Starting an Indoor Herb Garden is Easy…Really!

The most obvious way is to buy a few seed packets of some herbs you’d like to try along with a bag of seed starting mix and several small pots.

Fill the pots with moistened seedling starter mixture, then plant your seeds according to the packet directions.

Give them a little drink of water, place pots a warm bright spot and see what comes up!

Practical Advice for Starting Herbs Indoors

Why Good Seedlings Drop Dead

One big thing to be aware of when starting seedlings with a kit or peat pots is over watering!

People have mentioned that some of their little starts “just die.” They were very careful and “watered them every day but noticed some mold” around the seedlings.

The next thing they knew…dead wilted plants.

Thou Shalt Not Overwater

Over zealous watering and not enough airflow can kill your little plant darlings.

Once the seedlings have popped up, they need air movement and proper watering to prevent damping off.

This highly technical gardening term means that your planting medium (soil or soil-less mix) is too darn wet and you have developed one (or more) of several nasty fungi that attack your babies at the soil level. Watering from the bottom – where you set the seedlings in a tray and let them soak the water up, can help. Try not to drown your seedlings!

Now For a Few Helpful Indoor Seed Starting Tips

You as the designated herb gardener will need to provide a few basics like water, a warm spot for your plants, and good lighting.

Using a seedling propagator (sort of like a mini greenhouse)
can be very helpful to keep seedlings out of drafts if you have your seedlings in a cool area.

Another thing to be aware of is the temperature of the root zone. Most herbs like to have warm roots. When they get too cool, growth is hindered. When they get too cold and wet…you might want to kiss them goodbye.

When they get downright cold the plant may drop dead. You can find  seedling heat mats to help keep your herb’s tootsies toastie! I use them on some of my more tropical herbs like Yerba Mate and Stevia in the winter.

Where I live, even in a sunny window these herbs get too cold and will die without supplemental root warmth.