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Chaos gardening is an easy, no-fuss method for using upleftover seedsthat anyone can try.

Read on for our guide to chaos gardening.

What Exactly Is Chaos Gardening?

overhead view of chaos garden of mixed colorful flowers in garden

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Chaos gardening is all about throwing the rules out the window.

Some seeds may not germinate at all, while others you bought years ago may thrive.

Either way, the result is surprising, educational, and even beautiful.

collection of seeds in red box for chaos gardening

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Here are a few basic guidelines to help you get started.

Vegetables, herbs, flowers, and annual fruits like melons and ground cherries are all fair game.

At this point, you may wish to sort your seeds by size.

closeup of person’s feet wearing rain boots as they dig with a garden fork in soil with wheelbarrow in background for chaos gardening

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Planting the larger seeds first helps you get better results.

Simply add warm water to cover the seeds in each bowl and allow them to soak overnight.

You don’t have to plant your chaos garden in the ground.

chaos garden with watering can in back yard

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Plant Your Seeds

Start with your large seeds such aswatermelon seedsfirst.

Sprinkle handfuls of the large seed mixture evenly over the soil.

Next, sprinkle the small seed mixture over the soil.

Cover that with one more thin layer of potting soil or compost.

It’s up to you!

Maybe nothing will, and that’s okay!

The whole point of a chaos garden is to help you embrace chance and let go of perfection.

Should You Plant a Chaos Garden?

Chaos gardening does work, especially if you choose a sunny area.

While the success of all your seeds is far from guaranteed, this process will result in growth.

Chaos gardening is much more low-maintenance than regular gardening and does not require much planning.

It also offers surprises throughout the season.

This is totally up to you.

Chaos gardening is a trend that has gone viral, made popular by social media like TikTok and Instagram.