Herb Growing From Seed

Herb growing can be rewarding, and add beauty to your landscape. Learn the secrets to successfully growing your very own herbs. Did you know many plant forms are actually called herbs? Most of us know herbs provide wonderful resources for culinary and medicinal purposes. Herbs have been around for centuries and used in many English gardens and formal gardens. Today, people are growing their own in beds or in containers. Patio gardens and indoor pots are becoming more popular.

I started growing herbs in the northeast in the early 1990's. We had a sand box for our two daughters and I decided it would be fun to grow some basil and chives. A sandy soil along with sun will provide a great growing environment. Adding the right ingredients when propagating seeds, will allow you to grow in any type of soil. When we moved south in the the mid 1990's, we built a 20X30 greenhouse. I had over 5,000 seeds and it was amazing watching each seedling sprout and develop into a plug and grow into a beautiful plant.
The process is really very simple when starting from seeds. There are two methods you can use to germinate your seeds. Let's begin by identifying what the options are.

You can grow herbs from seeds directly into the soil or germinate the seeds in trays or small containers. First, we will talk about putting them directly into the soil. Your ground temperature needs to be at least 68 degrees. You will want to look for a sunny location as 95 percent of herbs love the sunshine. Your ground needs to be prepped, just like any other landscape project. If you are unfamiliar with types of herbs, start out with the basic culinary ones, Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, and Thyme. You can buy the seeds from a wholesale company, or many retail stores provide herb seeds in their flower and vegetable section. Below are a few steps to follow...

• Decide the size and what shape you want for your bed.
• Turn your soil over and work the ground and remove any stone or other debris. Your goal is to make the soil airy and light. This is one area I don't recommend mushroom compost. Combine humus and peat moss in with your soil.
• You can grow your seedlings in rows or group them. All of the basic herbs will produce flowers during the warm months. Rosemary flowers will bloom in certain zones in the winter months.
• Here is the first little secret to sowing your seeds properly. Take a watering can and fill it with hot water. You can use tap water. Mix the water into your soil and work well.
• Most herbs seeds are very tiny. Once you know where you want to plant each seedling, begin by pouring a small amount of seeds in the palm of your hand. Take the seeds and gently sprinkle in the area you want them to grow. You do not want to plant them deep. I take a hoe and pull a small amount of dirt away. Cover the seeds loosely with of dirt.
• The first couple of weeks is critical in keep the seeds moist, but don't over water. Continue to water with hot water. Some seeds germinate better in the dark and some in sun light. Basil will do better in the dark, but will propagate alright in the ground. The dark or light factor is more important if you germinate the seeds indoors.

There are two types of indoor germination. You can do them in small pots or trays in your house or you can propagate them in a greenhouse. I have done both and they grow wonderful either way. The beauty about starting your own herbs in your home is you can do it year around. Decide what herbs you want to grow. Use trays or small pots. The trays come in a variety of sizes depending on how many plants you want. Park Seed Company has a wonderful selection of Herb seeds at low prices.

I use plug trays of 72. Before you start, it is important to know whether your seeds need sun light or darkness. Most wholesale companies have on their packaging, the directions and information on lighting requirements. Before I built a greenhouse, I used florescent lights and had tables set up. It is not necessary to use the lights. The indirect lighting though, helps in the germination process. Here are a few simple suggestions...

• You will need an area to work in such as a good size counter top, or table. Put newspaper or an old tablecloth on the area.
• Take a large bowl and combine peat moss, humus and a very light potty soil. Don't use potting soil containing bark and other wood material. Mix hot water into the soil mixture and stir well. I use my hands, as I have been known to love playing in the dirt!
• If you are using a tray, you will want to fill each plug three fourths full of the soil mixture. The same method is used in pots or containers.
• Take the seeds and put a few in the palm of your hand. Sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil and loosely put a small amount of soil over the seeds.
• Place your trays or containers in a sunny location or a dark pantry or closet, depending on the light requirements. Water them in hot water for the first couple of weeks.

Each type of herb will grow different schedules. It is so exciting to see your first seedling appear out of the dirt. Let your herbs grow and get established in their containers or trays. Remember in the basic landscape terms, a seed grows into a plug. I put about 3 to 4 seeds for each plug. If you use a small or pint container, gather about 5 to 10 seeds and sprinkle them in the soil. If you are using a tray and plan on keeping the herbs inside, adjust your pot size to the growth of the plant.