How to Make Your Own Plant Growing Gel

A planting gel, sometimes called propagation gel, retains moisture around a germinating seed so it doesn't dry out during the the early growth stages. The gel simplifies planting small, difficult-to-handle seeds, such as carrots (Daucus carota). You can also pre-germinate the seeds in a moist paper towel before suspending them in the gel, which improves germination rates and allows you to start seeds early. Gels work well with most seed types, including annual flowers or vegetables like tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), or perennials like lupines (Lupinus spp,), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8.