Herb Killer:(

[Phoenixsylvestris2]

I planted 5 types of herbs from seeds and not one came up(rosemary, basil, dill, and some others I can't remember right now). Its been 3 weeks now. I can grow everything else just great, but not herbs, lol.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

something i read a few years ago mentioned that most herbs don't like to be planted too deeply when starting from seed. they can be sensitive and need light to help them germinate. so if planting them just sow them on the surface and lightly sprinkle some soil over them. basil, dill and parsley i found to be easy to start this way. though i tend to direct sow the basil in the pots with my tomatoes. i've caught my dill plants self seeding and multiplying on their own so i rarely had to worry about planing more till this year now that i'm in a new home. parsley i started from seed with no issue but it did grow slowly for me since i started it in the house without heat, it did have lights over it.

could your seed been old? or did you not sow them on the surface of the pots?

 

[seedcorn]

Rosemary is very slow to come up. I gave up on it last year, thn here it came.

 

[digitS']

I think an experience like that might be because 95% of gardeners grow veggies, 80% are flower growers, and only 5% grow herbs. (I just made those numbers up .) Usually, the seed companies are NOT promising germination rates. They don't even say if the seed was harvested the previous year. "Packaged for 2013" doesn't mean much.

There are reputable seed companies and some of those that specialize in herbs. Sometimes I think that Richters specializes a little too much in herbs. LOL Some of those medicinal herbs . . . just because it is a plant growing in your garden doesn't mean it isn't toxic. And, Italian, Large-leaf, Genovese-type, and Sweet basils are all -- Italian, large-leaf, Genovese-type, and sweet! If they are really different -- give them real names! And, please! Not a name like Nufar & Gecofure! I guess I'm happy to hammer the living daylights out of a basil called Gecofure to make pesto. I sure wouldn't want to risk having it alive when it shows up on my plate!

Anyway . . . I really enjoy the Richters catalog and there are other major garden seed companies with good selections and honest quality.

Steve

 

[so lucky]

I love browsing through the Richter's herb selections, too, but some of them are VERY hard for novices like most of us to germinate. I have yet to get comfrey to germinate, or valerian. And I have found as a general rule that the perennial plants are going to be difficult, compared to annuals like dill and basil. Altho my yarrow sure took off, lol! What's that about being invasive??

 

[digitS']

Many perennials have tiny,

tiny, tiny seed.

.

digitS'

 

[Phoenixsylvestris2]

I think an experience like that might be because 95% of gardeners grow veggies, 80% are flower growers, and only 5% grow herbs. (I just made those numbers up .) Usually, the seed companies are NOT promising germination rates. They don't even say if the seed was harvested the previous year. "Packaged for 2013" doesn't mean much.


Steve

Lol, I guess I fall somewhere in the 80% flower growers.

I am thinking I planted them too deep. I will get more seeds and try again and if I fail this time i'll just buy the plants already grown
I'll try Chickie'sMomaInNH's way and lightly sprinkle dirt on them. I need to look at that Richters catalog, is it online?

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

Yep, they are online. I haven't ordered from them in years but they have some neat plants too! They are in Canada if I remember right.