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How can I make a potted herb mini-garden?

I want to make a potted herb garden for a Christmas gift for my dad. He loves cooking and all, and I'd like to make it with the following herbs -Cilantro -Basil -Rosemary -Oregano -Parsley -Tarragon or thyme Can these herbs be store bought as clippings and planted directly in soil? I've heard of just using a clipping of a mature plant and letting it grow in the soil. Is it possible for these herbs? Do I have to get seeds or buy plants?

Public Comments

1. That would be a wonderful gift. If he has a window in the kitchen, it would be a perfect place for a herb garden. Stores do not sell clippings. So buy the plants already growing in small pots. OR you can plant seeds in pots, keep moist not wet until you see the green appear. OR give your dad pots that match, GOOD potting soil, and the seeds. Let him grow his own. Take a look at this (but I am sure you can buy this locally at stores such as Home Depot or Lowes, at gardening centers and nurseries: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=herb+kits&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=3931817391&ref=pd_sl_4xp5t2xgm0_b
2. I don't think they gave you all the facts about growing herbs; especially indoors. Most of the ones you mentioned are grown from seed (in the spring) so they can be planted outdoors where there is plenty of sunshine for them to mature and produce their own seed in time. Success with indoor herb growing would depend on the space available, sunshine or grow-light available. Gardening with the maximum amount of needed elements is tricky enough, indoor gardening is expensive, and you need lots of space to set pots of soil under grow-lights or in very sunny windows . Winter temps usually require removing potted plants from freezing windowsills, and many days the sun refuses to shine. Why not wait till spring and start these plants by seed and get them ready for planting outdoors when the summer weather will product much better results.
3. Agree with Joan...nice link. You'll have more luck with an Aerogarden, mine produced well - winter days are short, not enough light, herbs want full sun all day.
4. You probably won't be able to find seedlings of these herbs growing now; they're usually sold in garden centers in the spring and summer. You will be able to find herb garden kits containing seeds for some or all of your herbs except tarragon (which doesn't reproduce from seed but is grown as divisions from another plant). You might be able to root stems of rosemary, oregano and thyme using rooting hormone, but basil, cilantro and parsley are annuals that you'll have to grow from seed.