sow
v.v. to plant seeds in the ground so that they can grow into plants or crops.
v. to plant seeds by scattering them on or burying them in the earth. Often used metaphorically to describe the initiation of a process or feeling.
Farmers sow their seeds in the early spring.
The gardener decided to sow the wildflower seeds along the edge of the property to attract bees.
By ignoring the early warnings of the local community, the developers began to sow the seeds of a resentment that would eventually halt the entire project.
The verb is transitive when referring to the seeds or the field, and intransitive when referring to the act of planting.
He sowed the seeds on the groundHe sowed the seeds in the groundWhile seeds can be scattered 'on' the surface, 'in' is the standard preposition for planting crops to ensure growth.