Home gardeners can expect a germination rate of 75 to 85 percent when planting directly into the soil. Most packets of flower and vegetable seeds for home use list the variety and whether the seed is an annual, perennial or biennial. The package will note if the plant is a hybrid as well. The information should include the number of days until seed germination. Vegetable packets list the number of days to maturity.
Most packets list spacing recommendations and height and spread of the plant at maturity.
Special care instructions and growth habits usually are included as well. If you put the seed packet on a stake at the end of the garden row, chances are the weather will have rendered it unreadable. To read previous months' news releases, click on this link.