In this guide
Quick answer
Give herbs the person will actually use. Basil, parsley, chives and oregano suit almost any cook; chamomile, lemon balm and peppermint suit tea drinkers; catnip suits cat owners. Add pots with drainage holes and seed-starting mix, and a small grow light if they'll grow indoors in winter. Chives, parsley, arugula and cilantro can be started under a light right away; basil needs real warmth.
Herb seeds make a better gift than most people expect. Unlike flower seeds, a lot of herbs can be started indoors the same week they're unwrapped, and the first harvest comes within a month or two. The trick is choosing herbs for the person's kitchen, not a random assortment.
Match the herbs to the person
| Who it's for | Herbs to give | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Italian cook | Genovese basil, Large Leaf Italian basil, Italian Flat Leaf parsley, Italian oregano, Broadleaf sage, rosemary | The classic pot-of-sauce set |
| Thai or Southeast Asian cook | Thai basil, lemon basil, cilantro, Tokyo Long White bunching onion | Basil and cilantro want different seasons |
| French cook | Chervil, onion chives, flat-leaf parsley, winter thyme | Fine herbs for eggs and sauces |
| Tea drinker | German chamomile, lemon balm, peppermint, cinnamon basil | Grown for flavor and fragrance |
| Cat owner | Catnip | Easy from seed; many cats roll in it |
| Salad lover | Arugula Roquette, chervil, chives, dill | Fast and best sown in cool weather |
| Pollinator gardener | Lavender, wild bergamot, Purple Coneflower echinacea, Western yarrow | Long-blooming plants bees visit |
If you can't decide, a mixed collection lets them find their own favorites. Most people end up with three or four herbs they grow every year.
What they can start now and what waits for spring
This is what makes herbs a good winter gift. With a sunny window or a grow light, several can be started indoors right away:
| Start indoors now | Wait for spring |
|---|---|
| Chives, parsley, oregano, thyme | Dill (long taproot, best sown outside) |
| Arugula, cilantro, chervil | Cumin (needs a long, warm season) |
| Mint, lemon balm, catnip | Echinacea, yarrow, wild bergamot (garden plants) |
| Basil, if the room stays 70°F or warmer | Lavender and rosemary are slow; start them 10-12 weeks before last frost |
Winter light through a window is weak. A small LED grow light kept a few inches above the seedlings makes the difference between sturdy herbs and pale, floppy ones. Our guide to windowsill herbs in winter covers which herbs cope with low light.
What to add to the seeds
- Pots with drainage holes, 4-6 inches wide, one per herb. Herbs sitting in water rot quickly.
- Seed-starting mix for sowing, and potting mix for moving seedlings up.
- A small grow light if they'll grow indoors from November to March.
- A spray bottle for misting tiny surface-sown seeds like thyme and oregano.
- Kitchen scissors or herb snips for harvesting.
- A card with sowing tips, such as "parsley takes 2-4 weeks to sprout, don't give up."
How to put the gift together
- Pick 4-8 herbs for a starter gift, chosen from the table above. A full collection suits someone with a garden.
- Group them by start time using our chart for when to start herb seeds indoors, and write "now" or "spring" on each packet.
- Pack the seeds dry in a box or basket with the pots and mix. Keep seed packets out of any damp packaging.
- Store until giving somewhere cool, dark and dry. Heat and humidity shorten seed life.
Problems and fixes
- Nothing came up after a week. Many herbs are slow. Parsley takes 2-4 weeks, rosemary and lavender sprout slowly and unevenly, and lavender often sprouts better if the seed is chilled in a damp paper towel in the fridge for a few weeks first. Keep the mix damp and wait.
- Seedlings are tall, thin and falling over. They need more light. Lower the grow light to 2-4 inches above the leaves and run it 14-16 hours a day.
- Basil is stuck and yellowing. It's too cold. Basil stalls below about 60°F and is damaged by a cold windowsill at night. Move it to a warmer room.
- Mint took over the pot. That's mint. Give it its own container, indoors or out.
- Cilantro went straight to flower. It bolts in heat and long days. Indoors in winter it usually behaves; outdoors, sow it in cool spring or fall weather. Leisure and Long Standing are slow-bolting types.
A tea lover will want the herbal tea garden guide, and a cook with a yard can use the kitchen herb garden plan to lay out beds in spring.
Frequently asked questions
Is an herb seed kit a good gift for someone without a garden? Yes. Basil, chives, parsley, oregano, thyme, mint and many others grow well in pots on a sunny windowsill or balcony. Add a grow light for winter and they can harvest all year.
How long do herb seeds keep? Stored cool and dry, most herb seeds stay good for a few years. Parsley, chives and bunching onion seeds are shorter-lived, so sow those within a year or two.
Which herb seeds are easiest for a beginner? Basil, chives, cilantro, dill and arugula. They sprout quickly and forgive mistakes. Parsley is easy too once it comes up; it just takes longer.
