Cultivating your own herb garden is an easy and cost-effective way to have access to fresh herbs without a trip to the grocery store. Basil, parsley, chives, mint and sage are easy to grow and maintain.

Gardening experts at HGTV say the least expensive method is to start new plants from seeds, as opposed to transplanting store-bought or garden-grown herb plants.

First, fill a peat pot with a soilless potting mix, a mixture of peat moss, pine bark, sand and other organic materials. Place this pot in a small bowl filled with water. After the water has completely saturated the peat pot, bury seeds at the depth of three to four times their diameter; for small seeds, simply press them into the mixture with your finger. To ensure growth, place a few seeds in each pot. Finally, put a plastic bag over the pot, to simulate a greenhouse, and place it in a dry sunny spot. 

After the seeds have germinated you can transplant them into a larger pot. Keep your herbs moist but not wet, and pinch or prune them as necessary.