Growing Conditions: Lemon balm tolerate both dry soil and light shade, but the plant will

be bushier when grown in full sun with a good supply of moisture. Lemon balm self-sows freely. Top growth dies back in winter but reappears in spring. Protect young seedlings from heavy frost.

Lovage Levisticum officinale

Lovage is a hardy perennial celerylike plant that can grow 5 to 7 feet tall. Its a good soup herb, and the seeds may be used in place of celery seeds. Cyrus Hyde of Well-Sweep Herb Farm in Port Murray, New Jersey, says that his family never eats potato salad without lovage. Days to Germination: 10 to 12 days at 700F (210C) When to Plant: When possible, sow lovage seeds in the ground in late summer or in fall. The alternate freezing and thawing of the ground helps to trigger germination. You can also start plants indoors in spring, planting seeds thickly, eight to ten weeks before the last frost, and setting them out two to three weeks before the frost-free date. How to Plant: Use fresh seeds; viability decreases sharply with age. Plant lovage seedlings 2 to 3 feet apart and keep them at the back of the bed. Growing Conditions: Lovage does well in cold climates; in fact, it seems to need a winter freeze in order to break dormancy in spring. Lovage thrives in good soil well supplied with moisture, and it doesnt mind a bit of shade. When well established, it reappears quite early in spring. Remarks: The flowers attract beneficial wasps that prey on destructive insects.

Marjoram Origanum majorana

Marjoram is a frost-sensitive 1-foot annual with small, pungently flavored, slightly fuzzy leaves. Days to Germination: 8 to 14 days at 700F (210C) When to Plant : You can start seeds indoors, in either spring or fall, but fall-planted seedlings should be kept from freezing over winter. Seeds can also be sown directly in the ground after danger of frost is past. How to Plant: Light improves germination, so dont cover the tiny seeds. Scatter them thinly on finely raked ground and press them into the soil surface. Thin plants to 8 to 12 inches apart. Set seedlings out after the last frost. Growing Conditions: Marjoram likes well-drained soil, perhaps a bit on the dry side, and plenty of sun. Remarks: Marjoram, also called sweet marjoram, is often confused with the perennial herb oregano (O. Vulgare). You can grow oregano from seed, too (treat it like marjoram), but dont bother with seeds of O. Vulgare, which lack flavor. Look for O. vulgare subspecies hirtum, sometimes labelled O. heracleoticum.

Parsley

Petroselinum crispum
An 8-inch biennial that is usually planted as an annual, parsley is one herb that almost everyone, those perky little scalloped-edged seedlings begin to emerge. Parsley seeds, and those of several other related plants as well, contain furanocoumarins - compounds that block germination, especially in the presence of sunlight. Days to Germination: 21 days at around 70 0F (210C) When to Plant: Plant parsley seeds outdoors as early in the spring as you can work the garden soil. How to Plant: Sow two seeds to the inch, planting them 1/4 inch deep. Many gardeners grow a few radish seeds along the row to mark the spot. Weeds often appear first and must be kept under control. Sometimes I beat the weeds by starting parsley seedlings early in the greenhouse and seeding them out in April. Be sure seeds are covered - not deeply but thoroughly because they germinate more completely in the absence of light. Thin plants to 6 inches apart. Growing Conditions: Fertilize once or twice during the growing season. Remarks: To knock a week or more off of parsleys usual three-week sprouting time, soak the parsley seeds in water for 48 hours, changing the water twice, before planting them. This dissolves some of those inhibiting compounds (furanocoumarins). Discard the water, though. Dont do as I used to do (before I knew about the furanocoumarins) and pour it on the planted seeds. Ive gotten relatively prompt germination of late-spring sowings after pouring very hot water over the planted seeds. Once planted, though, parsley seeds germinate best when soil temperature is below 850F (290C). It was an country custom to hang a parsley seed head on a tree, arbor, or fence adjoining the garden so that the windblown seeds would be scattered in the garden. If you try this bit of lore, dont count on it for your whole crop. Plant some seeds in the ground, too.

Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis

A shrubby, half-hardy perennial, rosemary can grow to 3 feet high and 3 feet wide as a mature plant. It is one of the more challenging herbs to grow from seed. Rosemary seeds often have low viability and a tendency to mutate, and the seedlings grow slowly. Days to Germination: Up to 21 days at 700F (210C) When to Plant : Seeds may be started indoors in late winter or early spring and seedlings set out after the last frost. How to Plant : My friend Bertha Reppert, who owns Rosemary House in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and has been raising rosemary from seed for years, say: Be patient. Rosemary seeds can take up to three weeks to germinate. Rosemary really demands sharp drainage, both in order to germinate, and after germination. Soggy soil is sure death to rosemary seeds and seedlings. Avoid peat in your starting mix, and add vermiculite or shape sand, or both, to your seed starting medium to improve drainage. But dont let the soil dry out, either. The safest thing to do is mist it, and also mist the young seedlings.

Set out young plants about 8 inches apart. They grow slowly. Established plants should be set 12 to 18 inches apart. Although rosemary can be direct-seeded around the time of final frost, it is best to start seeds indoors because germination is erratic. Growing Conditions: Rosemary plants thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, which can be either slightly acid or slightly alkaline. They make excellent container plants. Although Ive known five gardeners who have kept rosemary alive outside over winter, you cant count on it north of the Mason-Dixon line. It can stay outside in areas with mild winters where light frosts but not heavy freezes may occur. I keep mine in clay pots and bring them in the greenhouse over winter.

Sage Salvia officinalis

A hardy perennial, sage forms a 2 1/2-foot woody bush that should be trimmed often to keep it shapely. Even the tiny seedling leaves have the characteristic gray-green color and pebbly texture of the manure sage plant. Days to Germination: 21 days at 600F to 70 0F (160C to 21 0C) When to Plant : Start seeds indoors one to two months before the last frost, setting them 20 inches apart. Growing conditions: Tiny seedlings need full sun and a steady supply of water. Welldrained soil is probably their most important requirement; theyll die in water logged soil. Varieties: There are golden, variegated, purple, and tricolor forms, too. Remarks: Sage is an easy herb to grow from seed. The seedlings grow quickly, and the established plants tolerate drought and poor soil.

Savory Satureja spp.

Two species of savory are commonly grown. The annual summer savory, S. hortensis grows 14 to 18 inches tall, and the perennial winter savory, S.montana, reaches 8 to 15 inches. Both have narrow leaves. Winter savory has stiffer stems, smaller, more pungent leaves, and a more spreading habit than the summer form. Germination is often erratic, and it grows more slowly from seed. Days to Germination: 10 to 15 days for summer savory and up to 20 days for winter savory at 700F (210C). When to Plant: For either winter or summer savory, you can start transplants early, a month or so before your frost-free date, or sow seeds right in the garden after the last frost. How to Plant: Light promotes germination of savory, so dont cover the seeds with soil. Place clear plastic wrap or glass over the flat to keep the soil moist, space winter savory seedlings 10 to 12 inches apart. If youve grown summer savory before, look for volunteers from last years plants. Seedlings need 6 to 8 inches of space. Their stems tend to be weak and they sometimes sprawl. Growing Conditions: Both savories appreciate full sun and good drainage. The plants thrive in lean soil, but summer savory likes somewhat richer soil than winter savory.

Sweet Cicely Myrrhis odorata

Sweet cicely is a 3- to 5-foot tall perennial with fernlike leaves and umbels of white lowers. We met this delightful, hardy herb at Well-Sweep Herb Farm in Port Murray, New Jersey, where owner Cyrus Hyde told us that his wife Louise makes a great coffee cake seasoned with the aniseflavored leaves, which are a natural sweetener. Every part of the plant is edible. The seeds are also good for flavoring baked goods. Days to Germination: 20 to 25 days at 600F to 70 0F (160C to 21 0C) When to Plant: Fall planting works well, or start seeds indoors in early spring. You can also direct-sow the seeds about three months before the last spring frost. How to Plant: Like angelica, sweet cicely develops a deep taproot, so seedlings should be transplanted before they grow large. When sowing seeds directly into the garden, plant them in fertile soil and cover with no more than 1/4 inch of soil. Thin plant gradually to stand 2 feet apart at maturity. Eat the thinnings. Growing Conditions: The plant likes cold winters, self-sows generously, and obligingly accepts partial shade.

Thyme Thymus vulgaris

A perennial with many different forms that vary in height from 2 to 12 inches, thyme has tiny pungent leaves. Days to Germination: 21 to 28 days at 700F (210C) When to Plant : Start seeds indoors in late winter or early spring or outdoors two to three weeks before the last frost. How to Plant: Fairman Jayne of Sandy Mush Herb Nursery in Leicester, North Carolina, who often starts hundreds of herb plants each week in his greenhouse, says, I keep the temperature around 60 0F (160C) day and night and run them quite dry. I dont cover the seeds. I sow them in a little furrow and enough soil washes over them when theyre watered. Set out started plants a week or two before the last frost, spacing them 8 to 12 inches apart. Growing Conditions: Manure plants of common thyme are winter-hardy. All thymes need excellent drainage. Older plants that get woody suffer more winter injury. To keep the plants bushy, cur back three fourths of their new growth during the growing season. Thyme grows slowly. Varieties: About 60 different named cultivars of thyme grow in the United States. They hybridize readily and thus are difficult to identify; many that bear some of produce only female flowers.

Growing Garden Flowers from Seed