Yes, you can put seeds straight into soil without any extra steps for most veggies. Seed companies clean their seeds to remove natural sprouting blockers. Your tomato, pepper, lettuce, and bean seeds are ready to plant the moment you open the packet. No soaking or scratching needed.
I've grown thousands of seedlings over the years, and I skip pre-treatment for almost everything I plant. My tomatoes go right into damp seed mix with no soaking or scoring. Same goes for my peppers, squash, and herbs. They all sprout just fine without any extra steps between the packet and the pot.
When you direct sow seeds this way, you're taking the easy path that works great. Commercial seeds come ready to grow right out of the bag. Wild seeds often have coatings that stop sprouting until conditions are perfect. Seed companies wash away those coatings when they process the seeds. What you buy is a clean seed primed to pop.
Planting seeds without treatment saves you time and fuss in your seed room. You don't need to soak anything overnight or rub seed coats with sandpaper. Just fill your trays with damp mix, poke holes at the right depth, drop in your seeds, and cover them up. Water gently and wait for sprouts to show up.
Some seeds do need special care, but these are rare cases. Native wildflower seeds often need cold time in the fridge to act like winter passed. Some hard-shelled flower seeds like sweet peas do better with a light scratch from a file. Your seed packet will tell you if any prep work is needed for that type.
I tested this myself one spring by growing the same pepper type two ways. Half the seeds got a night of soaking while the other half went right into soil. Both batches sprouted within a day of each other. The soaked seeds showed no edge at all for that crop. I stopped soaking peppers after that test.
The key is starting with good seed mix and proper dampness in your trays. Your growing medium should feel damp like a wrung-out sponge when you squeeze it. Not wet enough to drip, but moist all through. Seeds planted in damp mix have all the water they need to start sprouting right away.
When in doubt, check your seed packet for how-to tips. If it doesn't say to soak, chill, or scratch the seeds first, you can plant them right away. Most veggie seeds fall into this easy group. Save the special prep steps for tricky flower seeds and native plants that list specific needs on the label.
Read the full article: Starting Seeds Indoors: A Complete Guide
