give you a sense of what we’re talking about, here are some variations on our seed packets. Each has a certain style that gives you relevant information and tells you how to proceed with the plant in question.  

Cat Grass

I included this seed packet as an example because it’s a fun one! When you grow cat grass, you grow it in a container where your cat can visit and nibble here and there. In that vein, the packet exterior lists information about where to place the growing container. 

The interior also provides instructions geared toward growing in a planter. This highly detailed information makes it easier for you to get a little pot of cat grass growing. My favorite thing about this packet is the poem placed next to the container growing instructions. 

Ace 55 Bush Tomato

Here, we have an example of an heirloom veggie. You can tell it’s an heirloom from the title on the left-hand side of its front. Also on the front is the green banner and seal indicating it’s a certified USDA Organic seed. Furthermore, its annual hardiness is there. 

Just under the title is a section that shows the tomato is determinate, meaning you won’t need to trellis it as aggressively as you would an indeterminate species (which continues to grow throughout its life cycle rather than topping out). A few other veggies, like cucumbers, are like this. 

Bring Home the Butterflies

This packet is interesting because instead of working with just one species, we’re planting a blend of multiple. Care instructions are therefore compiled with overall habits in mind. These are organized in a way that caters to the specific list of species in the blend. 

Another cool aspect of Botanical Interests mixes is they include each species and the general weight of those specific seeds per mix. This doesn’t mean there are more seeds, but that the seeds may actually be larger and weigh more than smaller ones.

Alaska Shasta Daisy

This daisy is a cool heirloom flower that comes from hybridization of two species. You’ll notice it’s a hybrid from the ‘x’ in the species name. However, this is a stable hybrid that produces true-to-type seeds and has done so for over 50 years. F1 hybrids at Botanical Interests will say ‘hybrid’ next to the species name.

When you buy cutting garden flowers from BI, you’ll also see recommendations for how and when to harvest the flower and how to care for it while it’s in a vase. With this one, there is also a fun poem, a recipe, and information about how to dye the blooms.

English Thyme

This standby herb has a long history, and its packet doesn’t skimp on the story behind its cultivation and use. Historical info often comes into play with herb packets because these plants have had a multitude of uses over time.

Herbs have a kind of dual-purpose packet as well, appearing like a veggie seed but containing instructions like flower seeds do. That means you’ll see harvesting information and planting techniques, also.

Robust Pop R400MR Popcorn

Here’s another fun one, and an F1 hybrid at that (indicated by the word ‘hybrid’ listed after the species name. Hybrids with this distinction are not heirlooms, as they’ve been crossed with other species over a year or more. 

This corn is used to make Cracker Jack, so there’s an interesting discussion about this popular popcorn preparation. Important material about special germination and pollination is also there, as Robust Pop has considerations that need to be met in its life cycle for good yields.

The coolest part of this packet is the interior. It shows the difference between popcorn varieties in illustrations. This is just one of many ways your understanding of the plants you grow will be enriched when you grow Botanical Interests seeds.