25 Seeds You Can Easily Throw & Grow on the Ground (2024)

25 Seeds You Can Easily Throw & Grow on the Ground (1)

Even gardeners have their lazy days. Luckily, there exists a method called broadcast seeding/planting. This is where you simply scatter seeds on the ground and let them grow with little to no maintenance.

Ideally, doing the following beforehand almost always guarantee success:

Rake the ground to loosen up the soil.
Water the soil lightly before and after throwing your seeds.

However, this method is not for everyone, especially if:

You have birds and critters in your area that might eat your seeds.
Your chosen seeds, particularly wildflowers, are considered invasive in your area. Where possible, use native seeds instead to be on the safe side.
You want to maximize your final yield. The reality with this method is you are likely to get fewer flourishing blooms than the number of seeds you started with. After all, nature favors few in the wild.
Your chosen seeds are fussy and do better when buried and germinated before planting in the ground.

If you just want wildflowers to scatter, check out seedsnow.com’s collection of wildflower seed mixes.

(As a seedsnow.com affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

With that said, I’ve compiled a list of seeds that will readily sprout when you throw them on the ground below, starting with Edible Plants:

1. Peas (Pisum Sativum)
2. Carrots (Daucus Carota subsp. Sativus)
3. Dill (Anethum Graveolens)
4. Beets (Beta Vulgaris)
5. Arugula (Eruca Vesicaria)
6. Turnips (Brassica Rapa)
7. Radish (Raphanus Raphanistrum subsp. Sativus)
8. Lettuce (Lactuca Sativa)
9. Chamomile (Chamaemelum Nobile)
10. Mugwort (Artemisia Vulgaris)
11. Strawberry (Fragaria x Ananassa)
12. Leek (Allium Tuberosum)
13. Poppy (Papaver)
14. Larkspur (Delphinium)
15. Marigolds (Tagetes)
16. Zinnias
17. Cosmos
18. Mexican Hat (Ratibida Columnifera)
19. Columbines (Aquilegia Viridiflora)
20. Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x Superbum)
21. Salvias
22. Lupins (Lupinus)
23. Foxgloves (Digitalis Purpurea)
24. Toadflax (Linaria Maroccana)
25. Sweet Rocket (Hesperis Matronalis)

1. Peas (Pisum Sativum)

25 Seeds You Can Easily Throw & Grow on the Ground (2)

Is it an annual or perennial plant? Annual.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 2-11.
What plants should you avoid growing it with? Anything from the allium family, such as onion and garlic.
Any helpful tips when growing them? Wait for the ground to thaw and warm up before scattering the seeds gently. Cold and wet soil will only cause the seeds to rot before it has a chance to take root.
Take a look at the pea varieties on Seedsnow.com

2. Carrots (Daucus Carota subsp. Sativus)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Annual.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 2-11.
What plants should you avoid growing it with?
- Potatoes
- Parsnips
- Any aromatic herbs such as dill and fennel
Any helpful tips when growing them? Don’t give the plant too much fertilizer and be careful not to give a Nitrogen heavy fertilizer. Too much Nitrogen will cause the vegetable to direct its energy to develop more of its foliage top rather than its coveted roots.
Take a look at the carrot varieties on Seedsnow.com

3. Dill (Anethum Graveolens)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Annual.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 2-11.
What plants should you avoid growing it with?
- Cilantro
- Peppers
- Eggplants
- Potatoes
Any helpful tips when growing them? Dill grows better in cooler temperatures, so you can start scattering the seeds in early spring even if the ground is still cool. As it warms up, the seeds will begin to germinate and grow.
Take a look at the dill varieties on Seedsnow.com

4. Beets (Beta Vulgaris)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Annual.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 2-11.
What plants should you avoid growing it with?
- Swiss chard. They come from the same family and will attract the same kind of pests and diseases.
- Pole beans. These are nitrogen-fixers that naturally enrich the soil, encouraging beets to grow more leafy tops rather than thick roots.
Any helpful tips when growing them? Do frequent weeding as the beets are growing. Beets are weak when competing with weeds, so you’ll need to give them a helping hand here. Alternatively, you can add mulch around the plant to suppress weed growth.
Take a look at the beet varieties on Seedsnow.com

5. Arugula (Eruca Vesicaria)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Annual.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 2-11.
What plants should you avoid growing it with?
- Anything from the brassica family, such as cabbages. Since it comes from the same family, this might entice the same pest and diseases to terrorize your arugulas too.
- Some plants from the nightshade family, such as potatoes and tomatoes. They mainly prefer acidic soil, while arugula does better in neutral ground.
- Strawberries.
Any helpful tips when growing them? Herbs tend to develop better under full sun. But you can provide some shade to prolong their harvest and slow down their bolting.
Take a look at the arugula varieties on Seedsnow.com

6. Turnips (Brassica Rapa)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Annual.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 2-11.
What plants should you avoid growing it with?
- Potatoes
- Radishes
Any helpful tips when growing them? Keep a regular watering schedule to ensure the soil is constantly moist for the plant. If there’s a lack of water, it will cause the turnip to turn woody.
Take a look at the turnip varieties on Seedsnow.com

7. Radish (Raphanus Raphanistrum subsp. Sativus)

25 Seeds You Can Easily Throw & Grow on the Ground (8)

Is it an annual or perennial plant? Annual.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 2-11.
What plants should you avoid growing it with?
- Hyssop
- Radishes
Any helpful tips when growing them? Where possible, ensure radishes constantly get full sun to get a sizable harvest. They can still grow under partial shade, but it’ll take longer for them to reach the size you want.
Take a look at the radish varieties on Seedsnow.com

8. Lettuce (Lactuca Sativa)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Annual.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 2-11.
What plants should you avoid growing it with? Anything from the allium family, such as onion, garlic, and leek.
Any helpful tips when growing them? Due to its shallow roots, lettuce needs daily watering to ensure the soil around it is consistently damp for optimal growth.
Take a look at the lettuce varieties on Seedsnow.com

9. Chamomile (Chamaemelum Nobile)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Perennial.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 4-9.
What plants should you avoid growing it with? None, at least based on my experience and research. If you’ve had experience with chamomile having a tug of war with their plant neighbors, do let me know!
Any helpful tips when growing them? Don’t fertilize it too much – chamomile is a tough plant and flourishes even in poor fertile soil. Let it do its thing.
Take a look at the chamomile varieties on Seedsnow.com

10. Mugwort (Artemisia Vulgaris)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Perennial.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 3-8.
What plants should you avoid growing it with? None.
Any helpful tips when growing them? Mugwort is considered a weed in many areas of the US. It can thrive wherever you scatter the seeds, regardless of the soil requirements. Check your local area first to see if it’s an invasive species before broadcast planting them.
Take a look at the mugwort seeds on Seedsnow.com

11. Strawberry (Fragaria x Ananassa)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Perennial.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 5-9.
What plants should you avoid growing it with? Notably, none; they get along pretty well with any plants.
Any helpful tips when growing them? When they grow runner vines, you can pull these off to prevent them from taking root. That way, it encourages more fruits to grow instead.
Take a look at the strawberry varieties on Seedsnow.com

12. Leek (Allium Tuberosum)

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13. Poppy (Papaver)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Perennial.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 2-7.
Any helpful tips when growing them? If you live in warmer climate areas, you can still plant these but expect to replant/rescatter them as annuals instead.
Take a look at the poppy varieties on Seedsnow.com

14. Larkspur (Delphinium)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Both!
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 5-9.
Any helpful tips when growing them? Where possible, ensure that the soil pH is alkaline for the flower to grow well and take root.

15. Marigolds (Tagetes)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Both!
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 2-11.
Any helpful tips when growing them? Be careful of slugs when you’re developing these blossoms. They are notorious for feasting on them.
Take a look at the marigold varieties on Seedsnow.com

16. Zinnias

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Annual.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 3-10.
Any helpful tips when growing them? If you want more blossoms out of the plant, deadhead the flowerhead. You can also choose to leave just a few seeding flowerheads for the birds to feed on.
Take a look at the zinnia varieties on Seedsnow.com

17. Cosmos

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Annual.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 2-11.
Any helpful tips when growing them? If you see dried seeds in your flower heads, leave them be and let them fall on the ground to rise again.
Take a look at the cosmos varieties on Seedsnow.com

18. Mexican Hat (Ratibida Columnifera)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Perennial.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 4-9.
Any helpful tips when growing them? Make sure to plant them heavily in groups or with other taller plants to support their slender length and upright frame.

19. Columbines (Aquilegia Viridiflora)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Perennial.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 3-8.
Any helpful tips when growing them? Pests and diseases tend to attack this plant quite a lot when its growing. An easy solution is to regularly spray fungicide on the plant. However, if you have beneficial bugs around your garden, you can leave the job to them instead.

20. Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x Superbum)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Perennial.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 4-9.
Any helpful tips when growing them? You may not want to plant this flower in open spaces if you live near the woods especially. Deers love eating them, so set up a fence around the plant if you don’t want the wildlife gorging on them.
Take a look at the shasta daisy varieties on Seedsnow.com

21. Salvias

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Both!
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 5-10.
Any helpful tips when growing them? This plant tends to suffer from a lot of pest and disease problems. You can use Neem oil spray and/or fungicides to prevent such issues.

22. Lupins (Lupinus)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Both!
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 4-8.
Any helpful tips when growing them? The best time to plant the seeds is in the fall.

If you want to know more about this flower, you can read about growing them in 8 Important Tips for Growing The Best Lupins in Pots.

Take a look at the lupin varieties on Seedsnow.com

23. Foxgloves (Digitalis Purpurea)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Perennial.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 4-9.
Any helpful tips when growing them? Ensure that the soil never dries out, as this plant likes a consistently moist soil environment.
Take a look at the foxglove varieties on Seedsnow.com

24. Toadflax (Linaria Maroccana)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Annual.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 2-11.
Any helpful tips when growing them? Keep an eye out for aphids when growing this flower; they absolutely love them.

25. Sweet Rocket (Hesperis Matronalis)

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Is it an annual or perennial plant? Perennial.
What hardiness zone does it grow in? Zones 3-8.
Any helpful tips when growing them? Once you plant this flower, it’s almost impossible to get rid of them. Try scattering a tiny amount of seeds first and see whether you like them when they mature.

If you’d like some other easy ways to grow your own garden check out these articles:

How to Easily Grow Cilantro in Water In 30 Days