Thursday, November 13, 2008

How to grow herbs from seeds

These are seedlings of holy basil herb (Ocimum sanctum). They are tiny but I only planted the seeds - in a planter indoors - on Sunday (four days ago). I was incredibly surprised that they sprouted this early - I guess I managed to provide perfect conditions for once... ;)

However, sprouting of seeds depends on many factors and there's no way to control them all. My best advice would be to do your best and then let Mother Nature do her job.

Some seeds like parsley can take weeks before they sprout (which takes patience and faith... ) and others just can't wait to grow as fast as they can.

Tiny seeds should not be planted too deep. They only have to be covered with soil (like 1/4 of an inch is more than enough).

Also, when planted in the garden just before heavy rains, the seeds can be washed away.

The fastest way to grow herbs from seeds is by using planters. Moisture and sun exposure are much easier to control in that smaller growing environment (than in the garden) - and they can be kept them indoors or out. As soon as they are big enough to handle (they have to have at least a pair of true leaves), they can be transplanted.

Yet, some herbs don't like having their roots disturbed - which is hard to avoid when transplanting. No worries, for those sensitive plants there's a simple and cheap solution. I'll describe it tomorrow.

One last thing - not every herb will grow everywhere in the world. I know about some varieties that just wouldn't grow (or at least not thrive) in Florida - although the most skilled gardeners have been trying hard for years.

Find more posts on how to grow seeds here




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Daria's World - blog about people and things that matter the most

Daria's World - blog about people and things that matter the most
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