It’s time to start planning my herb garden now that spring has finally arrived. Though the Virginia weather has been extremely unpredictable and dreary, I’m starting my seeds indoors, and showing you how to start your seeds indoors efficiently as well in this week’s new video. I’m also going to give you a super easy homemade potting soil mix!
Here are the top herb starting tips to keep in mind, along with the video and homemade potting soil recipe.
Starting Your Herbs:
- Start with an organic potting soil, or use the recipe for DIY potting soil below.
- Pre-wet your potting soil that you’re going to use. This ensures that the soil doesn’t lose depth once it compacts.
- Firmly pack the soil into your seed pots, again, to reduce compaction and loss of soil.
- Place small indents into the soil with your finger, add a seed or two, and loosely cover with the soil.
- Place your pots on a cookie sheet or shallow pan, and always water from the bottom up.
- Place your seeds in an extra sunny place, a green house, or under grow lights for best germination and growth.
The Ultimate Homemade Potting Mix
Use this mix to place in your pots when starting seeds indoors.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 6 parts compost
- 3 parts soil (any soil from your property, or bagged soil)
- 1 part sand
- 1 part manure (rabbit or store bought)
- 1 part peat moss
Mix together in a large trash can or container outdoors. Use as needed. When you’re ready to transplant your new seedlings into bigger pots, add some bone meal to the individual pots.
- Find this recipe in The Homesteader’s Herbal Companion book!
Thank you for the recipe, looking forward to trying it. Have you made one with coconut coir? I am interested in giving it a try but I’ve just recently read up on it.
Coconut coir works great too!