Starting from seeds can be a little tedious, but I like giving my annuals a jump on the growing season by starting them from either the seeds I collected the previous summer or from seeds I order online.
Not all herb plants do well from seeds, so read up on your herb plants before you invest in seeds, pots, sod and the like.
First, soak your seeds for at least 3 hours before planting them so that they will have an extra advantage. You can also pre-sprout your herb plants by soaking them, folding them up in a moist paper towel and then sealing your seeds in a freezer bag. If you go this route, be sure to keep the sealed bag away from heat and check back frequently to see if the seeds have started germinating yet. Take your germinating seeds and plant them right away.
I have said it before and I will say it again, read up on your herb plants before you get the seeds or begin the sprouting process, because that might not be enough. Some kinds of seeds need to be scratched up before they can develop. Other kinds will need to be heated up (from sun, not the microwave, stove or oven) before you cultivate them. Good examples of these include the chili pepper and citronella herbs.
It is important to control your seeds’ growing environment once the sprouting process starts. The sprouting process can be as little as five days, such as some varieties of basil, catnip, chives and parsley, or as long as 36 days or more, as in hyssop.
Your seed containers should contain a special seed-starting sod mix that comes with both vermiculite and sphagnum moss for best results.
I grow plenty of herbs from seeds each year. Some of the best ones are:
- Caraway: You can plant caraway straight from the spice jar, which I think is amazing and easy. Germination will not take long, and before you know it, you’ll be planting it in your favorite flower bed or pot. Caraway is a popular plant for both German and Indian dinners.
- Lavender: There are a number of kinds of lavender to choose from. My vote goes to the one called Lady because it develops pretty quickly. This fragrant type of lavender will certainly grow on you.
- Nasturtium: These small blossoms of joy are severely under-rated. Not only are they awesome, they are edible too. Even better, you can easily grow them from seeds! If you decide to try these out, start by soaking the seeds for at least 8 hours and then plant them in rich, well-drained soil. You can even cultivate the mature plant indoors, and for extra color you can use as a bonus in your salad greens.
- Shepherd’s Purse: Spice up your next salad with a little shepherd’s purse, especially if you’re using a peppercorn ranch. This herb, which lots of people think is a weed, smells a bit like pepper, but tastes much richer. Because the leaves are rich in vitamins C and A you will get health benefits while you eat this scrumptous plant. To grow shepherd’s purse, simply sprinkle the seeds on top of the earth, water it and watch it grow.
And those herbs are just a few. Some other nice herb plants include anise, hyssop, basil, German chamomile, fennel, lemon balm and sorrel.
Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.
Here is more information on Mini Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.
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