Side by side
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 Feijoa vs. Alfalfa vs. Apple Tree
The comparison
| Fact | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Easy | Moderate | Moderate |
| Life cycle | Perennial | Perennial | Perennial |
| Germination temperature | 13–16 °C55–61 °F | Not yet verified | Not yet verified |
| Sowing depth | Not yet verified | 6 mm–1.5 cm¼–½ in | Not yet verified |
| Sun | Full sun, partial shade | Full sun, partial shade | Full sun, partial shade |
| Water | Moderate | Not yet verified | Moderate |
| Containers | Yes | Not yet verified | Not yet verified |
| Frost tolerance | Not yet verified | Hardy | Not yet verified |
| Soil pH | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | pH 5.8–6.5 |
| Links |
Up close
What each one is, in a few lines, with the full growing guide one click away.
Fruits & otherAcca sellowiana
Feijoa, also called pineapple guava, is an evergreen shrub grown for its edible fruit and flowers. It is usually started from seed taken from ripe fruit, while named cultivars are grown from summer cuttings.
How to grow feijoaFruits & otherMedicago sativa
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 alfalfaFruits & otherMalus domestica
Apple trees are perennial, deciduous fruit trees that grow best in full sun. Trees grown from seed won't match the parent fruit, so most apple trees are grafted.
How to grow apple treeKeep comparing
Add a third seed, or swap one for a close relative from the same category.
Feijoa vs. American PersimmonFeijoa against another seedAlfalfa vs. American PersimmonAlfalfa against another seedApple Tree vs. American PersimmonApple Tree against another seed
Feijoa vs. AvocadoFeijoa against another seedAlfalfa vs. AvocadoAlfalfa against another seedApple Tree vs. AvocadoApple Tree against another seedThe table, row by row
Every row is a fact from each seed's own profile, lined up so the differences stand out.
Germination time and temperature
How many days the seeds take to sprout, and the temperature range they sprout in.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Toxicity to cats and dogs
Whether the plant is toxic to cats and dogs.
Quick wins
Days from sowing until the first shoots appear, in good conditions.
Pet friendly
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
Each seed's page explains how to grow it from seed, with facts researched and reviewed by our editors.
