So the big question… how long do herb seeds take to sprout? Well, it really depends on which herbs you ask. Some will take longer, and others will be quicker to sprout. There are also many other factors to consider as well. Keep reading to find out how long herb seeds take to sprout. Plus some ideas to try and get your herbs to sprout faster.
It is important to know how much time it takes for herbs to sprout because then you can gauge the best time to start your seeds. This will ensure that your young plants will be at the best stage of growth before going outside. It will also help you to know when you can expect your first harvest of fresh herbs.
When you start researching how long herb seeds take to sprout you will find that one of the top answers says “2-3 weeks”. However, I don’t think the answer is really that straight forward as there are so many factors at play. I have been starting my own herbs for over 10 years now and keeping a detailed garden journal for the last 5 years.
Through that time I have found some varieties of herb seeds can actually germinate in just a matter of a few days. While those exact same varieties could take up to 21 days to germinate! How is that possible you ask – well keep on reading to find out.
What even is a sprout? How do you know when your herb seed has sprouted?
A sprout is the third stage of growing a plant. You will have started with a seed, then it will germinate, and then form into a sprout. I am a visual learner, so here is an image sequence showing you an up close view of a seed and how it transforms into a sprout.
Some people will use the words “sprout” and “germinate” interchangeably. You generally will not see the germinated seed as this is under the soil level – unless you are starting your seeds in a paper towel that is.
A sprout has a tap root, a stem, and two baby leaves (cotyledons). It is the first signs of green that you will see poking out of the soil, and where the herb plants really starts to take care of itself.
You can officially say that your herb seed has “sprouted” when the two baby leaves are above soil level and are fully opened and ready to take in the light and start photosynthesizing to produce its own food. You will notice that these first two leaves will generally be more rounded and not resemble the parent plant’s leaves.
After this stage your herb sprout will grow its first sets of true leaves. These leaves will resemble the mature plant. Once this starts to happen you now have herb seedlings, and now the growth will really pick up and your young seedlings will be well on their way.
Factors affecting how long herb seeds take to sprout:
There quite are a few factors that will affect how long herb seeds take to sprout. These can include the quality of your seeds, the herb varieties you grow, your growing medium or method, and other environmental factors. Let’s look at each one in a little more detail.
Seeds
It is always a good idea to make sure you are starting with good quality seeds. You can ensure this by either saving your own herb seeds, or buying them either online or at the store from a seed company. If you like to save money – I have also used seed packets from the dollar store and it has worked out just fine.
It is important to store your seeds properly as well. If your seeds have been exposed to higher temperatures or humidity your germination time and the speed at which they sprout will be much slower.
Another thing to think about is the age of your seeds. How long have you had that seed packet kicking around in your collection? Although it is true that seeds do not “expire” and you can use them for quite a few years. Some seed’s sprouting abilities will diminish over time. You will find certain varieties will last longer than others.
Herb variety
Now let’s look at herb varieties. Different herbs will germinate at different rates depending on the specific herb you are trying to grow. This is especially true when growing a mix of perennial and annual herbs.
Generally a perennial herb will take much longer when compared to an annual. This is because annuals have to do all of their growing in a single growing season, where as perennials have the luxury to take their time as they will live on over a matter of years.
Some examples of annual herbs that sprout faster are basil, chamomile, or cilantro. Some examples of perennial herbs that take much longer to get going are rosemary, sage, and lavender.
It is always a good idea when researching sprouting times of different varieties, to start by looking at your seed packets. This will tell you the general germination rate under the most optimal conditions. It is a great starting place.
Soil & seed starting medium
Your seed starting medium can really affect the success you have when starting seeds. You want well-draining soil, that is also light and fluffy. You want it to be able to hold moisture like a damp sponge, but also drain well. I really like using “Vegetable and Herb Promix”. I also like to use a plastic bag to help keep the humidity higher in the soil before I see sprouts. One of the biggest enemies of a seed that is trying to sprout and germinate is dry soil.
If your soil is too dense, or has poor drainage your seeds will struggle and this can increase the time before you see sprouts – if they sprout at all.
Firstly, your herb sprouts will have a much more difficult time pushing through the soil to get to the surface where the light is.
Secondly, if your soil is waterlogged this can lead to various soil fungal diseases or root rot that attack your little herb sprout. Another problem could be that the soil will just not have the required oxygen for your seed and newly formed roots.
Germination Method
The way in which you start your herbs really does make a difference in how fast herbs sprout. You will notice that growing herbs indoors in a controlled environment takes much less time than starting outdoors.
For example, in the past I have started yarrow seeds indoors and I have also tried winter sowing them. I had success with both methods, but winter sowing took so much longer to see sprouts. My indoor started yarrow sprouted within three days, whereas my winter sown yarrow spouted in a whopping 21 days! I have also had a similar experience with cilantro.
For this reason you may want to put higher consideration on the way in which you sow seeds.
If you want your herbs sprouting faster it is best to start them indoors, in a more controlled environment. If you have more time to wait and you do not want to worry about the hassle of grow lights and an indoor setup then perhaps winter sowing, or direct sowing in the summer is best for you.
Another factor here is the depth at which you sow your seeds. If you are sowing them too deep that can be a problem and will mean your seed takes longer to sprout, or you may hinder it all together.
Your newly germinated seed only has so much energy to use to get to the soil surface before it runs out. As a rule of thumb, you should only plant seeds about twice their width. Since herbs generally have such tiny seeds, you will get best results when you sprinkle seeds along the top of the soil and then just lightly cover.
Environment
In order for successful herb seed germination, your seeds need the correct environmental conditions.
Seeds are pretty amazing and they will wait until the correct conditions are met before they start to germinate. They will get this right most of the time, however sometimes you will have an extra warm fall and seeds will germinate out in the garden only to be wiped out by frost.
Seeds do not know the time of year, but they do know the environment they are currently in. The most important thing when looking at environment are soil temperature, moisture, and oxygen levels. You especially want to keep a consistent temperature for a period of time for the seed to come out of dormancy and start growing into a sprout.
You may also hear that light is “needed” for some herb seeds to germinate. This is especially true when researching growing chamomile from seed. I am here to tell you that in my experience – this is not true.
I first started chamomile from seed about four years ago. I had started them indoors and placed my seeds on the soil starting medium then lightly sprinkled them with a little soil and misted them as I do with all my seeds.
Then I read that they “need” light to germinate, and should be kept under a grow light. I thought – well shoot – I didn’t do that. But I just left them anyway to see what happened. Then, happily enough they all sprouted just fine and ended up giving me a great harvest of chamomile for tea.
How long for herb seeds to sprout?
After five years of taking detailed notes in my garden journal I have found that my herb seeds have sprouted anywhere from 3 – 21 days. This really depends on the type of seed you are growing, and the way in which you are starting them.
I encourage you to keep a garden journal as well so you can start to look for patterns yourself. Everyone’s environment is slightly different. So what may be true for me, could be different for you.
In my journal I always note when I have started certain seeds, and then when I see the first sprouts. That way I can find a pattern over time. From this I will be able to see how long it takes my herbs to sprout in the conditions I am starting them in.
It will become easier each passing year to start your herb garden from seed and plan things out when you have these notes. Here are some of my notes that I have taken over the years…
- chamomile started indoors – 3 days
- cilantro started indoors – 6-8 days, direct sow outside in March – 21 days
- basil started indoors – 3-6 days
- lavender started indoors with cold stratification – 8+ days
- yarrow started indoors – 3 days, winter sown outside 21 days
- parsley started indoors – 11 days
- nasturtium started indoors – 6 days
- rosemary started indoors with cold stratification – 8+ days
Ideas to Speed up seed sprouting times
There are various treatments that you can do to your herb seeds before you sow them to try and decrease the sprouting time. These include; scarification, soaking, stratification, and use of a heat mat in some cases. Not all seeds will respond well to the same treatments as they all have individual needs.
Well I hope that helps to answer the question of how long herbs take to sprout. Comment below to share how long your herbs take to sprout and the method you use. We can really help one another by sharing these notes.
As a gardener I think it is so important to do your research and see other people experiences. But, then also break the rules a bit and find some of your own conclusions too.
Until next time!
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