Hermann Park Herb Garden
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You do not have to begin 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 herb plants, start from seeds. You can purchase seeds in a package or use seeds left over from last year.

If you are 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.

Before you plant your seeds, you will need to soak your seeds in water for several hours. This will give them the energy they need to get started. Another way to do this is to allow your herb plants to pre-sprout by soaking them, placing them on a moistened paper towel and then putting them into a freezer bag and sealing it up. If you go this route, be sure to keep the sealed bag away from heat and check back often to see if the seeds have started sprouting yet. Once your seeds have germinated, you are ready to plant them in some rich, moist soil.

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 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 herb plants.

Once your seeds have started the germinating process you should focus on controlling their growing environment. The germinating process can be as short as five days, including some varieties of basil, catnip, chives and parsley, or as long as 36 days or more, as in hyssop.

Go get one of the soil mixes designed for growing seeds—the best ones usually contain vermiculite and sphagnum moss.

Although there are a number of many awesome herbs that you can raise from seeds, here are some of my favorites:

  • Caraway: You can plant caraway straight from the spice jar, which I think is amazing and easy. Germination won’t take long, and before you know it, you will be planting it in your favorite flower bed or pot. Caraway is a popular herb for both German and Indian dishes.
  • Lavender: There are a number of types of lavender to choose from. My vote goes to the one called Lady because it germinates pretty fast. This fragrant type of lavender will certainly grow on you.
  • Nasturtium: These small flowers of happiness are severely under-rated. Not only are they brilliant, they are edible too. Even better, you can easily raise nasturtiums from seeds! Soak the seeds overnight before planting for the best results when you plant them in your well-drained earth. You can even grow the mature plant inside, and for extra color you can try as a bonus in your salad greens.
  • Shepherd’s Purse: Even though a lot of folks believe shepherd’s purse is a weed, this tasty herb has a mild peppery smell and the taste is a wonderful addition to any salad. Because the leaves are rich in vitamins C and A you’ll get health benefits while you feast on this mouth-watering herb. It’s not complicated to grow. Fill your seeding pot almost to the top with sod and then add a few seeds, cover with more dirt and add water. Before you know it, you have got your own shepherd’s purse herb.

If you want to really experiment with cultivating herbs from seeds, experiment with these herb plants too: bee balm, borage, catnip, chives, and dill.

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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