Some herb plants are better than others for germinating from seeds. Take the dill herb, for example, it grows like a weed and matures quickly too. It can grow pretty much anywhere. On the other hand, you will already be in herb gardener retirement when your thyme herb finally matures. You can cultivate most annuals from seeds and some perennials too. Since perennials keep coming back every year, they are real values for your budget.

I would rather not to start my perennial plants in a seed tray or in a regular herb garden bed; instead, I use a pot. They take some time to get going, so it is important that they have room to grow and not face competition from other herbs or even weeds. Most herb plants will begin to sprout within 3 or four weeks.

Depending on the climate where you live, you may be able to plant both your annual herbs and perennial herb plants at the same time, any time of the year. If you live in a colder climate, plant your annuals in the spring, summer or fall—all will work.

If you’re going to raise from seeds, you cannot miss with these:

• Anise: Also known as the hyssop, the anise herb has a nice licorice scent and has almost iridescent purple, green and blue notched leaves and spiked flowers of blue and purple. Most people use anise as a flavoring in many dinners and in teas. You can also add it to your potpourri. Begin these indoors in a small terra cotta pots at least six to 8 weeks before you plan to move this perennial outdoors.

• Caraway: The interesting looking caraway plant, which has a nutty, licorice taste that is just as interesting, is used in liqueurs, but also in sauerkraut, split pea soup and even goulash. The most often used part of the caraway is the seed, but the root is also edible. You can start your biennials inside as early as 6 weeks before the last frost, especially if you want to shorten the time you have to wait before you see the first flower.

• Coneflower: This easy-care perennial can be a great addition to your herb garden. Most folks think of it as a wildflower, but because of its healing qualities, it fits squarely in the herb camp. The healing name for the coneflower is Echinacea, which will hold your allergies in check and keep your immune system strong.

It can take about 6 weeks for your herb plants to sprout, get hardy and be ready to go outdoors in either pots or beds. This is especially helpful if you live in cold-weather climates—it’ll give you a jumpstart on the growing season.

Perennials do really well in warm locations. If you live in a warm climate, you can start them anytime.

Sowing seeds for your annuals is pretty easy. Just break up the ground a little and sprinkle the seeds on that place and cover lightly with earth. Most of your basic annuals can sow their own seeds if the growing season is nice and you’ll be off the hook for that.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Herb Garden Kits. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

The life cycles or growing periods vary with different herb plants. In order to make nice decisions, it is important to know the growing period of your herb plants. When you go shopping for your herbs, you’ll need to know their life cycle. The 3 primary categories are:

• Annuals: These flowers start from a seed. They grow, flower and die all in the same growing season. There are a number of good annual herbs: cilantro, chervil, basil, borage and dill.

• Biennials: Biennial flowers grow for two years and usually bear a “fruit” in the second year (like caraway). Some herbs (like parsley) will produce leaves during both years but die early in the second growing season. Angelica, chicory and Queen Anne’s lace are just some of the many biennials to choose from.

• Perennials: These herb plants generally come back for more than 2 growing seasons. Whether or not they come back or for how many years they will come back depends on the zone where you live. Of the many perennials available, some you might like are lemon verbena, rosemary, scented geranium, mints, thyme, yarrow and lady’s mantle.

My favorite herb plants are perennials because I only have to buy and plant them once, but I also have fun raising annuals and biennials. Be cautious of how much cold your perennials are exposed to because too much will harm them. You can extend their growing cycle by bringing them in during winter months.

These are some good ways to prolong the life of your herbs:

• The garage, basement or cellar is a good place to store a few perennials that need to be trimmed back and have the bulb, roots or rhizome unearthed for the winter.
• Using pots is a fantastic option for those herb plants that you need to over-winter inside your house or garage.  If you want to plant these herbs in the ground, a good trick is to plant them pot and all. They simply remove the whole container at the end of the season and store them during winter months.
• Plant your biennials in middle of the summer so that you can get lots of flowers in the second summer.
• A few herbs are self-sowers, which means that they can sow their own seeds for the next growing season. Mustard, borage and catnip are just some of the herb plants that are self-sowers.
• A great way to boost a short-lived annual’s growing cycle is to remove any flowers that have faded. Depending on your area’s climate; your annuals may self-seed if you clip the plant back at the end of the summer.
• If you have some unexpected cold weather be sure to cover your herbs with a blanket, towel or sheet which can prevent the frost from harming your plant. Herbs that are in pots can be moved under a covered porch for protection.

My wish for you is that these pointers can come in handy when you begin your own herb garden planning. It will be hard sometimes to get it like you want it. Even I make flubs after all these years, but just keep in mind that you can take out what doesn’t work and try try again!

Here is more information on Herb Garden Information. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

If you’re 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 a few hours. This will give them the energy they need to get going. You can also pre-sprout your herbs by soaking them, folding them up in a moist paper towel and then sealing them in a freezer bag. 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 germinating yet. Once your seeds have germinated, you’re ready to plant them in some rich, moist dirt.

Do your homework before you plant your seeds or begin the sprouting process, because some seeds must be scarred before planting (as in the citronella herb) or need to be heated before they will sprout (as in the chili pepper herb).

Once your seeds have begun the sprouting process you should focus on controlling their growing environment. How long it will take your seeds to grow depends on the seed. Some can take only 5 or 6 days while others can take over a month.

Your seed pots should contain a special seed-starting sod mix that comes with both vermiculite and sphagnum moss for better results.

Although there are a number of many great herbs that you can raise from seeds, here are a couple of the best:

• Caraway: You can plant caraway straight from the spice jar, which I think is amazing and touble-free. Germination will not take long, and before you know it, you will be planting it in your favorite flower bed or container. Use caraway to add something extra to your Oktoberfest meals and also your curries.

• Lavender: There are a number of kinds of lavender to choose from. My vote goes to the one called Lady because it grows pretty fast. This fragrant kind of lavender can certainly grow on you.

• Nasturtium: These beautiful and edible herb plants are so easy to raise from seeds that you will wonder why you did not do it sooner. If you decide to try these out, begin by soaking the seeds for at least 8 hours and then plant them in rich, well-drained sod. You can even raise the mature herb indoors, and for extra color you can try as a bonus in your salad greens.

• Shepherd’s Purse: Spice up your next salad with a little shepherd’s purse, especially if you are using a peppercorn ranch. This herb, which lots of people think is a weed, smells a bit like pepper, but tastes much richer. As an added bonus, the fresh leaves are awesome for a heavy dose of your daily vitamins. It is touble-free to cultivate. Fill your seeding pot almost to the top with sod and then add several seeds, cover with more dirt and add water. Before you know it, you’ve got your own shepherd’s purse herb.

If you want to really experiment with cultivating herbs from seeds, experiment with these herbs 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.

There are a huge variety of herbs in the world, and each one is unique in its own way. If you are interested learning more about a specific herb, you should research it more to understand the care it needs and how to use it properly. This article will get you started in understanding general different types of herb plants and what they are used for.

From a growing perspective, there are of 3 categories of herb plant – Annuals, Biennial and Perennial:

• Annuals – common examples are basil, and cilantro – these will not survive the winter frost. Each year these herbs have to be planted from seed, or better still from a small plant you have kept indoors, saved from the summer growth. .

• Biennials – herbs that form leaves in their first growing season, and then flower and seed in the second season; then they die. Biennial herbs – such as parsley, angelica, or caraway – are best be sown in late spring, not in seed trays but directly into the garden. Prepare the soil first by working it to a fine texture and dampen the soil slightly. Plant the seeds in shallow rows, then firm the soil on top of them. Fine seeds can be planted in a mixture of sand and soil and compost, which will allow them to spread more evenly. You can cover the herb bed with wet burlap or paper, in order to keep the soil moist during germination.

• Perennials – such as sage or winter savory – can and do survive the cold temperatures, and with proper attention, they will grow year after year.

Herbs can also be grouped into the categories for which they are used:

• Culinary herbs are probably the most useful to herb gardeners. They have a huge range of different uses in cooking. Because of their strong flavors, herbs like chives, thyme, basil, sage, savory, and marjoram are generally used in small quantities to add flavor to different types of food. Parsley is an extremely popular herb that is used mostly as a garnish. Some herbs can act as natural sweeteners – stevia, licorice, and the exotically named aztec sweet herb.

• Aromatic herbs have pleasant smelling flowers or foliage. Oils from aromatic herbs like loyage, mint, and rosemary can be used to make different types of perfumes, toilet water, or other various scents. Parts of aromatic herb plants used intact can also be used in the home to scent linens or clothing. They can also be dried and made into potpourri which will enable them to be able to retain their aroma for a long period of time. Lavender and lemon verbena are great herbs to use for potpourri.

• Some herbs are also used as natural treatments for common ailments. For centuries herbs have been thought to have the ability to cure the body. Current medical knowledge recognizes that some herbs are beneficial to one’s health, while others are overrated. Herbs used for medicinal purposes should onviously be used with due care. Most herbs are of course harmless, but some wild herbs can be dangerous if eaten. Herbs are used to alleviate stress, pain, or to boosting the immune system and cure insomnia – herb Robert, and lemon balm I have found that Aloe vera is great to have around the house (usually potted) for any accidental burns and cuts (more healing than anything you will find over the counter.

A final category are herbs that are used mainly as decoration, because they grow beautiful brightly colored flowers and foliage:

• Many have whitish flowering, some have various light colored flowers – like valerian – which has crimson blossoms, and borage and chicory, which grow gorgeous blue flowers

Not all herbs fit neatly into one of the above categories, and indeed some serve more than one of these categories. An example is mint, which can be used for cooking, tea, and pest control – but make sure you limit the boundarie of its growth, or it will become a pest itself growing wild across your garden!

If you would like more information on herbs, do drop by my herb gardening website, where I continually update articles and tips on gardening at home.

Whatever the interest that you may have in herbs, by understanding the facets of herb garden plants you are able to pick the herbs that will be most useful to you, and you can grow healty, fresh produce at home for your own use.. Good Luck.

Because of their strong flavors, herbs like chives, thyme, basil, sage, savory, and marjoram are generally used in small quantities to add flavor to different types of food. Parsley is an extremely popular herb that is used mostly as a garnish. Fragrant herbs have wonderful smelling foliage or flowers. The oils from herbs like mint, loyage and rosemarycan be used to make all kinds of perfume, scents and toilet water. Certain herb plants can be used in the home to fragrance linen or clothes. For more visit our blog: Herb Gardens Blog

Drying them will allow them to retain their aroma for longer and be used in products such as potpourri.  Great herbs for this are lemon verbena and lavender. Some herbs are also used for medicinal purposes. For centuries herbs have been thought to have the ability to cure the body. Present medical knowledge recognizes that some herbs are beneficial to one’s health, others are overrated. Herbs used for medicinal purposes should be used carefully. Some herbs are harmless but others can be dangerous if eaten.

Some herbs are not used for their flavor, power to heal or fragrance. Some herbs are used for their beauty. can have brilliantly colored flowes and foliage. Many have whitish or various light colored flowers like valerian which has crimson blossoms and borage and chicory which grow gorgeous blue flowers. Even thought herbs can have these different categories, many of them have multiple uses. For example, mint may be used for cooking, tea, and pest control. By taking the time to understand herbs, whatever your reason, you will be able to choose the ones most beneficial to you. Click here for more: Herb Garden Information

Annuals like basil, cilantro, and summer savory will not survive a frost.  each year, these types of herbs need to be planted from a seed or a young herb plant.  Perennials like sage and winter savory can survive colder temperatures and will return year after year.  Herb garden plants that grow leaves in their first growing season, flowers and seed in the second, then die. are called biennials.

Biennial herb garden plants like parsley, angelica, or caraway should be sown in late spring directly into the garden.  You should first work the soil by making it into a fine texture and making it slightly wet.  Then the seeds should be sown in shallow rows making the soil firm on top of them.  Fine seeds can be planted in a mixture of sand which will allow them to spread more evenly.  You can also cover the bed with wet burlap or paper in order to keep the soil moist during germination.

Herbs are also grouped into the categories for which they are used.  perhaps the most useful to herb growers are culinary herb garden plants.  There is a wide range of uses for herbs in cooking.  Because of their strong flavors, herbs like chives, thyme, basil, sage, savory, and marjoram are generally used in small quantities to add flavor to different types of food.  A very famous herb that is used mostly as decoration is parsley.

Aromatic herbs have pleasant smelling flowers or foliage.  Oils from aromatic herbs like loyage, mint, and rosemary can be used to make different types of perfumes, toilet water, or other various scents.  Parts of aromatic herb garden plants used intact can also be used in the home to scent linens or clothing.  They can also be dried and made into potpourri which will enable them to be able to retain their aroma for a long period of time.  Lavender and lemon verbena are great herbs to use for potpourri.

Some herbs are also used for medicinal purposes.  For centuries herbs have been thought to have the ability to cure the body.  Present medical knowledge recognizes that some herb garden plants are beneficial to one’s health, others are overrated.  Herbs used for medicinal purposes should be used carefully.  Some herbs are harmless but others can be dangerous if eaten.

Some herbs are not used for their flavor, power to heal or fragrance.  Some herbs are also used for their beauty.  Ornamental herb garden plants have brightly colored flowers and foliage.  Many of them come in white or light-colored flowers like valerian which has delicate  crimson flowers, and borage and chicory which has attractive blue flowers.

While herbs can be categorized into these different categories of uses, many herbs have multiple purposes.  Mint may also be used as insect repellent or as flavor enhancer.  Whatever the reason you have an interest in herbs, by understanding herb garden plants you are able to pick the herbs that will be most useful to you.

Buy Non-Hybrid Heirloom Seeds for healthy, good tasting, and continuous harvesting of your favorite herbs for many years to come.

For Food Storage Secrets for All you favorite herbs, click here.