Spring Herb Planting Guide
Spring is the main planting season for most culinary herbs. Timing depends on your region and whether a particular herb is frost-tolerant or frost-sensitive. Here is a general timeline to help you plan.
Early Spring (4–6 Weeks Before Last Frost)
While it is still cold outside, this is the time to start seeds indoors for warm-season herbs that need a head start. See Seed Starting Herbs Indoors for setup details.
- Basil — start indoors; transplant outside after last frost
- Thai chili peppers — start indoors 8–10 weeks before last frost
- Parsley — start indoors (slow germination); also tolerates direct sowing outdoors soon
You can also direct-sow cold-tolerant herbs outdoors at this time:
- Cilantro — prefers cool weather; sow 2–4 weeks before last frost
- Dill — tolerates light frost; direct sow
- Chives — very cold-hardy; divide existing clumps or sow seed
After Last Frost (Soil Warm)
Once nighttime temperatures stay above 50°F and soil has warmed:
- Transplant basil and Thai chili pepper seedlings outdoors
- Plant turmeric and ginger rhizomes in containers
- Set out nursery transplants of rosemary, sage, oregano, mint, and lemongrass
- Move overwintered curry leaf, bay laurel, and rosemary containers back outdoors, gradually acclimating them to direct sun over a week
Spring Bed Preparation
Before planting, prepare your raised beds or in-ground plots:
- Top-dress with 1–2 inches of compost
- Turn or loosen the top 4–6 inches of soil
- Check drainage — make sure beds are not waterlogged from winter rain
- Apply mulch (straw, shredded leaves) after transplanting to retain moisture and suppress early weeds. See What to Do with Old Straw Bales for mulch ideas