For the best results, we recommend sowing your seeds as soon as you can. Our Spring Wonder and Sensory Boxes are timed to arrive during the ideal sowing window for each variety, giving your plants the best chance to grow, bloom or do their thing before the season changes.

If you can't sow them immediately, don't worry. Most seeds remain viable for many months (and often much longer) if stored in a cool, dry place. Germination rates may gradually decline over time, so the sooner you sow them, the better your results are likely to be.

Everyday Wonders are available year-round. Simply follow the recommended sowing time for your chosen flower, as outlined in the growing instructions.

For our Spring Wonder Boxes and Sensory Box you’ll need to supply your own pots or punnets, but we include everything else: growing medium, plant guides, labels, a mini water spritzer and (for our 3 month Spring Wonder boxes only) a heat mat to help things along during the cooler months.

Each seed variety works well in a standard 6-cell punnet, and there’s enough soil in your box to fill one punnet per variety.

We haven’t included pots or punnets for a few reasons: it keeps the subscription cost and postage manageable, avoids sending out more plastic than necessary, and let’s be honest, many gardeners already have a few lurking in the shed. If not, garden centres and hardware stores usually stock them cheaply, and some Mitre 10 or Bunnings branches even offer free recycled ones, so it's worth checking locally. Just give any reused containers a quick wash with warm soapy water before planting to help avoid issues with mould or disease.

We’re all for repurposing too, and yoghurt pots can work well in a pinch. Just make sure to poke a few holes in the bottom for drainage. 

As for a propagator lid, you don’t need anything fancy. A clear takeaway lid, cling film, or a lidded plastic punnet from the supermarket (like the ones cherry tomatoes or strawberries come in) will do the job – anything that holds in warmth and humidity while still letting in light. Just lift it occasionally or poke holes for airflow so things don’t get too soggy.
If you prefer something ready-made, you can also pick up reasonably priced windowsill propagator kits from most hardware stores and garden centres, such as this one from Bunnings.

Everyday Wonders boxes are even simpler. Each kit includes a compressed seed-raising pellet that expands with water into its own little growing pod, so you won't need seed trays or punnets to get started. Once your seedling has established, simply transfer it into a pot or the garden, following the growing instructions for your chosen flower.

It’s best to use your heat mat in a bright spot out of all-day direct sunlight – like a bench-top, a shelf near a window, or even the top of the fridge. Germinating seedlings enjoy brightness, so some morning or afternoon sun is fine, but if you pair long hours of harsh sun with bottom heat, things can dry out too quickly.

Think of the heat mat as optional: if your windowsill is already warm and sunny, you may not need it. But it can be really helpful on cooler or darker days, when maintaining a consistently warm temperature makes germination more reliable.

Once seedlings are up and growing, they can move off the heat mat into full sun on a windowsill, and you can remove the lid. You definitely don’t need grow lights for these seeds but if you happen to have some, feel free to use them. Grow lights are much gentler than direct sun when used with a heat mat and can be useful on darker days.

If you’re not using a heat mat, then choose the sunniest windowsill you have (unless the seed’s guide suggests a shadier start). Only Spring Wonder subscribers receive a heat mat in their first box, as it’s helpful for some of the varieties that like extra warmth early on.

If your windowsill still gets really cold or frosty at night, just move the seedlings away until morning – they prefer not to shiver.

Some seeds are quick to appear, others keep you waiting. Most in our collection sprout well before this, but a few of the more unusual seeds can take the full 7–8 weeks depending on the conditions. The expected germination time will be outlined in your seed guide. Seeds often “wait” until things feel closer to their natural environment, so a small tweak – moving them on or off the heat mat, giving them a sunnier spot, or easing them back a little – can sometimes help. Consistent warmth is usually best and your grow guides will note the ideal temperature.

Some varieties naturally have lower germination rates than others, which is why we've included extra seed where needed to give you the best chance of success.
Growing from seed is a bit of a patience game, but that makes it all the more exciting when the first green shoots appear.

If nothing’s happening by the time the guide suggests you should see action, get in touch and we’ll help troubleshoot.

The mix we include is a fine, free-draining mix designed especially for germinating seeds. It holds moisture without getting soggy and allows air to reach the roots. It’s similar to commercial seed-raising blends and includes peat, bark fines, perlite, and a touch of slow-release fertiliser.

If you need more to sow extra seeds, unless the seed guide specifies something different then look for a standard seed-raising mix. Once your seedlings have grown a few sets of leaves and start to outgrow their cells, it’s time to move them into slightly bigger pots. That’s when a basic potting mix (as long as it drains well) is ideal. Just keep them in a warm, bright spot so they can keep doing their thing.

Some varieties might need something different (like sand, sphagnum/peat moss or succulent mixes). If that’s the case, we’ll always include it to get you started and explain what's needed for transplanting to bigger pots in your growing guide.

Like with any potting mix or growing medium, it’s good practice to avoid breathing in dust (open the pouch in a well-ventilated spot), wash your hands afterwards, use gloves if you like, and keep it separate from food prep areas.

We've chosen our packaging carefully to balance protecting the contents with minimising environmental impact.

The cardboard box, tissue paper, shredded paper filler, and seed packets can all be recycled. The illustrated growing guides are recyclable too, although we hope you'll enjoy keeping them for future reference.

The seed-raising mix is packaged in a moisture-resistant pouch to keep it fresh until you're ready to use it. Some products use a home compostable version, which will always be clearly labelled. Others use a protective barrier pouch that isn't currently recyclable or home compostable in New Zealand. We're keeping a close eye on more sustainable alternatives as they become available.

It's the umbrella for both Stems of Wonder (our seed box collections, filled with curious plants and flowers with personality) and Stems with Benefits (our food-donating, fresh flower tins). Two projects built around the idea that plants can do a little more than first meets the eye.

Same roots, different shoots – and recently even featured on RNZ.

👉 Explore Stems with Benefits

Feel free to email us at hello@thestemsproject.co.nz. Whether you've got a question before ordering or need a hand once your seeds arrive, we're always happy to help.