If you’re here because you’ve spent years growing vegetables with great success, but this herb thing is throwing you for a loop,…or even if you’re a total beginner…you’re in the right place. Whether you want to cultivate fresh herbs for your kitchen or medicinal plants for herbal remedies, these ten tips will help you grow herbs like a pro. Using the right techniques, you can enjoy a thriving and prolific herb garden filled with your favorite plants, from Ashwagandha to Yarrow!
Starting vegetable seeds is pretty simple and straightforward. But, once you transplant them, you have to baby them, watch them for pests and diseases, be aware of temperatures and sun exposure, and be consistently pruning and harvesting.
I’m by no means complaining. I love vegetable gardening as much as the next homesteader, but I LOVE growing herbs. Once they’re in the ground and established, they’re good to go! Not very many herbs have pests that will destroy them, and they’re not nearly as sensitive to temperature, sun, or water requirements…for the most part…of course, there are a few high-maintenance exceptions.
Getting them started though…that’s a different story. Starting herbs from seed requires many different techniques and we’re going to go through them all so you can get started growing all the herbs you need to fill your home apothecary.
The Equipment
You definitely don’t need to blow your budget to be able to successfully grow herbs, but having certain items will greatly increase your chances of success with more high-maintenance herbs.
1. Heat Mats: Providing heat directly to the soil and seed is crucial to heat germinating herbs. Even those that don’t require heat only to germinate (unless specifically noted as light germinators), benefit greatly from having heat underneath the tray. Please note that a heating pad is not a good substitute for a seed starting mat. The temperature is not the same, and seed starting mats are waterproof which you’ll find to be a huge help.
2. Grow Lights: You can go super cheap here and don’t need to buy lights labeled as “grow lights”. What you’re looking for to seed start is 7,000 + lumens. The setup is totally up to you.
3. Seed Starting Trays: There’s a lot of flexibility in this one. Make newspaper cups, buy a pack of solo cups, use an old lettuce package from the grocery store, or buy a seed starting tray. Any route you go, be sure you have a good quality seed starting soil. I like promix organic. Side note: “organic” is always the best way to go when growing medicinal herbs to avoid contamination with herbicides, pesticides, or other contaminants., and to ensure your herbs will have peak medicinal values.
4. Humidifying Domes: Honestly, mine broke a few years ago and I’ve been getting by just fine with saran wrap. However, if you go this route, you need to carefully monitor your trays and remove the saran wrap immediately upon germination. Leaving it on will create leggy plants fast. Humidifying domes are ideal and make life a lot easier when your plants are not all germinating at the same time.
Before You Start
Like I said earlier, different herbs like different things. And if they don’t get what they want, they simply will not grow for you. Or…they won’t grow well for you. Either way, both mean discouraging frustration. So let’s get you started on the right foot with the right information so you can do this right! Many herbs have one or more of these requirements to germinate:
1. Scarifying: The process of gently scratching a seed so it will be able to germinate.
2. Cold Stratification: Cold storing your seeds for a specific time frame in a way that mimics a dormancy period needed before germination.
3. Heat-Dependent Germinating: Germinating seeds with heat only.
4. Light-Dependent Germinating: Germinating seeds with light only.
These terms do not apply to all herb seeds. Some of them require more than one of these.
Starting Seeds
On the back of most seed packets, there are instructions for starting your seeds and caring for the plant. Sometimes though, they leave out some rather crucial information…can’t really blame them, after all, the back of a seed packet is only so big. That’s why having a library of herb books is so important. Sure you can look up the requirements on Google individually, but trust me when I say, that’ll take you forever. Because at this point in the game, there isn’t a ton of information out there about how to properly start herbs.
Two of my all-time favorite books are ‘Growing Plant Medicine’ by Richo and Sena Cech, and ‘The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer’ by Jeff Carpenter. I highly recommend both of them!
Transplanting
Transplanting your herbs is an almost identical process to how you would transplant your vegetables. Hardening off your herbs can be done a little bit faster than veggies though. How awesome is that?!
Raising my hand as the person who always leaves my trays out too long and sun scorches the veggies.
There are a lot of cold hardy herbs out there, and once they’re established they’ll survive well into the cold nights. But, when they are fragile little seedlings, it’s best to wait until it’s above 50ºF overnight before you transplant all that hard work into the uncertainty of the outdoors.
The Process From Start To Finish
Now let’s get into the whole process. Of course, purchasing your medicinal herb seeds is the first physical step you’re taking to start growing your herbs. Long before I’m purchasing seed though, I look at the space they’re going to be in. From there…I follow the numbered steps below. You don’t have to do them in this exact order necessarily. This is just how my brain works. If it works better for you to purchase your seeds, and then figure out where you’re going to put them, go for it!
Selecting the Best Site for Your Herb Garden
Site Selection
The first step in growing medicinal herbs is choosing the right location. Most medicinal herbs thrive in full sun, requiring at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. However, some herbs prefer light shade, so it’s important to know the specific needs of each plant.
You also need to consider if your herbs are perennial plants or annual plants, and if they will become invasive over time. Trust me on this one, you don’t want to learn the hard way that a 4″x4″ oregano start is going to turn into 400 sq ft. Yes, it’s a very specific example. Learn from my mistake when I was a beginner. Learn about the plant family your herbs belong to, especially if they are perennial herbs, and look into their characteristics. Like how herbs in the mint family. Seriously, 4″x4″ starts can turn into 400+ square feet.
Soil Preparation
Medicinal herbs all have different soil requirements. Generally speaking, having a well-draining loamy soil, which is a mix of sand, silt, and clay, is ideal. Sandy soil is also okay for many herbs, as long as it is well-draining. Adding organic matter to the soil can improve fertility and drainage. If your soil is heavy clay, amending the soil with clean sand, loamy compost, or using raised garden beds or containers with good drainage holes is a good idea.
Some herbs though, like Mullein and Yarrow, prefer wasteland soil conditions. This is where researching each herb and knowing their preferences comes in handy. Whatever soil type you need to work with, the one thing they have in mind is compact soil is very difficult to germinate in. My go-to tool to loosen soil and prepare for planting started plants or direct sowing seed is a broadfork. They’re easy to work with and cover big areas faster than cultivating by hand.
Caring for Your Medicinal Herb Garden
Watering
Water requirements can vary just as much as soil requirements do. Again, know your herbs and what they prefer, and you’ll be able to get it right from the get go. Most herbs need to be evenly and consistently watered until they are established, but after that, requirements vary greatly per herb. If you’re looking for a one and done approach, a good general rule is to water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. Be careful with this though, as your water loving herbs will suffer with that type of watering schedule.
Mulching
“Mother nature is modest and does not like to be naked.” -Justin Rhodes. And it couldn’t be truer. Mulching helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. Use organic mulch, such as straw or wood chips. Apply it heavily around your plants and anywhere there is bare soil to prevent soil issues and to have good weed control.
Fertilizing
Herbs do not require much fertilizer. Too much can lead to lush foliage with reduced medicinal properties. My approach is to test my soil at the beginning of the growing season, before planting. If there are deficiencies or excess of anything, I amend it as needed. If I notice throughout the season that an herb is suffering, I test again. Blindly adding a fertilizer without truly knowing where the problem is, can cause more problems. Be sure to get all the information before you treat.
Harvesting
Just as every other step does with herbs, harvest needs vary. Some herbs can be harvested in the morning after the dew dries, just like with veggies. Many herbs, however, need the heat of the day before they are ready. Some prefer several days of dry weather before they are ready for harvest. Yarrow, for example, prefers hot and drought conditions before it offers its peak medicinal properties.
This is a crucial step in growing medicinal herbs. No matter what your crop is, gardening takes a lot of time, energy, and effort. Just as there’s a right time to harvest the perfect tomato, there’s a right time to harvest the perfect Chamomile. We sure wouldn’t want to harvest at the wrong time and miss out on all that herbal goodness. The books I mentioned earlier share information about each herb individually, including when and how to harvest. I highly suggest adding them to your home library.
Common Challenges and Solutions
Pests and Diseases
While herbs are much more resilient to pests and diseases, there are some that can affect your herb garden, but there are natural remedies to manage them. Encourage beneficial insects, such as ladybugs and bees, by planting flowers and providing a diverse garden environment. In some cases you can use organic sprays, like neem oil or insecticidal soap, to control pests.
Soil Issues
As we discussed earlier, poor soil can hinder herb growth. Be sure to test your soil a few times throughout the growing season, or if you notice any issues, and adjust accordingly. If you do need to amend your soil at any point, be sure you are using organic amendments to preserve the quality of your medicinal herbs.
Weather Extremes
Herbs are pretty hardy, but some can be sensitive to extreme weather conditions. Protect your plants from frost by covering them with frost cloths or moving container plants indoors. During hot, dry spells, ensure your herbs receive adequate water and mulch to retain moisture. For herbs that prefer some shade, using a shade cloth can be beneficial during heat waves or prolonged dry spells.
By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to growing a successful herb garden. Whether you’re growing to cultivate specific herbs for homemade elderberry syrup or to have your own medicinal herb garden to stock up on home remedies, herbs are a great addition to any garden. With a little practice and care, you’ll be well on your way to growing your own herbs like a pro! Good luck, and happy gardening!
Some herbs need special attention to get started. Watch these videos about scarifying and stratifying seeds.
