Beginner- I want to start herbs indoors then transplant

11 years ago

Outdoors in the spring. I bought the burpee starter fiber pots, rosemary basil thyme and parsley seeds, and organic potting mix.

Any tips?? I want to start basic and go from there.

Oh my location is Indiana

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Comments (4)

gjcore
11 years ago
To start indoors you'll need some lights. Lots of info on the "growing under lights" forum. I prefer to sow basil, thyme and parsley fairly dense, no need in my opinion to thin too much.

You're probably zone 5 or 6 so sometime soon it'll be time to start sowing rosemary and thyme though I find it easier to take cuttings. I have a fair amount of "mother plants" established indoors and in cold frames.
fatamorgana2121
11 years ago
Start some basil and parsley indoors but save some seed to direct sow it into your garden. I personally never start basil or parsley indoors and always direct sow - partially because there is only so much room for starting seeds but partially because I like direct sowing better. But if you do both, you stretch out the length of your season for these and cut down on how much space and lighting you need indoors.

FataMorgana
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Sounds like you do have a good place for indoor pots if that's your preference. Indoor pots can be more difficult, but doable if you pay attention to the plant's needs. Personally I do both, with some that are indoor year round, and some that go out for summer (right now moving 14 pots daily). Nights down to 35 won't bother chives or oregano outside--if it drops below freezing you might lose the foliage, but not the plant (though that's for mature and hardened plants). We just dropped near 20 this week with 8" snow, and my sage, chives, tarragon, and sorrel that are just sprouting for this year did fine blanketed. Basil should not go below 50 day or night temp, but you may be able to get a good start indoors until the weather warms enough, and it would benefit from in and out. If you do in & out depending on outside temp, you do have to watch for bugs coming in and get your plants hardened for the direct sun.
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juliebug0401
11 years ago
I am in Indiana too, 30 mins south of Indy. I like to have plants to set in the spring too, longer season that way. Use lights, then set out in a protected outdoor area after the danger of frost is past. Get your "babies" acclimated to being out before you transplant in the ground. Those are nice EASY plants to start with. Watch for swallowtail butterfly caterpillars on the parsley & hand pick them off. If you have kids, you can put a couple of them in a bug holder with parsley & watch them turn into butterflies!
flora_uk
11 years ago
"To start indoors you'll need some lights".... this seems to be taken as gospel in the US but in the UK almost no domestic gardener uses lights. You can raise a lot of seedlings on windowsills or in a glass porch or sunroom, or, as Fatamorgana says, if you wait a bit you can just direct sow. I sometimes think people just like the technical side of lights and don't realise that lights are not absolutely necessary.

Regarding parsley - it actually does better direct sown since it has a taproot and disturbance encourages premature bolting.

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Beginner- I want to start herbs indoors then transplant

Comments (4)

gjcore

fatamorgana2121

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juliebug0401

flora_uk

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