Bedding plants and many vegetable crop seeds are often sown in plug trays. Some crops, like marigold (Tagetes sp. L.), tend to stretch early after germination, especially if grown in low light environments. By the time growers apply plant growth regulators (PGRs), stretching of the hypocotyl has already occurred and seedling applications are ineffective. Seedling height may be controlled by applying the plant growth regulator directly to the seed. Seeds of `Bonanza Gold' marigold (Tagetes patula L.), `Cherry Orbit' geranium (Pelargonium {XtimesX}hortorum L.H. Bailey), and `Sun 6108' tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were soaked for 6, 16, or 24 hours in paclobutrazol solutions of 0, 500, or 1000 mg·L-1. After the soak treatment, seeds were dried for 24 hours prior to laboratory germination testing or sowing in plug trays. Percentage of emergence and seedling height were measured 16, 26, and 36 days after sowing. Laboratory germination of treated seeds was less than that of the control, which was attributed to the PGR being concentrated around the seed on the blotters. In contrast, seedling survival was unaffected in plugs. The higher concentration of PGR and longer times of soaking increased growth regulation, but also inhibited emergence of geraniums (71% vs. 99%). When seeds were imbibed 6, 16, or 24 hours, growth restriction was 31%, 31%, and 40%, respectively, for tomato, 61%, 37%, and 76%, respectively, for geranium and 30%, 38%, and 41%, respectively, for marigold. These results indicate that PGR application to geranium, marigold, and tomato seeds may be feasible using a 6- or 16-hour soak in 500 mg·L-1 paclobutrazol. Chemical name used: (±)-(R*,R*)-ß-[(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]-{XsalphaX}-(1,1-dimethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-ethanol (paclobutrazol).