The Consequences of Burying a Seed Too Deep ( Solved)

What Happens If You Plant A Seed Too Deep?

Gardening is quite the economic and cathartic activity one can pursue. You only need to have access to the following: fresh air, light, water, and soil. 

This means you can grow your plants within the confines of your own house, a kitchen garden on your balcony, or in your backyard as well. You can buy your own seeds and watch them grow.  

However, for any plant to thrive, it needs to be planted at a suitable depth. Sometimes, planting a seed too deep into the soil is an error that could sabotage their germination.  

Can You Plant Seed Too Deep? 

Yes, planting a seed too deep is a common occurrence amongst gardeners.  

You may overestimate the ideal depth at which you need to plant the seed, so end up burrowing it too deep into the soil. Or it may have happened by accident.

It is important to remember that nailing the precise depth for seed plantation is not easy, as different types of seeds require different conditions to grow well.  

What Happens If You Plant A Seed Too Deep? 

Your seed requires the right conditions to begin developing. This involves proper exposure to sunlight, adequate water, and nutrient-rich soil.  

But most of all, they should be sowed at a depth that allows light and air to permeate the soil and contribute to its germination. Seeds only have a limited amount of energy as they try to break through the soil and develop a shoot.

After which, they contain the energy required to sustain themselves till they are capable of photosynthesis. 

Nature has a specific design for seedlings to grow into thriving plants. If you plant the seed too deep, it can tamper with this design. 

Slow or No Germination  

While your seedlings are in the developing stage, they depend on aerobic respiration to gain energy. If you’ve under-watered or over-watered the seed, you risk your seeds not getting enough oxygen for seed germination.

A miscalculation in sowing depth could make things even worse as the oxygen supply is significantly cut off.  

A seed that is planted too deep into the seed-starting mix  or garden soil also struggles to access light. It will get weak and succumb, either within the soil itself or while its shoot is developing.

Some seedlings do not have stems that can push through the soil if they’ve been planted too deep. They will have depleted their nutrients, and you’d be left with incomplete or failed germination.  

Large seeds may be able to survive being planted too deep, but their smaller counterparts don’t really stand a chance.  

Lost Time and Late Emergence  

Seeds that are buried too deep take much longer to push their way through the soil. Even if they do germinate and emerge, they will struggle to push out enough to receive adequate air and sunlight.  

This delayed germination and emergence can then lead to other problems. If they’ve managed to survive, the effects of having been planted too deep will manifest throughout their life cycle.

The plants become less viable, have low vigor, poor growth, and low crop stand. It will be in colder areas where the growing season is short.  

How Deep Can You Plant A Seed? 

If you’ve bought your seeds from a store, the container label will have instructions on how to plant them. You can find specific information about sowing specifics on the company’s website as well.  

On the off chance that you got the seeds from a friend, you may not have accurate information at hand. You could get information about your seed variety online as well. 

The thing about seeds is that their quality and vigor vary based on several factors including season, and soil quality. There is, unfortunately, no one-size-fits-all approach to how deep you can plant a seed.  

There are some basic ground rules you can check off your list if you’re operating on minimal knowledge of sowing depth.  

1. Start with measuring the diameter of the seed. Your sowing depth should be twice or thrice the seed’s diameter.

For example, if your seed is one centimeter in diameter, you should be sowing them two or three centimeters into the soil.  

2. Seeds that are tiny only need to be pressed into the ground, with a smattering of soil barely covering them.

You may feel the urge to compress the soil and make it even; don’t do that! It is important for the soil to be firm while allowing air to permeate the soil. 

3. There are some seeds that need to be left on the soil with no soil covering them at all.

Some of these include the likes of lettuce, petunias, foxgloves, and sweet alyssums. This is because they require direct sunlight for germination.  

4. If you’re growing your plant indoors, make sure you buy sterile soil that is specifically meant for planting new seeds.  

5. Some seeds also need warm soils at specific temperature ranges in order to germinate. Using heating mats or planting the seeds in areas that receive the most sunlight can prompt proper growth. 

6. In general, seedlings require 14-16 hours of sunlight. In case you don’t live in a sunny area, you could use lamps as a substitute.

Gardening enthusiasts recommend covering the container to keep the soil moist and damp, creating the optimal conditions for developing seedlings.  

For a better understanding so here is a list of Seed Depth Chart for some of the popular vegetables that are easy to grow.

If you want to find out more details- this is the reference link from UGA University

Can I Reposition A Seed That I Planted Too Deep? 

Short answer, yes! 

If you see no obvious signs of growth, you can cautiously burrow a finger into the spot you sowed the seed in and feel around for signs of a growing tip below the surface.  

However, if there are visible parts just breaking out of the soil, it means there are new roots that have settled in already. But don’t worry, this can be tackled carefully.  

You might be tempted to dig into the soil again, take out the seed, and sow it again at the correct depth in case you’ve planted it too deep. Right? Except, re-digging isn’t the way to go.  

You can carefully just remove some of the soil covering your seedling to get it back at the optimal depth. 

It could be a hit-and-miss sometimes, as your seed may be dead already in certain cases.  If you’re concerned that you’ve sowed the seed in too deep, you can do what most gardeners do — simply “lift” the seedling up without disturbing the soil too much.  

It is also highly recommended that you use labels for your soil and seeds meticulously. Label the patch of soil and the seed used along with the sowing date as well.

These specifics will help avoid any confusion when you check on them or try to correct any error in sowing.  

Another rookie mistake that several amateur gardeners make is not doing proper research on the number of seeds they need to start with and end up sowing too many at once.

Planting several seeds in close proximity would damage the prospects of healthy germination, as they would have to fight for light, water, nutrients, etc.  

But all is not lost if you’ve miscalculated the sowing depth. You can still find ways to rectify the situation. 

How To Fix Seeds Planted Too Deep 

It would seem as if you get only one shot when it comes to sowing plants. But fortunately, there is room for correcting errors.  

If you’ve accidentally planted your seeds too deep, you have two options.

Option 1: You can leave them be and allow them to germinate (if they can) at their pace without interference.  

Option 2: You could simply remove a bit of the soil layered over the seed so that the seeds are back at optimal depth.  

A third option is applicable after the germination stage. This is in case you see your seedling displaying visible growth and you’re certain that they’ve been planted too deep.

Use shovels and gently lift the soil around the roots. You can then reposition the plant at an optimum depth. This is a delicate task though.

You need to take special care when you’re repositioning a plant as any damage to the root will further sabotage the plant’s growth. 

In Conclusion 

There’s no telling which seed will brave adverse circumstances like too much depth. Some seeds may turn out just fine.

After all, you can’t predict nature’s will. Planting seed too deep is an error that has to be dealt with delicately. But you’d be doing your seeds a great favor by growing them in the right conditions and giving them the perfect start.