6 Plants That Aren’t Worth Starting From Seed – and 2 Easy Ones to Sow in January Instead

Picture dumping hours into planting trays full of seeds, babysitting them for weeks, only to watch half of your seeds rot or sprout plants that never bloom true. Unfortunately, there are just some plants that aren’t worth growing from seed.

Many gardeners chase the magic of nurturing tiny seeds into blooming beauties or productive harvests, but reality bites when all that effort returns no rewards. Space under lights fills up quickly, patience wears thin, and the results often pale next to reliable nursery stock.

Plenty of crops, including many annuals and veggies, are great for indoor seed starting. They produce strong plants that are quickly ready for the garden. But some stubborn perennials and woody herbs don’t play nice. They result in spotty sprouting, long delays, or variable traits that make starting plants from seeds not worth the effort.

I’ll share which plants you shouldn’t bother growing from seed and a couple alternatives that do well when sown in winter to try instead.

Seeds That Aren’t Worth Planting

Some plants turn seed starting into a gamble. Maybe they have tiny germination odds, require years of waiting, or produce offspring that look nothing like the stunning parent you originally fell for. These are the types of plants that aren’t worth starting from seed.

1. Rosemary

Rosemary seeds sprout poorly and slowly. Germination rates often dip below 30 percent and sprouting takes weeks, even under perfect warmth and moisture.

Many seeds fail outright and the few seedlings that emerge grow unevenly, staying fragile and prone to damping off in moist conditions. The woody growth takes forever to establish, leaving you with spindly plants far from harvest-ready.

Propagating rosemary from cuttings is the better way to go. Established plants root easily from cuttings placed in water or soil and reach harvest size much faster.

Another options is to grab a potted plant, like this upright rosemary from Amazon, for immediate needles and woody stems ready for cooking or borders. Perennial Mediterranean natives like rosemary thrive quicker from clones than seeds.

2. Lavender

Lavender seeds require cold stratification to break dormancy, yet even then they sprout erratically over months with low success rates. Seedlings demand precise conditions to avoid legginess.

Reliable flowering also takes two years or more and often results in plants with a weaker scent or form than parents. Plus, the tiny seeds add extra hassle because they require surface sowing and steady humidity without burying.

Nursery-grown lavender plants bloom the first season reliably. Choose proven varieties, like this compact 'Munstead' lavender from Amazon, for fragrant plants that establish strong roots quickly. Propagating lavender from stem cuttings is easy, too, and gives you an exact match of the parent plant.

3. Asparagus

Asparagus seeds germinate slowly over weeks, producing plants that need three full years before any harvestable spears appear. Asparagus plant sex makes a difference, too. Males yield more harvests, females yield less and seed freely, which leads to uneven patches of asparagus. Early growth also focuses on ferns, not edible shoots, which delays productivity further.

Propagating asparagus from one or two year old crowns helps you skip the wait, producing edible crops sooner and more uniformly. Plant hybrid crowns, like this Mary Washington pack from Amazon, for thicker spears and longer bed life. Perennial beds can last decades from established roots.

4. Peonies

Peony seeds require double dormancy – a warm moist period followed by cold – for germination. Even with that, many never sprout or take years to finally grow. When they do, flowering is delayed five to seven seasons and hybrids rarely match parent colors or doubles. Growing peonies from seed tests even the most patient growers and high failure rates are common.

Instead, divide peonies to grow new plants that flower in only two to three years with the exact traits of the parent plant. Order bare-root peonies from Burpee for fall or spring planting to ensure big blooms faster. These long-lived perennials reward quick starts immensely.

5. Hybrid Hydrangeas

Most garden hydrangeas are hybrids. Seeds produce variable offspring with different colors, sizes, or forms than the prized parent plant. Germination is slow and mature blooming takes three to five years minimum. Soil pH tricks to change the color of your hydrangeas don't carry over reliably either with hybrids started from seed.

Buy specific cultivars for guaranteed blooms that are exactly what you expect. Wayside Gardens has a wide array of high-quality hydrangeas to choose from. Potted plants deliver reliable shades right away. Or try propagating hydrangeas from cuttings for your own homegrown plants.

6. Tuberous Begonias

Tuberous begonia seeds resemble fine dust. Sowing evenly is a challenge even for experts. Plus, seeds require surface light and constant humidity for weeks. Growth creeps slowly, with full tuber formation and strong blooms far off. The dust-like size makes handling tricky without loss.

Mature tubers sprout dependably each year, like this Picotee begonia mix from Amazon, offering cascades of flowers sooner without the finicky start. Divide tubers for multiples, later on.

Seeds to Start in January Instead

Instead of wasting your time and money on seeds that will never grow the way you want them or will take lots of extra work, try these plants that are sure to sprout and grow the way you intend.

1. Onions & Leeks

Onions and leeks demand long cool seasons. January indoor sowings develop thick, sturdy transplants by early spring for outdoor planting. Seeds germinate reliably with gentle warmth, growing pencil-sized stems that outperform later sets or direct sowing.

Day-length sensitive onion varieties turn into bulbs better from early starts. They also store longer and grow larger. Sow varieties suited to day length for the best edible bulbs, like this bunching onion cultivar from Amazon.

2. Kale

Kale seeds emerge quickly, even in cooler indoor spots. January planting produces robust starts for frost-tolerant beds or early harvests. Cold-hardy leaves sweeten after frost and extend the growing season and succession planting pronlongs your harvest.

Varieties like curly or Lacinato kale offer textured leaves through spring. Try the heirloom Lacinato kale seeds from Burpee for plants that are both beautiful and delicious.

Ditch seed packets that promise frustration. Instead, fill seed trays with these forgiving January champs for dependable sprouts, strong growth, and easy success.