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Pick two or three seeds to see how they grow, side by side: sprouting, spacing, sun, water, frost and pet safety in one table.

Comparing Alfalfa vs. Armenian Cucumber vs. American Persimmon

The comparison

Alfalfa vs. Armenian Cucumber vs. American Persimmon

Units
Growing facts for Alfalfa, Armenian Cucumber and American Persimmon, side by side
Fact
AlfalfaMedicago sativa
Armenian CucumberCucumis melo var. flexuosus
American PersimmonDiospyros virginiana
DifficultyModerateModerateChallenging
Life cyclePerennialAnnualPerennial
Sowing depth6 mm–1.5 cm¼–½ inNot yet verifiedNot yet verified
SunFull sun, partial shadeFull sunFull sun, partial shade
WaterNot yet verifiedModerateNot yet verified
ContainersNot yet verifiedNot yet verifiedNot suited to pots
Frost toleranceHardyTender (no frost)Hardy
Links
How to grow alfalfaRemove alfalfa
How to grow armenian cucumberRemove armenian cucumber
How to grow american persimmonRemove american persimmon

Up close

Meet the seeds

What each one is, in a few lines, with the full growing guide one click away.

  • Alfalfa plant with purple flower clusters and silvery green leaves in a soft-focus meadowFruits & other

    Alfalfa

    Medicago sativa

    Difficulty: Moderate

    Alfalfa, also called lucerne, is a perennial legume grown from seed in full sun or partial shade. Sow it shallowly, inoculate the seed before planting, and expect it to fix much of its own nitrogen.

    How to grow alfalfa
  • Armenian cucumber fruit, long and curved, growing on the vine with leaves behindVegetables

    Armenian Cucumber

    Cucumis melo var. flexuosus

    Difficulty: Moderate

    Armenian cucumber is a warm-season vine in the melon species, grown from seed for its edible fruit, which is eaten fresh or in salads.

    How to grow armenian cucumber
  • American persimmon tree with small orange fruits on bare branches against a blue skyFruits & other

    American Persimmon

    Diospyros virginiana

    Difficulty: Challenging

    A native US tree grown for sweet fall fruit, colorful leaves and checkerboard bark. Trees grown from seed can take four to nine years to bear fruit, and you usually need both male and female trees.

    How to grow american persimmon

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The table, row by row

How to read a comparison

Every row is a fact from each seed's own profile, lined up so the differences stand out.

  1. Sprouting

    Germination time and temperature

    How many days the seeds take to sprout, and the temperature range they sprout in.

  2. Sowing

    Sowing depth and spacing

    How deep to sow each seed and how far apart the plants should grow. “On the surface” means the seed isn't covered.

  3. Timing

    Days to maturity and life cycle

    How long until the plant is ready, counted from sowing or from transplanting (each value says which). Annuals live one year, biennials two, perennials longer.

  4. Light and water

    Sun and water

    Full sun means 6 or more hours of direct sun a day, partial shade a few hours. Water needs are rated low, moderate or high.

  5. Space and weather

    Containers, frost tolerance and soil pH

    Whether it grows in a pot, with the smallest pot when it's known. Frost tolerance runs from tender (no frost) to hardy. Soil pH 7 is neutral.

  6. Pets

    Toxicity to cats and dogs

    Whether the plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Quick wins

Fastest to sprout

Days from sowing until the first shoots appear, in good conditions.

Pet friendly

Safe around cats and dogs

Listed as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Each seed's page has the details.

Not safe for pets: borage, buckwheat, caraway, carnation and 14 more.

Comparing

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Where do the facts come from?
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