13 Herb Seeds to Start Indoors in February

This month marks a turn toward late winter, and spring’s final frost is on the horizon, at least as it relates to our seed-starting plans. For most growing zones, February becomes a prime time to start herb seeds indoors. Seeding herbs this month relates to the selection and your climate. Timing indoor seed-starting balances germination length with transplanting around the anticipated last frost.

Sowing herb seeds in February gives them a headstart on growth for a ready transition as temperatures warm. Some have lengthy germination times, and starting them early is an advantage. Others grow quickly into sturdy seedlings for transplanting with easy acclimation.

Seeding in late winter promises a spring harvest, getting a jump on the season’s bounty. With essential seed starting supplies, from soil blocking to budget-friendly materials, we’ll give the culinary favorites the best foundation for healthy development.

Garlic Chives

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Garlic Chives Seeds

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Lavender

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Munstead Lavender Seeds

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Chamomile

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German Chamomile Seeds

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Zone Tips and Timing

We’ll start seeds indoors this time of year using frost dates as a guide. Winter sowing in protective containers outdoors is another method that has good success with high germination rates. Seedlings germinate as natural conditions warrant and are ready to transplant to the garden bed or container as the weather warms. Indoor seedlings benefit from a hardening-off period to acclimate gradually to outside conditions.

To time seed starting, use your area’s final frost date as a gauge. The last anticipated frost date varies by localized area and growing zone. For herbs to sow in February, we’ll look at those to start 8 to 10 weeks, six to eight weeks, and a few four to six weeks before transplanting. Warm and frost-free climates can get going on heat-loving types like basil and cilantro. If January was too early to sow other early selections in your climate, carry them over for a round of sowing this month.

Mexican Tarragon

	botanical name Tagetes lucida
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2’
	hardiness zones 8-11

True tarragon is the French Artemisia dracunculus, native to Russia and western Asia but popularized in European cuisine. French tarragon has the purest anise flavor and glossy, aromatic leaves. Cooking it mellows and sweetens the taste. French tarragon propagates through vegetative cuttings as plants seldom flower, and seeds may be sterile. Mexican tarragon is a seed-worthy stand-in.

Mexican tarragon is a heat-loving alternative to the French, good for warm climates and as annuals in colder growing areas. Also called summer tarragon, Mexican marigold, and Spanish tarragon, the species is native to Central and South America. Mexican tarragon produces clusters of gold, daisy-like flowers in late summer and fall that draw pollinators. The flowers are edible and sweet, ideal for teas and garnishes. 

Tarragon grows best in light, well-draining soils and is drought-tolerant. Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the final frost. Warm soils are best for germination, between 70-80°F (21-27°C).

Parsley

	botanical name Petroselinum crispum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 8-36”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Parsley thrives in cool conditions and is not only tasty but also ornamental in spring displays. Use it as a filler among flowering annuals like pansies, calendula, and snapdragons in containers or the front of the border in addition to the kitchen garden.

Parsley’s fanning leaves are flat or curly, depending on the variety. They bring a refreshing, minty, and peppery flavor, fresh or dried. Look for ‘Moss Curled’ for a milder flavor than flat-leaf types, versatile across cuisines. As a bonus, parsley is high in vitamins A, B, and C. 

Sow these indoors six to eight weeks before you intend to move them outside. Grow parsley as an annual to enjoy its first-year leaves. In the second year, the bienniels produce flowers, and the leaves become bitter and die back after seeding.

Garlic Chives

	botanical name Allium tuberosum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 6-20”
	hardiness zones 3-9

Garlic chives are similar to common chives but with larger, brighter green blades and a robust garlic flavor. Allium tuberosum grows as a lovely ornamental in the perennial border with a graceful habit and white flower clusters, along with deer resistance. It’s also edible with a long tradition in herbal medicine.

Garlic chives bloom in late summer and early fall when clusters of tiny, starry white flowers emerge on stems rising above the foliage. It’s best to deadhead blooms to prevent rampant reseeding. The flowers make attractive dried specimens for floral arrangements.

In cold winters, garlic chives die back to the ground to reemerge in spring. In areas with warmer winters, they remain evergreen or semi-evergreen. Plants form a clump and maintain their attractive fountain of bladed foliage all season long. Like many herbs, regularly cutting and harvesting the leaves promotes new growth.

Lemon Balm

	botanical name Melissa officinalis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-3’
	hardiness zones 3-7

Lemon balm is a bright perennial with lemony leaves that offer a burst of citrus. Enjoy the aroma and flavor as you brush by, and use it in teas and beverages, soups, and sauces for a bright punch. Toss a sachet in a warm bath for an aromatherapeutic break after garden work.

Lemon balm has crinkled, bright green leaves, some varieties with variegation. Mounding and dense, they produce small white bloom spikes in summer and fall. Harvest new leaves, as these are the most tender and flavorful.

Sow lemon balm seeds six to eight weeks prior to frost. In the landscape, they spread easily – sometimes aggressively – in rich, well-draining soils. They reseed after flowering. Trimming and deadheading keep them in check and promote a fresh flush of leaves. Grow lemon balm in containers and raised beds as trailing accents (and to keep them from getting out of bounds). 

Lovage

	botanical name Levisticum officinale
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-6’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Lovage is an old-fashioned selection whose leaves, stems, and roots have a celery flavor. Foliage is flat and feathery, like those of parsley or celery, and high in vitamin C. Add them fresh to salads and other dishes, or dry them for teas and cooking.

The robust grower reaches six feet tall, making it ideal for the back of the border. Plants self-seed easily from small umbels of spring flowers, so deadhead spent blooms to prevent volunteers.

Lovage grows best in moist, loamy soils but adapts to various soil types. Sow these herb seeds indoors in February or around six to eight weeks before transplanting them outside.

Pineapple Sage

	botanical name Salvia elegans
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-5’
	hardiness zones 8-10

Pineapple sage mixes up the herbal collection with a hint of the tropics in flower and flavor. Highly ornamental, this salvia is heat-tolerant and grows in dappled shade, brightening the display with scarlet blooms in late summer and fall.

The leaves and flowers are edible, and their fruity flavor has notes of mint and pineapple. The nectar-rich tubular blooms attract hummingbirds and other pollinators.

Pineapple sage thrives in moist, well-drained soils and tolerates moderate drought. Treat this herb as an annual where not hardy, and start seeds 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost—around February for zones 5 through 7.

Fennel

	botanical name Foeniculum vulgare
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4-6’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Fennel has tall, airy, anise-flavored foliage. Ample yellow flower umbels appear in summer and attract numerous pollinators and beneficial insects, and it’s a host plant for species of swallowtail butterflies.

Fennel grows best in organically rich, well-draining soils, though it adapts to a variety of conditions. It readily self-seeds, naturalizes easily, and becomes invasive in some areas. Deadhead spent blooms to prevent unwanted volunteers. 

‘Finocchio’ fennel has feathery foliage and bloom clusters. Its anise-flavored roots reach three to four inches and mature in 90 days. ‘Dragon’ produces large, aromatic bulbs. The crunchy, dense licorice roots mature in 75 days. Begin them indoors four to six weeks before the final frost for a spring bulb.

Look for bronze fennel for a beautiful addition with edible tawny fronds with a sweet anise flavor. Its color and form heighten visual interest.

Lavender

	botanical name Lavandula spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Lavender is a good herb for cold climate growers to sow in February, allowing 10 to 12 weeks before the final frost for the seeds to sprout and develop. Its lengthy germination time also makes it a good contender for winter sowing.

We adore lavender for its refreshing fragrance and many applications, from ornamental to culinary to household. Its silvery foliage, purple bloom spikes, and durable growth make it an asset across garden spaces. Whether an English, French, Spanish, or Dutch variety, lavender makes a showy evergreen specimen in the herb arrangement and beyond. 

This sun-loving Mediterranean perennial prefers arid, warm summers and cool winters. It tolerates dry conditions and average soils with good drainage. Lavender needs good air circulation; too much moisture or humidity leads to fungal issues.

Spearmint

	botanical name Mentha spicata
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Spearmint brings a bright flavor to refreshing summer teas, cocktails, and mocktails and provides aromatherapy in the garden. Like mint, the hybrid forms a mounding carpet of trailing stems. 

Other hybrids like peppermint, applemint, pineapple, orange, and chocolate lend unique undertones to the classic fragrance and flavor. Sow mint seeds indoors for six to eight weeks before seedlings go into the ground.

The vigorous herb spreads readily and escapes into adjacent areas if not controlled. Harvest leaves frequently for enjoyment and to limit spreading, flowering, and seed production. Grow spearmint in containers to keep them in bounds.

German Chamomile

	botanical name Matricaria recutita
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2′
	hardiness zones 2-8

Chamomile is in the daisy family and produces clusters of petite ray flowers among feathery leaves. The classic herb blooms throughout summer until frost, attracting pollinators with its apple scent and making a lovely cut flower. 

Sturdy stems root easily and spread to create an annual groundcover or border planting, though plants may get out of bounds if left untended or allowed to reseed. They make attractive container specimens. For a perennial lawn alternative that withstands mowing and minimal foot traffic, look to Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile).

The flowers of German chamomile make soothing teas and potpourris with a light, fruity fragrance. The tough annual withstands periods of drought. Sow seeds indoors or out about six weeks before your area’s final frost.

Sage

	botanical name Salvia officinalis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Sage is best sown six to eight weeks before spring’s last heavy freeze. Once established, common sage perennializes with a cold hardy, resilient, and easy care reliability.

Sage is a favorite for its earthy flavor and aroma and fuzzy blue-gray leaves. They bridge the ornamental and vegetable display with their soft leaves and purple flower spikes (both edible).

The Mediterranean native thrives in heat and prefers medium to dry soils—even poor ones—as long as they have good drainage. Look for ‘Tricolor’ for unique visual interest with compact leaves in silvery green with white margins and pink tinges.

Sorrel

	botanical name Rumex spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 12-18”
	hardiness zones 3-7

Sorrel (Rumex acetosella, R. scutatus) emerges early with tender, flavorful leaves. Used for centuries in Europe, young leaves are fresh green with a tart, lemony flavor, enjoyed fresh or cooked (which mellows the tartness). Sorrel is high in Vitamin C and a delicious complement to chard and spinach.

To start sorrel inside, give it four to six weeks before frost passes, or direct sow a couple of weeks prior. Pick continuously from spring until frost, and divide clumps if they become overcrowded.

Red-veined sorrel (Rumex sanguineus) has deeply lined green leaves with scarlet venation. New growth is soft and sharply tangy, with a hint of raspberry notes. Use the little leaves; older ones become tough and more bitter.

Feverfew

	botanical name Tanacetum parthenium
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 5-8

Feverfew is an old garden favorite for its profusion of pretty daisy flowers from early summer through frost. White flowers with yellow centers cover the mounding, feathery, aromatic foliage.