What Are Pelleted Seeds?

When browsing seed catalogs, you may come across pelleted seeds. These are not a different variety of seed but rather seeds that have been coated to improve planting and handling.

What Does “Pelleted” Mean?

Pelleted seed is surrounded by a thin coating of clay, inert material, or other substances to make the seed larger, smoother, and more uniform in shape. This coating does not change the genetics of the seed; it simply improves its size and handling.

Why Are Seeds Pelleted?

Improved planting precision: Small or irregularly shaped seeds (like lettuce, carrot, or petunia) are hard to sow evenly. Pelleting makes them rounder and uniform, so they flow better through seeders.

Easier spacing: Pelleted seeds can be planted one by one, reducing the need for thinning.

Enhanced visibility: Larger coated seeds are easier to see during planting.

Optional add-ons: Sometimes pelleting includes additives like fungicides, insecticides, or nutrients, but often the coating is just inert material.

Are There Drawbacks?

Shorter shelf life: Pelleted seeds may not store as long as raw seeds, since the coating can affect moisture exchange.

Higher cost: Extra processing makes them more expensive.

Moisture needs: The coating must fully absorb water before germination begins, so uniform soil moisture is critical.

Common Uses

Pelleted seed is most common in high-value crops or greenhouse production where precision sowing is important, such as:

Lettuce

Carrot

Onion

Tomato

Petunia and other small-seeded ornamentals

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