Seed Starting - Series 2 Article 4 - Starting Herbs by Seed

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By Bonnie McNamee 


There is a wonderful book called, “herb gardening from the ground up” (no caps in the title), written by Sal Gilbertie and Larry Sheehan. It has a wealth of information on growing herbs from seed. Sal Gilbertie is the third generation owner/proprietor of Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens located in Westport, Connecticut. Mr. Gilbertie is the largest herb grower and supplier in the United States today. All the information written below is from his book.

Photo by Alabama Cooperative Extension

Starting herb seeds indoors:

Southern exposure. A window with a sunny southern exposure all day in the winter. 

Temperature. 70⁰F before germination and 60 - 65⁰F after germination.

Planting mix. Good grade Topsoil (30 percent), Compost (30 percent), Peat moss (30 percent), Perlite (10 percent). This is the same formula to use in your herb garden plot outdoors. A soil test for outdoors is recommended by your Extension Service. 

Cutting mix. We recommend growing certain herbs not from seed, but from cuttings – small branches snipped off of an existing plant. Placed in rooting mixture, these cuttings eventually send out roots and become established as new plants. 

Play sand. Sprinkle a thin layer of the play sand over the herb seeds after sowing.  The sand is heavy enough to keep the tiny seeds in their place during the germination period and fine enough to drain quickly.  Label all pots.

Planting pots.  Use thoroughly cleaned and rinsed clay pots. When the time comes, fill the pots with potting mix. Make sure the mix is level and slightly damp. It should not be soggy wet when it’s time to receive the seed.

Mister. For use before germination. Thoroughly wash and rinse a spray bottle then fill it with lukewarm water and gently use it to keep the planting mix moist.

Fertilizer. After germination, it’s recommended to use a natural or organic type fertilizer, such as fish emulsion or liquid seaweed.

Insect repellent. Place a couple of cloves of garlic and some cayenne pepper in a half cup of water or cider vinegar and pour into a blender. Pulse thoroughly, and then pour through a piece of cheesecloth so you end up with a clear solution. Pour this into your mister and spray the infected plants.

Cooling-off place. This is required to expose the herb plants to cooler outdoor temperatures before finally setting them out in the garden. An unheated room or sun porch with good light is effective.

Pad and pencil. It’s a good idea to maintain at least an informal journal of your herb-growing activities.

This article is just a sampling of the book. I hope you enjoyed this series.


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