| Sowing herb seed outdoors sounds pretty straight | | | | seeds in these. Soak slow germinating seeds in |
| forward, and it is. But there are a few tricks to | | | | warm water for several hours or overnight, and if |
| sowing seeds in your home herb garden that will | | | | you don't know whether your seeds are slow |
| allow you to get the most out of what you sow, | | | | germinating or not, look at the seed packet for |
| and minimize the work. | | | | instructions. |
| Most annuals and biennials are started from seeds | | | | Once the seed is sown, take a little loose soil and |
| outdoors. And the seeds can be purchased from | | | | cover lightly. Cover about 1/16 of an inch for |
| your local nursery, or supermarket. Also, you | | | | smaller seeds, and 1/4 of an inch for larger seeds. |
| shouldn't worry about the quality of the seeds | | | | Moisten the soil lightly to keep the seeds in place |
| you're buying. Commercially-packaged seeds are | | | | and put wooden stakes about 12 inches high along |
| reliable in that what's on the label is what's in the | | | | the rows, or around the edges of the beds. Use |
| package. | | | | these stakes to suspend sheets of plastic as a |
| Most herbs like dry sites, lots of sun, and a hot | | | | canopy to protect your little plants from hard |
| climate. In hot conditions the concentration of | | | | rains, and cool nights. When your local weather |
| essential oils are greater, and the flavor is usually | | | | forecast is sunny and fair, remove the plastic |
| stronger. If your garden site tends to be moist | | | | overnight to harden your herb plants. And when |
| with rich soil, the herbs will grow faster and have | | | | the seedlings are well established, remove the |
| a milder flavor. They will also look healthier and | | | | plastic permanently. However, if you live in cold |
| flower less than their hot site counterparts, and | | | | country where the nights get cool, keep the |
| will be easier to harvest. Loamy soil with some | | | | plastic handy to keep in the warmth. |
| added organic matter is an ideal seed bed. Since | | | | Remember that seeds, and later seedlings, should |
| those conditions are also ideal for vegetables, you | | | | only be watered when the soil seems dry. To |
| can plant herbs in your vegetable garden where | | | | test your soil for dryness, simply stick your finger |
| they will thrive as well as act as companion plants. | | | | about a half-inch into the soil, and if it feels dry, |
| Dealing with small seeds can be difficult, but you | | | | give your plants a shot of water. And by a shot |
| can distribute them uniformly if you mix them | | | | of water we mean dampen the soil, not drown it. |
| with fine sand. You can also make furrows with | | | | Try these tips and we guarantee you will be an |
| your fingertip or a stick and carefully place the | | | | expert at sowing seeds in your garden patch. |