Growing Herbs Indoors from Seeds
You do not have to start your herb garden from seeds, but if you want to get a head start on the season and lengthen the time you’ll have for harvesting your herbs, start from seeds. You can get seeds in a package or use seeds left over from last year.
If you’re interested in starting your garden from seeds keep in mind that some herbs work better than others when you cultivate them at home from seeds.
First, soak your seeds for at least three 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 them in a freezer bag. Keep the bag at room temperature and out of direct sunlight until you find sprouting seeds when you open the paper towel. Once your seeds have germinated, you are ready to plant them in some rich, moist earth.
I have said it before and I will say it again, read up on your herbs before you get the seeds or begin the germinating process, because that might not be enough. Some kinds of seeds need to be scratched up before they can germinate. Other types will need to be heated up (from natural light, not the microwave, stove or oven) before you cultivate them. Good examples of these include the chili pepper and citronella herbs.
Once your seeds have started the germinating process you should focus on controlling their growing environment. The germinating process can be as little as five days, such as some types of basil, catnip, chives and parsley, or as long as 36 days or more, as in hyssop.
Go purchase one of the soil mixes designed for growing seeds—the better ones usually contain vermiculite and sphagnum moss.
Although there are a number of many fantastic herb plants that you can grow from seeds, here are a couple of my favorites:
- Caraway: You can plant caraway straight from the spice jar, which I think is wonderful and easy. Germination won’t take long, and before you know it, you will be planting it in your favorite flower bed or container. Caraway is a popular plant for both German and Indian dishes.
- Lavender: There are a number of varieties of lavender to select from. My vote goes to the one called Lady because it grows pretty fast. This fragrant kind of lavender can certainly grow on you.
- Nasturtium: These beautiful and edible herb plants are so easy to grow from seeds that you will wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. Soak the seeds overnight before planting for the best outcomes when you plant them in your well-drained earth. You can even cultivate the mature plant inside, 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 are using a peppercorn ranch. This herb, which many folks believe is a weed, smells a bit like pepper, but tastes much richer. As an added bonus, the fresh leaves are wonderful for a heavy dose of vitamin C and A. To grow shepherd’s purse, simply sprinkle the seeds on top of the earth, water it and watch it grow.
And those herb plants are just a few. Some other good ones 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.
Related Posts
