Started my herb seeds. Yippee!

[SizzlininIN]

I'm so excited......I just got done sowing my herb seeds in one of those Jiffy Seed Starter Kits. Now I just have to be patient and see what happens. Wonder how long before they sprout ..... I can hardly wait. 72 plants in all (after I thin them out later)..... oh well I couldn't help myself. I'll share them with family and friends. I also talked to my youngest brother in law yesterday and he's going to till up a garden for me. I'm excited is putting it lightly.

I went ahead and planted the rosemary and thyme seeds even though I read where you should just buy the plants from a garden center as they take forever to grow but I had them and thought what the heck I can at least try. If all else fails I'll go buy me some of those.

 

[sattie]

Blessings on those seedlings!!!! I have always wanted to do this but my plant growing skills stink! I guess I have to be bad at something!!

 

[GB]

I know the excitment you are feeling. That is so great! I can't wait to get my garden going this year. I am expanding it by 50% this summer so I plan on having a lot more items than the last two years.

 

[SizzlininIN]

Well as far as the vegetable garden I'm sticking with 8' x 10'. I guess thats what they recommend for 1st timers so they don't get overwhelmed. And as herb happy as I was this morning its probably best. Now if my seed catalogs would just get here I could get my veg. seeds ordered.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I've never started Rosemary from seed, but Thyme sprouts & grows fairly quickly. Parsley is another one that everyone says takes forever, but mine has been up & growing already in under a week.

 

[SizzlininIN]

My herbs are growing.....yippee!!! I thinned them out 2 days ago. Their sitting in a sunny location and I can't wait for the lil buggers to get big and strong.

Surprisingly even a few of the rosemary seeds have sprouted.

I just wonder how long its going to take for these to be big enough to transplant.

Hey Breezy.....yea I think I goofed and meant Parsley instead of the Thyme. But its growing just fine from what I can tell.

 

[SizzlininIN]

Well I ended up giving the herbs I started away. The cat decided to eat most of them and the ones she didn't were pretty stragly. I ended up going to the garden center and buying nice size plants.

I bought 2 more basil plants today as I have 2 planted but thought I could probably use more.

Anyone heard of cinnamon basil? I saw this today but didn't buy any.

 

[Constance]

Sizzlin, don't feel bad about your plants not doing well. They don't get the overhead/all around light they would in the greenhouses, and home temperatures are too warm. Both those factors cause weak, spindley stems.

There a many cultivars of basil. The large leafed sweet basil is the best for general use, but the others are worth trying if you have room, and a lot of them don't get as large, making them better for pots.

Here a few common types:
*Cinnamon basil has a heady cinnamon fragrance, nice for Mediterranean cooking.
*Thai basil is kind of minty and peppery, and good in Thai cooking. (surprise)
*Lemon basil has a lemony scent that goes great with fish and vegetables.
*Spicy Globe basil has the scent of the big leaf type, but has tiny leaves, and grows in a pretty little mound, great for pots and borders.

 

[SizzlininIN]

Thanks Const! I was so psyched to when they started sprouting. Oh well at least now I know to just buy the plants.

Here's what I have in my herb garden so far:

Chives
Dill
Basil
Rosemary
Thyme
Oregano
Parsley
Marjoram
Sage

Will all these come back every year? Or will I have to replant them?

Also, any other recommendations to add.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Your chives will definitely come back every year.

Rosemary, thyme, & sage should come back as well, but are sometimes iffy depending on how severe/wet the winter weather is.

Dill, basil, & marjoram are annuals, so have to be replanted every year.

Parsley is a biennial, & so should come back the 2nd year, but will quickly bolt & set seed, so should also be sown fresh every year.

 

[SizzlininIN]

Thanks Breezy! I'm thinking about adding Lavander for more color. The Chives are in full bloom now and are so pretty. Or at least I'm pretty sure these are chives ..... I dug them up from mom and dads. They smell like onions and have really pretty purple cluster flowers on top.

What are some more herbs that will come back every year?