Transplant Seed Paper: Plant It and Move Seedlings Outdoors

You can plant seed paper straight into a garden bed or start it in a pot and move the seedlings outside once they are strong enough. Most people do the second when the weather is not ready, or when they want to give a card a head start. This guide covers both routes, step by step, with timing that suits Canadian growing conditions.

It is written for anyone who has just received a plantable card, or is about to send one, and wants the little garden inside it to actually grow. A card like that is a kind gesture. It deserves a good start.

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TL;DR

  • Seed paper can go straight into soil: lay it on lightly packed soil, cover it with about 1/8 inch of soil, water well and keep it moist.
  • Sprouts typically show in 7 to 10 days, and wildflowers usually bloom in 8 to 12 weeks, according to a Canadian source.
  • Where winters freeze the ground, plant outdoors in fall or spring, or start the paper in a pot by a sunny window at any time of year.
  • Move seedlings outdoors only once they are sturdy and the cold has passed, and handle the roots gently.
  • Seeds that suit your region do best, so check what is in the paper before you plant.

Table of Contents

What “transplanting” seed paper really means

People search for this in a few different ways. Some want to know how to plant seed paper at all. Others have already sprouted it indoors and want to know how to move it outside. Both are covered here.

Seed paper is handmade paper with plant seeds mixed into it. Nature Canada describes it as commonly made from recycled paper, with the planted paper letting the seeds sprout. You do not peel the seeds out. The paper is the planting medium. It breaks down in the soil while the seeds wake up.

So the paper itself is not really transplanted. You plant it once, and if you started it in a container, you later move the young plants. Those are two separate jobs, and the second one matters most when you live somewhere with a short growing season.

Planting seed paper directly in the ground

If the weather and soil are right, direct planting is the simplest route. Fewer steps means fewer ways to disturb tender roots.

The guidance from the Pacific Public Health Foundation is clear and easy to follow:

  1. Choose a spot with plenty of sun.
  2. Loosen the soil, then press it down lightly. It should be firm but not hard-packed.
  3. Lay the paper flat on the surface.
  4. Cover it with about 1/8 inch of soil. That is very thin, so resist the urge to bury it.
  5. Water thoroughly.
  6. Keep it moist while the seeds germinate.

That last step is the one most people miss. A single watering on planting day is not enough. The paper and the seeds need steady moisture until the first shoots appear. On a hot, dry day, check the spot morning and evening.

If your card has a large design, you can tear it into smaller pieces and spread them out so the plants have room. Our own planting instructions are on our how to plant seed paper page, and there is a fuller walkthrough in our guide to planting wildflower seed paper.

Starting seed paper in a pot, then transplanting

A pot is a good choice when it is too cold outside, when you live in an apartment, or when you want to watch the first sprouts up close. The Pacific Public Health Foundation notes that indoor planting in a pot near a sunny window works year-round.

Step one: set up the pot

Pick a pot with drainage holes and fill it with potting soil. Press the soil down lightly, lay the paper on top, cover it with a thin 1/8 inch layer of soil and water until the soil is evenly damp. Place it by the brightest window you have.

Step two: keep it evenly moist

Small pots dry out faster than garden beds. Check daily. The soil should feel damp, not soaked. A fine spray or gentle pour avoids washing the seeds and the paper out of place.

Step three: wait for sturdy seedlings

The first sprouts can appear within about a week. Do not rush them outdoors at that point. Seedlings that have a few true leaves and a firm stem handle moving much better than fresh sprouts. These are general gardening habits rather than a rule from any one source, and the plant tags or seed list that come with your card are the best guide for your specific plants.

Young seedlings showing true leaves and sturdy stems

Step four: harden them off

Plants raised indoors are not used to wind, direct sun or cool nights. Over about a week, set the pot outside for a few hours a day, in a sheltered spot at first, and lengthen the time a little each day. Then transplant.

Step five: move them gently

  • Water the pot well an hour or two before you start, so the soil holds together.
  • Dig a hole a little larger than the root ball.
  • Lift the seedlings with the soil around them. Hold them by the leaves, never the stem.
  • Set them at the same depth they were growing at, firm the soil lightly and water in.
  • Give them a few days of shade or a little shelter if the sun is strong.

If several seedlings have grown close together, thinning is usually better than trying to separate tangled roots. Snip the weakest at soil level and keep the strongest.

What to expect, and when

Patience is part of the gift. Here is a simple timeline based on the Canadian guidance above.

Stage Typical timing What you do
Planting Day 1 Lay paper on lightly packed soil, cover with about 1/8 inch of soil, water well
Sprouting 7 to 10 days Keep soil moist, give sun
Seedling growth Weeks 2 to 6 Water evenly, thin if crowded, transplant sturdy seedlings if started in a pot
Blooming 8 to 12 weeks for wildflowers Enjoy, and keep watering in dry spells

The sprouting and bloom ranges come from the Pacific Public Health Foundation, which refers to wildflowers. Herbs and vegetables follow their own schedules, so check what your card contains. A move will also set plants back a little, so expect flowers to arrive slightly later than if they had stayed put.

When to plant in Canada

Canada is not one climate. A gardener in Victoria and one in Winnipeg face very different springs.

The Pacific Public Health Foundation gives the rule of thumb for British Columbia. In the Lower Mainland and other places where the ground does not freeze in winter, spring is best. Fall is ideal where the ground stays frozen for several months. That fall advice is worth noting for colder regions: seeds can rest through winter and sprout when the soil warms.

A practical way to think about it:

  • Mild winters (coastal areas): plant outdoors in spring, once the soil is workable.
  • Cold winters with frozen ground: plant in fall, or start indoors in a pot and transplant after your last frost.
  • Any region, any month: a pot by a sunny window.

Local frost dates differ from town to town, so a local garden centre or a regional gardening club can give you a reliable date for your area.

Choosing seeds that suit your garden

What is inside the paper shapes what you will get. Nature Canada suggests checking with local field naturalist clubs to choose native seeds, and favours small, flat seeds for paper projects. Native plants are generally better matched to local soil, rainfall and pollinators.

Native wildflowers growing beside a home garden

If you want to dig deeper into matching plants to place, this piece on choosing seeds for local conditions is a good place to start thinking about wildflowers in your own garden.

We have also written about why we care where seeds come from, in our piece on native seed paper in Canada and our pollinator-friendly seed paper guide. Both are useful if you are deciding what to plant or what to buy.

Troubleshooting: why seed paper sometimes doesn’t sprout

Most failures come down to a handful of causes.

  • Dried out too soon. The most common one. Seeds that start to germinate and then dry out will not recover. Keep the soil damp throughout.
  • Buried too deep. More than a thin covering makes it harder for small seeds to reach light. Stick to about 1/8 inch.
  • Soil packed too hard. Roots struggle in compacted soil. Lightly firm, never stamp down.
  • Too little light. Seedlings that stretch and flop are asking for a brighter spot.
  • Disturbed roots at transplanting. Water first, lift with soil, and handle by the leaves.
  • Damaged seeds. Heat and pressure in manufacturing can harm seeds. Michigan’s loss is our lesson here: quality matters, and we cover that below.

If nothing has appeared after three weeks of steady moisture, gently scratch the surface. If the paper is still intact, give it another week or two, since cool weather slows germination.

How seed paper is made, and why it affects germination

The way paper is dried decides whether seeds live. According to a Washington Post report on plantable paper, high-quality seed paper is dried naturally to avoid heat and pressure, which protects the seeds and preserves high germination rates. Heidi Reimer-Epp, co-founder of the Canadian business Botanical PaperWorks, makes the same point in that article.

If you want to try making your own, the basic process described by Nature Canada is simple: scrap paper is shredded, soaked, blended with water into pulp, and then mixed with seeds. Drying is the delicate part. Grow Wild, supported by Kew, advises drying homemade paper quickly so the seeds do not begin to germinate on the drying rack.

Five stages of making homemade seed paper

For most of us, a good store-bought card saves the trouble. It also arrives with a message in it.

Our perspective

We started Greet n’ Grow because greeting cards are meant to say something kind, and then too many of them end up in a drawer or a bin. A plantable card gives the message a second life. It also hands the person a small, hopeful task: water this, watch it, see what comes up.

Our cards are made in Canada from 100% post-consumer recycled paper and carry non-GMO, non-invasive seeds for flowers, herbs or vegetables. They arrive with a recycled kraft envelope, blank inside so you can write your own words, and they ship without plastic. We chose non-invasive seeds on purpose. A gift should never become a problem in someone’s garden.

Our advice for anyone planting one is simple. Do not overthink it. Thin soil cover, steady water, a sunny spot and a little patience will get you most of the way. If a seedling struggles, that is part of gardening, and it is still worth the try.

If you are curious about the environmental side, we have been honest about it in our sustainability audit of plantable cards.

— Trevor

A card that keeps growing

If you would like to send a card that someone can plant and watch bloom, we have plantable cards for birthdays, weddings, Valentine’s Day and everyday thank-yous. Each one is blank inside, so you can write something personal, and each comes with a recycled kraft envelope.

Funny Donkey Birthday Card

Browse our plantable greeting cards, or head straight to plantable wedding cards or seed paper Valentines. If you need help with the words, our eco friendly card message ideas are sorted by occasion.

FAQ

Can you transplant seed paper after it has sprouted?

Yes, but you move the seedlings, not the paper. Wait until the plants are sturdy, water the pot first, and lift them with the soil around the roots. Harden them off outdoors for several days before planting them out.

How deep should seed paper be planted?

About 1/8 inch of soil on top of the paper is the guidance from the Pacific Public Health Foundation. Lay the paper on lightly compressed soil, water it well and keep it moist. Planting deeper can stop small seeds from reaching the surface.

How long until seed paper sprouts and flowers?

Sprouts should appear in 7 to 10 days, and wildflowers typically bloom in 8 to 12 weeks, according to the same Canadian source. Cool weather and low light slow things down. Herbs and vegetables run on their own schedules.

Can I plant seed paper in winter?

Indoors, yes. A pot near a sunny window works at any time of year. Outdoors, where the ground freezes for months, fall planting is the better choice, and spring suits places where the ground stays unfrozen.

Is seed paper really recycled paper?

It is commonly made from recycled paper, as Nature Canada notes. Ours is made in Canada from 100% post-consumer recycled paper, with non-GMO, non-invasive seeds.

Sources

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