Paper towels can be useful in insulating your seeds before they germinate. Seeds don’t need much water-a light misting will usually suffice- but they need to be exposed to it almost constantly. By moistening a paper towel and placing it over top of your seeds, you can make sure that all sides of the seed are exposed to water and help the soil stay moist.

The experienced gardener will say, “Well isn’t that why you’re supposed to cover your seeds in soil?” The short answer is yes. But if you cover your seed with too much soil or compact the soil too tight around the seed, your new sprout might get stuck under the top soil level and rot in the ground. Bummer. Using a paper towel allows you to monitor the progress of your seeds while providing just enough cover. Once your seeds, germinate, simply remove the paper towel and throw it in the compost.

 

In addition to the paper towel, covering your seed trays with translucent plastic lids can go a long way in helping insulate your seeds and making sure the environment stays moist. You can pull the lid off a week after your seeds germinate.