Do You Suck Seeds Before You Plant Them? Organic Gardeners Swear By This Unusual Trend (But There’s a Catch!)

If you’ve even so much as glanced at TikTok recently, you will have likely stumbled across a bizarre new gardening “hack”: sucking on seeds before planting them.

The idea? Well, for those who fancy adding some woo-woo to their usual process for starting seeds, sucking on them is supposedly a way to transfer some of your own DNA to the seed. The idea being that, when it germinates and grows into a delicious fruit or veg, it will do so packed with nutrients tailored specifically to your body.

Yes, really. Some gardeners are treating their seeds like tiny edible ambassadors of themselves: lips, tongue, and all. Before you grab a sunflower seed and lean in, though, let’s take a breath and separate fact from fantasy.

Why People Are Sucking Seeds

If you’re wondering why anyone would actually try this: it’s partly ritual, partly connection, and partly TikTok virality.

As one user puts it: "Suck on seeds before planting? Sounds wild, but it’s believed to transfer your DNA, helping the plant grow with nutrients tailored to your body’s needs! Nature’s way of personalized nutrition!"

Before we address the purported benefits of sucking seeds, let's talk about what does help seeds grow: pre-soaking or scarification.

Many seeds, from beans to peppers, have tough outer shells that can make germination slow or uneven. Soaking them in water for a few hours (or even overnight) softens the seed coat, letting moisture and nutrients penetrate more easily. The result? Faster, more reliable sprouting.

Now, we know what you're thinking: saliva might seem a convenient soaking solution, but it’s not a miracle growth elixir. In fat, while it’s mostly water, it also carries bacteria that could harm your seeds.

Worse news still? We've trawled the internet, and there’s seemingly zero evidence that human DNA can “customize” plant growth. So, from a strictly botanical perspective, kissing your seeds isn’t necessary... though it might feel oddly ceremonial.

After all, gardening has long been a practice about care and intention. Placing a seed in your mouth is likely more about feeling involved in its growth journey than literally “feeding” it your DNA.

Think of it as a micro-meditation... albeit with a slightly strange twist.

Seed Starting Essentials:

Personally, we recommend soaking your seeds in fresh water to soften the outer shell and kickstart germination. Then, if you want to satisfy that ceremonial itch, try talking to your seeds, gently handling them, or even giving them a kiss (without saliva).

Hey, if giving a seed a tiny, symbolic smooch makes planting more fun, who are we to judge?