[ELI5] How do seeds know when they’re in dirt?

Question

[ELI5] How do seeds know when they’re in dirt?

In: Earth Science

Answer 1

Seeds are triggered to grow by external factors (primarily the presence of moisture and sufficiently high ambient temperature).

If you put a bunch of seeds on a paper towel and keep them damp for a few days they’ll sprout. They won’t grow well in the absence of a substrate, but they’ll definitely turn into a little seedling.