Learning when & how to sow new herb seeds in mid March

 Perhaps my new seeds that just just arrived in mid March should have been sown months ago?  Well the unusual seeds just arrived from a new seed source.  Trade Winds Fruit. https://www.tradewindsfruit.com/

 Honestly the seeds were reasonable in cost and I was delighted to see the choices.  I only wanted Ashwagandha as a medicinal herb, but my eyes caught interest in unusual seeds such as:

Angelica sinensis - female ginseng

ginseng roots

flower umbrell
Seeds are fairly large. and should be sown 1/4 - 1/2 inch deep. Use sterile seed starter, and individual cell packs, indoors.  Direct sowing not recommended. Keep soil moist at 75 degrees.  Transfer to larger containers when germinated. Allow 2 weeks to harden off before placing in direct sun. Angelica is a biennial plant that grows 3-7' tall. Its large chartreuse leaves with inflated stem bases make a bold statement in the modern herb garden or flower border. The roots, leaves, seeds and young stems are the edible portions, and have a flavor similar to licorice.  
Angelica serves as an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. It also acts to boost circulation of the scalp, which means healthier hair. Angelica Root Extract is obtained by macerating the root of the plant.

Hair regrowth studies:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25004889/

Levisticum - Lovage;

Seeds are large and should be sown 1/4 - 1/2 inch deep in sterile seed starter. Sow in individual cell packs. Keep temps at 75 degrees. Transplant gently into larger containers after germination. Plant outdoors when soil has warmed. Grows to 5 feet & is very bushy. It's a perennial herb belonging to the family Apiaceae. This makes it related to other herbs and vegetables such as parsley, cilantro, dill, and fennel, as well as carrots and celery. Due to its resemblance in appearance and flavor to celery, lovage is often referred to as mountain celery. It's great in soups & stews.

Lovage             

Cymbopogo flexuosus - East Indian Lemongrass

A tropical grass that can grow up to 6 ft. tall in warm climates. Will grow as an annual here in Zone 7. Plant large seeds 1/4 - 1/2 inch deep in sterile seed starter. Start indoors. Transplant into larger pots and harden off outside. This aromatic grass has clumped, bulbous stems becoming leaf blades widely used in Thai cuisine, with a distinct lemon flavor. 

It is usually propagated by division.
Recommended planting time: plant spring in cooler areas; in tropical areas plant during the wet season.
Plant spacing: plant rhizomes at a spacing of 1 m, with .5 m between rows.

Growing from seed:  Sow seeds in spring, sowing thinly on the surface of moist compost and don't cover them. If you need to water the pot after sowing then do so from the bottom, by placing the pot in a dish of water for an hour or so. Keep the pot covered in a heated propagator to aid germination. 

Gaultheria procumbens - Wintergreen;

Must cold stratify seeds in growing containers in sealed bags inside refrigerator fr 6 - 12 weeks. 2 months to germinate. May need a second cold stratification. WOW. Wintergreen is a North American native plant. It only grows 6 inches high.

Sown in tiny cups then stored in plastic recycled container, rubber banded, and safely stored in the bottom left shelf in the back of the refrigerator until June 1rst. 

Withania somnifera - Ashwagandha;

A small bushy tomatilo relative with many medicinal qualities. Roots, leaves, fruits are used for treating stress, exhaustion, and memory and more. Simple to grow. Needs little care. Start seeds in individual cell packs. 75 degrees to germinate. Transplant to bigger pots.

Ashwagandha has minimal edible uses, however, the seeds are used to curdle plant-based milk to make vegetarian cheese. The roots and leaves can be dried and powdered, then taken as a supplement.

Medicinal uses of Ashwagandha leaves, root, and berries are plentiful. Ashwagandha acts on the nervous and reproductive systems, increasing physical and mental health as well as increasing longevity. The roots of Withania somnifera are used in traditional Indian medicine for consumption, nervous exhaustion, insomnia, and memory loss

Ashwagandha is a low growing perennial that grows up to 3 feet tall. Its leaves are long and elliptical, yellow-green.

Mentha piperita - Peppermint

Seeds need light to germinate. Sow on top of sterile seed starter, Keep moist. Spray soil when starting to dry but don't push seeds below soil level. Keep wrapped and humid. 70 -85 degree. Grow in pots as this will spread. Grows to several inches. intense flavor for tea, flavorings, beverages.

peppermint

Platycodon grandiflora - Balloon Flower.

Balloon Flowers are easy to grow, long-lived perennials. Long-lasting star-shaped flowers emerge from balloon-like buds in summer. Balloon flower plants will occasionally repeat bloom in the fall when old flowers are removed.  In colder areas, balloon flower dies back to the ground in the winter. It's often one of the later flowers to emerge in the spring, so when growing balloon flower you may want to mark the spot somehow so you don't plant over it. If you want to start from seed, remember that it won't flower the first year. In the mid to late summer, balloon plants sprout clusters of waxy white and purple flowers which smell almost like vanilla. These flowers are not particularly beautiful, however, they are attractive to butterflies.  

Sow Balloon Flower seeds indoors 6 - 8 weeks before last frost, and transplant outside. This flower seed requires sunlight to germinate, so do not cover the flower seed with soil. Just lightly pat them into the soil so good contact is made and water lightly.

The roots of balloon flowers are widely used as edible root vegetables, and they are referred to as doraji (Korean). Balloon flowers are also believed to have medicinal properties and are used in China and Korea for various medical conditions.

                                 Monarch butterfly and the balloon flower. 

to be continued in future posts.