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 San Marzano Tomato vs. Banana Pepper vs. Acorn Squash
The comparison
| Fact | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Moderate | Easy | Easy |
| Life cycle | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | Annual |
| Germination time | 6–12 days | Not yet verified | Not yet verified |
| Germination temperature | 24–32 °C75–90 °F | 27–32 °C81–90 °F | Not yet verified |
| Sowing depth | 3 mm⅛ in | 6 mm¼ in | Not yet verified |
| Spacing between plants | 46–61 cm1½–2 ft | 30 cm12 in | Not yet verified |
| Days to maturity | 65–90 days from transplanting | 70–85 days from transplanting | Not yet verified |
| Sun | Full sun | Full sun | Full sun |
| Water | Not yet verified | Moderate | Moderate |
| Containers | Yes | Yes, 19 L or largerYes, 5 gal or larger | Not yet verified |
| Frost tolerance | Not yet verified | Tender (no frost) | Not yet verified |
| Soil pH | pH 5.8–6.8 | pH 6.0–6.5 | pH 6.0–8.0 |
| Toxicity to cats | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | Non-toxic |
| Toxicity to dogs | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | Non-toxic |
| Links |
Up close
What each one is, in a few lines, with the full growing guide one click away.
VegetablesSolanum lycopersicum
San Marzano is a paste-type tomato in the Solanum lycopersicum species. It needs full sun, warm weather and steady watering, and it is usually grown from seed started indoors.
How to grow san marzano tomatoVegetablesCapsicum annuum
Banana peppers are mild, sweet Capsicum annuum peppers that grow best in full sun with evenly moist soil. Start seeds indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost, then set plants out after frost danger has passed.
How to grow banana pepperVegetablesCucurbita pepo
Acorn squash is a sprawling annual vine that prefers full sun and moderately moist soil. It is easy to sow from seed when the soil is warm, and it is non-toxic to cats and dogs.
How to grow acorn squashKeep comparing
Add a third seed, or swap one for a close relative from the same category.
San Marzano Tomato vs. Armenian CucumberSan Marzano Tomato against another vegetableBanana Pepper vs. Armenian CucumberBanana Pepper against another vegetableAcorn Squash vs. Armenian CucumberAcorn Squash against another vegetable
San Marzano Tomato vs. ArtichokeSan Marzano Tomato against another vegetableBanana Pepper vs. ArtichokeBanana Pepper against another vegetableAcorn Squash vs. ArtichokeAcorn Squash against another vegetableThe 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.
