MoonLily
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Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2011 5:17 pm
Location: Denmark

how to grow herbs from seeds

Hi gardeners,

This is my first Spring in Denmark, as I moved here last summer, from Canada.

I am trying to grow herbs from seeds. I was getting not too bad at it in Canada but it seems to go all wrong now and it makes me sad because I finally have a big lawn and a nice terrasse.
My idea is to have herbs mostly in pots on the terrasse because it looks good and it is easy access from the kitchen.

Here's the thing:

A lot of my seeds sprouted, but not all. I sowed them indoors nearly a month ago in a mini greenhouse type of thing, but now I am not sure what to do. I found they look kind of weak for the most part. I brought them outside on a nice warm sunny day and I think it was a mistake. It got too warm in no time in the mini greenhouse and I lost some of them. :(

But now I have parsley, dill, origano and basil that are just starting to show the first real leaves.

:?: When can I bring them outside without protection? When should I put them in their permanent homes (pots)?

:?: If they sprouted kind of weak, will they remain weak and not really grow, or will I be able to help them become stronger?

Thanks
Moonlily

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soil
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Location: N. California

When can I bring them outside without protection? When should I put them in their permanent homes (pots)?
since you started them inside, you need to "harden" them off to the elements outside. to do so when they start showing there true leaves and possibly even have a set or two of them, take them out on a sunny day, BUT take them out of the greenhouse and put them in a shady area. if nighttime temps are in the 40s you can leave them outside. slowly move them in the sun over the next week or so. then plant them where you want. if its cold still, just bring them in at night. and plant out when its warm enough for the species of herb.
If they sprouted kind of weak, will they remain weak and not really grow, or will I be able to help them become stronger?
its depends on how weak, there is a chance they will hardy up some when you give them natural light and good soil. but harden them off first like I mentioned above.

MoonLily
Full Member
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2011 5:17 pm
Location: Denmark

Thank you for your help! I don't know how it will all turn out but at least now I have a plan. :)

Thanks again :flower:

MoonLily

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digitS'
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Location: ID/WA! border

MoonLily, I believe in Dancing with Plants! It is wonderful exercise!

I don't like plastic very much, altho' my little greenhouse makes as much good use of it as possible. Fresh air, sunshine - that's what plants need (me too :) ) But, I've hardly been able to bring anything except those cold-hardy onions outdoor so far. The weather has been too harsh :( .

Soon, dancing will begin! Plants will take the place of the onions in the most sheltered spot in my backyard. They are right up against the south side of my house, beside the stairs to the deck - which gives them some wind protection. EVEN THO' they are against a south side, there is a large deciduous tree directly in front of them. So, there is filtered shade from its branches right thru the middle part of the day.

The plants go back to the greenhouse or into a hoophouse at night (more plastic :wink: ). The onions that haven't gone out into the open garden, were danced back into the hooper last night. DW thinks I'm crazy, especially when the temperatures begin to warm but, what's warm? What's cold?

If they were in the heated greenhouse, cold was 60°F (16°C). That's a long way from our usual overnight temperatures here - even in June! So, I Dance with the Plants. I figure that if the overnight temps are warm enuf, they can go out in the open garden.

Some, like your oregano and parsley, can really take a range of temperatures. Once they are hardened off a little. Something like basil (maybe especially basil) likes it warm as indoors . . . right thru their annual life cycle. Silly things.

You may be able to pot your herbs into their intended homes real soon. However, you will be really disturbing their roots when you do that. If they've been progressing into more and more sun by that point - you need to immediately reverse directions and put them back in the shade! It may well be a good idea to put them in complete shade for a day - until they can get back into using those roots to pull moisture out of their soil.

Here's Wishing You the Best of Luck with them (and everything).

Steve



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