You don’t have to begin your herb garden from seeds, but if you want to get a head start on the season and lengthen the time you will have for harvesting your herb plants, start from seeds. You can get seeds in a package or use seeds left over from last year.

Not all herbs do well from seeds, so read up on your herb plants before you invest in seeds, pots, sod and the like.

First, soak your seeds for at least 3 hours before planting them so that they will have an added advantage. Another way to do this is to allow your herbs to pre-sprout by soaking them, placing them on a moistened paper towel and then putting them into a freezer bag and sealing the bag up. Keep the bag at room temperature and out of direct sunshine until you find germinating seeds when you open the paper towel. Take your sprouting seeds and plant them right away.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, read up on your herbs before you get the seeds or start the germinating process, because that might not be enough. Some types of seeds need to be scratched up before they can germinate. Other types will need to be heated up (from natural light, not the microwave, stove or oven) before you cultivate them. Good examples of these include the chili pepper and citronella herbs.

Once your seeds have begun the germinating process you should focus on controlling their growing environment. How long it will take your seeds to germinate depends on the seed. Some can take only 5 or 6 days while others can take over a month.

Your seed pots should contain a special seed-starting sod mix that comes with both vermiculite and sphagnum moss for best results.

I cultivate plenty of herb plants from seeds each year. Some of the best ones are:

• Caraway: You can plant caraway straight from the spice jar, which I believe is amazing and simple. All you have to do is add a few seeds to a container and cover with a thin layer of sod and a small bit of water. Caraway only takes a few days to grow. Then you can transfer your herb to a larger pot or garden bed. Use caraway to add something extra to your Oktoberfest meals and also your curries.

• Lavender: There are a number of types of lavender to select from. My vote goes to the one called Lady because it develops pretty fast. This fragrant type of lavender can certainly grow on you.

• Nasturtium: These wonderful and edible herb plants are so easy to raise from seeds that you’ll wonder why you didn’t start it sooner. Soak these seeds overnight before planting for the best results when you cultivate them in your well-drained earth. You can even raise the mature herb inside, and for extra color you can use as a bonus in your salad greens.

• Shepherd’s Purse: Even though many people think shepherd’s purse is a weed, this tasty herb has a mild peppery smell and the taste is a great addition to any salad. As an added bonus, the fresh leaves are great for a heavy dose of vitamin C and A. To cultivate shepherd’s purse, simply sow the seeds on top of the soil, water it and watch it grow.

And those herbs are just a few. Some other good herb plants include anise, hyssop, basil, German chamomile, fennel, lemon balm and sorrel.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Mini Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.