I am afraid I am going to be a bit downbeat here and suggest you rethink the whole business. Seed is not really the optimum method of propagating some herbs. All your list except Parsley and Basil are perennials so the outlay on a plant is worth it. Personally I only grow parsley and basil from seed. It would be a lot quicker and more reliable for you to just buy plants of several of these herbs. You probably won't need much of most of them and seed, when it works, produces a lot more plants than most people need. A single rosemary bush, for example, would be plenty for kitchen use unless you are planning a hedge or something. It is a challenge from seed but very easy from cuttings.

However, if you are wedded to seed your methods seem very complicated and I think there is a risk you have over thought this. As a beginner I would just buy a bag of seed sowing mix and sow the seeds in pots either under a dome or a plastic bag. Your mix included potting soil which is not designed for seed sowing. Place in warmish area until they germinate and then move to cooler spot. Being in the dark is not necessary. Remember that parsley and mint are not Mediterranean plants like your other herbs and do not need such high temps. Parsley is notoriously slow to germinate.

I don't know your climate but it may be that it is not a good time to start the Mediterranean herbs now.

Also your watering method is problematic. It will not give adequate moisture to the mix. It is easiest to water seed trays and pots from the bottom. This ensures they are thoroughly damp throughout the medium. Place the containers in a bowl or tray of water. When the surface shows wet remove them and drain. Do this again when the mix is dry at least an inch below the surface.

BTW - sorry to disappoint but mint will not 'get pests' out of the garden.' It may well become a pest itself.

I have direct sown basil, parsley, sage, and thyme with success. Started those indoors as well, but whatever I can start outside, so much the better.

But I'm in agreement with Flora. I always suggest starting with young plants (except for annuals/biennials) for new gardeners. Seeds can be frustrating to those just learning. Young plants are more tolerant than newly started seed and give some instant gratification/encouragement. As your garden and skills grow, try some seeds again. Do a little research and see the best way for starting them. Keep in mind, Mother Nature is the best seed starter ever! It is her and her growing conditions that you wish to emulate.

FataMorgana

Actually keeping your seed in the fridge might not be the best idea - unless they were sealed in a jar with a packet of silica gel. Because your fridge is pretty humid, too humid for many seeds. Your plastic container is probably nowhere near as air-tight as you might think.

Just keep your seed packets in an index card box in a cool dry place. They will still last for years, in most cases.

I used to use a 1:1 mixture of coarse vermiculite and sphagnum peat moss for a seedling mixture - in fact for my potting mix too. It worked well for decades. But in the last 15 years or so I've not been able to lay hands on coarse vermiculite so I've switched to a 1:1 mixture of sphagnum peat and a good bagged soil, like Miracle Grow garden soil. It's not ideal but it has worked for me.

Recently (like a week or so ago) I ended up using straight MG potting medium as seed starter because that's what I had on hand. Again, not ideal - but things are still coming up.

I don't see anything particularly wrong with your current mix, except maybe the polystyrene beads. Those really contribute Zilch to your potting mix.

But why are you steam treating it? All those ingredients (except the polystyrene beads perhaps) come to you relatively sterile out of the bag. I don't think it probably hurts anything, but I have never sterilized new potting soil nor did I ever see my mother do the same so that's at least 75 years of combined experience that has generated a rather large body of anecdotal evidence that says it isn't necessary.

I know a lot of people germinate in plastic bags but I don't think its a very easy or forgiving method.

I'd invest in some plastic domes instead. They are much easier to vent and far less likely to lead to damping off. Also I have noticed that when there is condensation it tends to form on the sides where it will drip down harmlessly. Also, the domes can be easily removed and wiped down. A dome is MUCH easier to adjust, quicker to deal with, unlikely to sag down onto the new plants, and because it is easy and quick to deal with, people are much more likely to attend to them in a timely fashion.

Or you can go commando. In 40 years of seed starting I've never used a dome until just this year, and that was for starting some curry leaf plant seeds. If you keep the soil evenly moist, humidity isn't normally an issue, even in a dry region.

Don't give up, but do try it on a smaller scale. If your basil isn't even coming up there's a problem. That stuff grows like a weed. Even you suspect damping off (and I do as well).

Be brave, go commando! Lose the plastic bags! And the polystyrene and the steaming of new soil.

This post was edited by zensojourner on Sat, Sep 27, 14 at 18:55