Level up your herb seed germination skills by learning these three crucial factors. Once you have this foundation to lean on, you will be able to start any herb seed that your heart desires. Soon enough you will be germinating enough herb seeds to have all the plants you need and extra to share with family and neighbours.
Herb seed germination is initiated and completed due to three factors: water, oxygen, and temperature. Seeds will stay dormant until the right conditions are met. Once this happens, the seed will go through the stages of germination to grow into a seedling. Seed preferences may vary from seed to seed, but most require a very similar environment. Most herb seeds require light fluffy soil, consistent moisture, and 21 C (70F) to start the germination process. Some herb seeds in particular will benefit from special treatments, such as; soaking, cold stratifying, scarification, or light.
I have been developing my seed germination skills for about ten years now, and yet – it still fascinates and excites me every time I see a new sprout peaking through the soil. I can’t be the only one to get excited when you see that first little bit of green or a little mound in the dirt. Recently I have been wondering more about what goes on under the soil during germination. I did some research and am excited to share what I found.
Another great thing is you will be able to apply these principles to any type of seed that you are interested in growing. Remember the old saying “give a man a fish, he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime” – except this is plants – but of course you knew that. Ok, moving along, but first… some inspiration.
Turning One Handful of Seeds in to Baskets Full of Harvest
I think it is so amazing how much potential can be held in just one tiny seed. We must be so grateful for the abundance that can come from a handful of seeds.
Like really – image if in your hand right now you were holding some basil seeds, parsley seeds, cilantro seeds, dill seeds, and chamomile seeds,. It might not look like much, but now image that we have successfully germinated all of these and now you have trays full of plants – starting to look a little better isn’t it?
Now imagine all the harvest you will get with those plants by the end of the garden season. There is also the accomplishment you will feel and the satisfaction of knowing that you only started with just a handful of seeds. The only thing is we can only experience this abundance if we know how the herb seed germination process works.
People have been cultivating and germinating seeds for thousands of years, and did not have the technology that we do today. So with that being said, I know you can do this! It can take a little trial and error at first, but with the right basic knowledge, and the will to experiment, I know you can have success. So let’s dive in and learn more about herb seed germination!
Why Start Herbs from Seed?
So the big question – why start herbs from seed? Why not just buy started plants? Here are some reasons why I think everyone should be starting their herbs from seed.
First of all, it will save you money. You can spend about $2 to $3 dollars for a packet of herb seeds, and get so many seeds in one pack. Or you could spend upwards of $3 per plant. Also if you learn to save your own seeds, then that $2 -$3 dollar investment just gained you a lifetime worth of herbs.
If you save your own seeds the plants will continue to adapt to your climate and become stronger. Always save seeds from your healthiest, most productive, and flavorful plants to continue to improve the quality. Depending on how many varieties of a certain herb you grow, you could also come up with some interesting crosses.
When you start herbs from seed you can choose specialty varieties that may not be available at your local garden centre. When you start going through seed company websites or seed catalogues it can almost be overwhelming with the number of options they have. It is exciting to try new varieties and experience those different flavours, colours, and textures.
Lastly, when you start herbs from seed you can start them any time of year. This can be especially important if you are trying to grow an indoor windowsill herb garden in the middle of winter. Chances are that your garden centre will not be selling herbs at that time of year.
What is the definition of Herb Seed Germination?
Herb seed germination refers to the first step in an herb plant’s life cycle. It is the process from which a seed awakens out of dormancy, spouts, and starts growing into a seedling. The seed will send out a tap root, and start to put up the first baby leaves. Once these baby leaves reach the surface and gain access to light, photosynthesis will start. In order for this process to happen, the seed will need the correct amounts of water, oxygen, and temperature.
The Parts of a Seed
Let us just quickly look at the parts of a seed. The best way to visualize this is to think of an egg. Now that you have that image in your mind, here is a list of the different parts and their functions:
| Seed Part | Compared to Egg Part | Function |
| Seed Coat | Egg Shell | The seed coat is the outer most layer of a seed and provides protection from damage |
| Cotyledons | Egg Yolk | The cotyledons provide nutrition and energy for the seed to germinate and start growing. Cotyledons will show as the first baby leaves before the true leaves emerge |
| Radicle & Plumule | Embryo | The radicle will form the roots of the plant, whereas the plumule will form the true leaves. True leaves are the leaves that look like the parent plant. |
If you want to try a fun experiment, you can follow the steps below to see the parts of a seed for yourself. Bean seeds are best for this as they are larger, which makes it easier to see and work with.
- Put your seeds in a small glass of water and let them soak for about 24-48 hours.
- After the 24-48 hours is up, drain the water and place your seeds on a cutting board so you can examine them.
- The seed coat should have softened, and be peeling up in areas. Gently remove it the rest of the way from the seed.
- There will be a small slit down the length of the seed. Pull it apart so you have two halves (you may need to carefully use a knife to help it open).
- Then check out the parts in the middle of the seed
What are the Stages of Herb Seed Germination?
The first stage of herb seed germination is called imbibition. This is where the seed takes up water, swells up, and the seed coat softens. All the inner parts of the seed will also soak up water so that the seed can start to sprout.
The next phase is where various enzymatic and respiratory activities start to take place. Followed by that there will be the digestion and translocation of the energy stored in the seed. This will all be done through the cotelydons.
At this point the tap root will be going down into the soil, and the first baby leaves will be reaching for the surface. Seeds have just enough stored energy for the plumule (baby leaves) to reach the surface of the soil and start to use the light to photosynthesize (create more energy to sustain them). This is why it is important not to plant seeds too deeply. A general rule of thumb is to plant a seed about twice as deep as it is wide. Some herb seeds are so small – like chamomile seeds – that it is best to just sprinkle them on the surface of the soil.
This is a basic explanation of what is happening during each stage. You can find a more in depth discussion of seed germination on the Britannica website here. Now that we know the stages we need to ask the next question.
How do Seeds Know When to Germinate?
Seeds will know it is time to germinate when they are exposed to the correct environment and conditions. They will start germinating when they have a consistent amount of water, oxygen, and a temperature that they prefer. If one of these three factors is not met, the seed will not germinate. This is why it is important to know what your seed prefers and then give it exactly just that. We are able to create those optimal conditions for herb seed germination even if it is the middle of winter. So even though it may not the right time of year for an herb seed to start germinating, we can make it think that it is. This is a great way to get a head start on the growing season, or just produce some fresh herbs in your kitchen over winter.
It is a pretty amazing thing to think that a seed can lay dormant for years – decades even – and then all of the sudden they know it is the right time to start growing. Although this may not always be the case, but they get it right most of the time. Thinking about my poor volunteer tomato seeds that sprouted outside last fall because we had such mild weather – poor little guys got too excited.
Important Factors for Herb Seed Germination
The three main factors for an herb seed to start germinating are the correct amounts of water, oxygen, and temperature. Now you may be wondering, so then do all seeds need the exact same things to germinate? The short answer to this is not exactly.
Just like you and I, all seeds have their own unique preferences. There are many seeds that will have similar preferences, but the amounts of water, and temperature that they need can vary. This is why it is important to review your seed packet as it will contain information on what each seed prefers.
Another great resource to find out seed preferences is on various seed supplier websites. West Coast Seeds, and The Ontario Seed Company both have a lot of great information on starting and growing herbs from seed. And lastly, don’t forget about seed catalogues! You can find some really good ones out there with fun growing tips, and neat stories behind the different varieties they are selling.
Now let’s go into more detail for each herb seed germination factor.
Water
Water can be a difficult factor to get right when germinating herbs from seed. You need to keep the soil moist, but not wet, and don’t let it dry out. Watering can be tricky because many herb seeds are so small and can be easily dislodged. Here is the best method I use to get the watering right.
Put your soil (I use “Vegetable and Herb Promix”) in a containter with no holes. Add water to the soil and mix with your hands until it has the right moisture level. The right level is when you can squeeze the soil in your hand and a maximum of only one or two drops comes out. The soil should be able to form a ball in your hand and hold together, but crumble easily when pressure is applied.
Put the soil into a container with drainage where you will be starting your herbs. Pack it gently so the soil is evenly distributed through the pot with no large air gaps. After your soil is in the container, touch the surface to feel the moisture level. It should feel like a damp, ringed out sponge.
Next, sprinkle herb seeds on top of the soil. Herb seeds do not need to be planted very deeply since they are generally so small. Sprinkle a tiny bit of soil over top of the seeds to barely cover them. It is ok if you can still see some of the seeds. Mist them with water heavily so the soil sinks down and clings to the seeds. Put some plastic wrap over the container and leave it there until the first sprouts emerge.
I do not water my seeds again until they have sprouted, unless the soil starts looking dry. If so, then mist away.
Oxygen
Oxygen is important for the respiratory processes that starts to happen in the second stage of herb seed germination.
The best way to make sure that your seed is able to get enough oxygen is by ensuring that your planting medium is loose, light, and fluffy. If you have hard compacted soil, it will reduce the amount of oxygen available to the seed. Very hard compacted soil will also mean the seed needs extra energy to try and push through and reach the surface which is not good.
Another way that seeds can fail to get the oxygen they need is if the soil is too wet.
Temperature
Most herb seeds will happily germinate around 21 C (70 F). Therefore you should be able to germinate the majority of your herbs seeds in your home without any additional heating equipment. Alternatively, you can wait until it is warm enough outside and then direct sow your herb seeds right in the garden.
It is important to note that when we are discussing “temperature”, what we really mean is “soil temperature”. This is why when we get those nice warm days in spring and you want to get those basil seeds in the ground, it is best to wait until the soil temperature warms up. Soil temperature will always be cooler than the air temperature. You will want to wait until the overnight temperatures are consistently around 15 C (59 F) or higher for your long range forecast, and the day time temperatures are hitting that 21 C (70 F) mark.
Seeds are like Goldilocks in a way – they like it not too hot, not too cold, but just right. You will also find that as you continue to start more and more seeds, some require a little different temperature. That is why you should always double check your seed packet for any special instructions.
In the end it really is important to pay attention to the soil temperature requirements for each seed you are starting. And depending on your situation it may be beneficial to enlist the help of a seedling heat mat to warm them, or putting your seed trays in the basement to cool them to make sure you get the correct temperature.
Special Treatments to Support Herb Seed Germination
Some herbs require special treatments to get the best germination rates, or to speed up germination. For example, some herbs benefit from cold stratifying which is exposing the seeds to a period of cold before germinating. One example of this would be lavender seeds. Other herb seeds benefit from being soaked prior to sowing in soil such as cilantro. Some herbs will benefit from light during the germination phase such as chamomile. Others will benefit from scarification which is where the outer seed coat is scuffed up a bit before planting.
In the end it it is important not to be discouraged. Every experienced gardener will tell you that they have failed starting many seeds before finally getting it right.
I once heard a quote from someone that said “sowing seeds is to have hope in the future.” I love this because it really drives home that feeling of excitement, hope, and joy when germinating seeds. If you are reading this, than I am sure you get that feeling too. So go forth with your new found knowledge and test out your herb seed germination skills.
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