Ubuntuberg Herb Garden Seed Mix

Grow fresh kitchen herbs in pots, planters or garden beds with Medium Leaved chives, Sweet Large Leaved basil, Plain Flat Leaf parsley and coriander. Match each herb to its season: basil needs warmth, while parsley and coriander give better leaf quality in cooler weather.

Ready to pick fresh herbs from your own garden? Follow our Herb Garden Grow Guide for sowing depths, germination, thinning, succession planting and South African seasonal advice.

Quick Grow Facts

• Chives: 2g raw seed: Approx 1 720 seeds
• Basil Sweet Large Leaved: 5g raw seed: Approx 3 500 seeds
• Flat Leaf Parsley: 2g raw seed: Approx 1 200 seeds
• Coriander: 25g raw seed: Approx 2 500 seeds
• Named Herbs: Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), Sweet Large Leaved basil (Ocimum basilicum), Plain Flat Leaf parsley (Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum).
• Seed Form: Raw, unpelleted seed. Follow the instructions on the delivered lot labels.
• Listed Mass Ratio: Chives : basil : parsley : coriander = 2:5:2:25 by listed mass, not by seed count or the number of plants that will grow.
• Position: Sun; give parsley and coriander light afternoon shade as heat builds.
• Sowing Depth and Light: Chives 2 mm, basil about 5 mm, parsley 2 mm and coriander 4 mm. Cover lightly, keep the surface evenly moist and give seedlings bright light after emergence.
• Germination: Basil 7–14 days around 20–23°C; parsley 14–21 days around 20–24°C. Allow 14–21 days for chives and coriander in cool-to-mild conditions. The herbs will not necessarily emerge together.
• Before Sowing: Parsley may be soaked for 8–24 hours in clean lukewarm water; dry sowing is also suitable. Sow the other herbs dry unless their lot labels instruct otherwise.
• Final Spacing: Chives 20 × 20 cm; basil about 40 cm; parsley 30 × 30 cm, or 15–20 cm within a managed cut row; coriander about 30 × 30 cm for full plants.
• Growth Form: Chives form perennial clumps about 15–30 cm high; basil is a branching annual about 50–60 cm high; parsley forms an upright leafy rosette; coriander develops upright flower stems as it matures.
• Harvest Timing: Plan for basil at about 60–90 days, parsley at 70–80 days and chives at 100–120 days. Coriander's listed 60–150-day range spans leaf picking through seed maturity, not one shared harvest date.

Why Grow This Variety

• Flat-leaf parsley suits sauces, soups and garnishes.
• Coriander adds fresh flavour to curries, salads and salsas.
• Sweet large-leaved basil brings aromatic leaves for pesto and pasta.
• Chives provide a delicate onion-like flavour.

Garden Uses

Use the four-herb mix to establish a kitchen garden in containers, raised beds or open garden soil.

Growing Notes

• If the herbs arrive separately, sow them in labelled rows, cells or pots so each can receive its own depth and seasonal conditions. Direct sow coriander and preferably parsley; basil and chives can be raised in modules.
• If the packet contains one physical blend, use a labelled nursery strip with a fine shallow cover, keep it evenly moist and thin as seedlings become identifiable. One broadcast depth cannot suit every herb equally well.
• Use fine, fertile, free-draining soil with mature compost. Avoid saturated trays and heavy feeding.
• Harden basil gradually and transplant at two to three true leaves only after frost and cold-soil risk. Move parsley as a small intact plug at two to three true leaves; let chive plugs establish before transplanting.
• Water at soil level in the morning and allow good airflow. Thin crowded seedlings promptly; soggy soil and crowded growth encourage damping-off.
• Pinch basil tips to encourage branching, cut chives near the base, pick outer parsley stems and harvest coriander leaves before the main flower stem rises.
• Sow a short coriander row every two to three weeks in cool weather. If coriander bolts quickly or basil stalls in cold soil, change the sowing window rather than expecting all four herbs to perform alike.

South African Sowing Windows

• Winter-rainfall Western Cape: Favour autumn through spring for chives, parsley and coriander in well-drained soil. Start basil as conditions warm, protecting early sowings from cold, wet weather.
• Frost-prone interior: Use late-summer to autumn and late-winter to spring windows for cooler-season herbs. Protect young seedlings from hard frost and plant basil out only after frost risk has passed.
• Humid coast and KZN Midlands: Favour autumn and winter for coriander and parsley leaf crops. Grow basil in warm conditions; colder Midlands gardens must still respect frost. Keep foliage dry overnight and leave room for airflow.
• Hot-dry or subtropical interior: Use the cooler autumn-to-spring months for parsley and coriander. Sow basil in warm shoulder seasons, water consistently and protect cooler herbs from harsh afternoon heat.

Harvest only correctly identified, sound leaves and wash them under clean running water before use. Sowing seed is not food; follow the delivered lot labels.

Brought to you by Ubuntuberg Seeds, where our mission is to cultivate humanity & harvest unity. Ubuntuberg Seeds: the highest quality seed stock in all of Southern Africa, sourced from sustainable farms, guaranteeing you the best quality seed stock.