SeedBattle
Search
Menu

Side by side

Compare seeds

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 Dandelion vs. Creeping Thyme vs. Basil

The comparison

Dandelion vs. Creeping Thyme vs. Basil

Units
Growing facts for Dandelion, Creeping Thyme and Basil, side by side
Fact
DandelionTaraxacum officinale
Creeping ThymeThymus serpyllum
BasilOcimum basilicum
DifficultyEasyEasyEasy
Life cyclePerennialPerennialAnnual
Germination time7–21 daysNot yet verified5–10 days
Germination temperature13 °C55 °FNot yet verified18–21 °C64–70 °F
Sowing depthNot yet verifiedNot yet verified6 mm¼ in
Spacing between plants15–23 cm6–9 inNot yet verifiedNot yet verified
SunFull sun, partial shadeFull sun, partial shadeFull sun, partial shade
WaterNot yet verifiedLowNot yet verified
ContainersNot yet verifiedYesYes
Frost toleranceHardyNot yet verifiedTender (no frost)
Soil pHNot yet verifiedNot yet verifiedpH 6.0–6.5
Toxicity to catsNot yet verifiedNot yet verifiedNon-toxic
Toxicity to dogsNot yet verifiedNot yet verifiedNon-toxic
Links
How to grow dandelionRemove dandelion
How to grow creeping thymeRemove creeping thyme
How to grow basilRemove basil

Up close

Meet the seeds

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

  • Dandelion seed clock with white pappus filaments and brown bracts against a green backgroundHerbs

    Dandelion

    Taraxacum officinale

    Difficulty: Easy

    Dandelion is a hardy perennial in the daisy family that grows in full sun or partial shade and sprouts in about 7 to 21 days. Its leaves and flowers are edible.

    How to grow dandelion
  • Creeping Thyme cushion of purple flowers growing over a lichen-covered rock with grass behindHerbs

    Creeping Thyme

    Thymus serpyllum

    Difficulty: EasyGrows in pots

    Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is a low perennial groundcover with fragrant leaves and pink to purple flowers. It grows in full sun and is drought tolerant once established.

    How to grow creeping thyme
  • Basil plant with water droplets growing in a red terracotta potHerbs

    Basil

    Ocimum basilicum

    Difficulty: EasyGrows in pots

    A fragrant, warm-season herb that's easy to grow from seed and does especially well in sunny pots. Start it indoors and move it outside only after the last frost.

    How to grow basil

Keep comparing

Try another matchup

Add a third seed, or swap one for a close relative from the same category.

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

Questions about comparing

How many seeds can I compare?
Two or three at a time. Pick them in the boxes at the top, or start from any seed's page with “Compare with another seed”.
Can I share a comparison?
Yes. Every comparison has its own address, like /compare-seeds/?seeds=dandelion,creeping-thyme, so you can copy the link from your browser and send it.
Where do the facts come from?
From each seed's profile. Every fact there is researched and reviewed by our editors before it goes live.
Can I see metric or imperial units?
Both. The table picks the units that match your browser's language, and the switch above it changes them. Your choice is remembered in this browser.
Do I need an account?
No. Comparing seeds, like every page on SeedBattle, is free and needs no account.

Found your seed?

Each seed's page explains how to grow it from seed, with facts researched and reviewed by our editors.

Browse seedsSearch seeds