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 Genovese Basil vs. Cumin vs. Bee Balm
The comparison
| Fact | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Easy | Moderate | Easy |
| Life cycle | Not yet verified | Annual | Perennial |
| Germination time | 10–14 days | 7–14 days | Not yet verified |
| Germination temperature | 24–29 °C75–84 °F | Not yet verified | Not yet verified |
| Sowing depth | 3 mm⅛ in | 6 mm–1.5 cm¼–½ in | Not yet verified |
| Spacing between plants | 30 cm12 in | 10–20 cm4–8 in | 61 cm2 ft |
| Sun | Full sun | Full sun | Full sun, partial shade |
| Water | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | Moderate |
| Containers | Yes | Not yet verified | Not yet verified |
| Frost tolerance | Tender (no frost) | Tender (no frost) | Not yet verified |
| Toxicity to cats | Non-toxic | Not yet verified | Not yet verified |
| Toxicity to dogs | Non-toxic | Not yet verified | Not yet verified |
| Links |
Up close
What each one is, in a few lines, with the full growing guide one click away.
HerbsOcimum basilicum
Genovese basil is a sweet basil cultivar grown from seed after frost danger has passed, in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It is easy for beginners and does well in containers.
How to grow genovese basilHerbsCuminum cyminum
Cumin is a warm-season annual herb grown from seed for its aromatic spice seeds. It needs full sun and about 120 frost-free days from planting to harvest.
How to grow cuminHerbsMonarda didyma
Bee balm (Monarda didyma) is a perennial herb in the mint family with scarlet tubular flowers that draw bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. It grows best in full sun or partial shade.
How to grow bee balmKeep comparing
Add a third seed, or swap one for a close relative from the same category.
The 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.
