Herbs can be started from seed or transplanted in either the spring or early fall. Amend the soil where you’ll be planting with some compost first if you have it. For transplants I’ve found that putting down straw first is easier than trying to mulch around delicate plants. If you’re starting herbs from seed, plant in bare soil and keep it moist until the plants are a couple inches tall, then start adding mulch a little at a time.
Be sure to “harden off” seedlings by setting them outside in the shade for a couple of days so that they adapt to the temperature fluctuations before transplanting. If they’re in the sun the black pots will heat up and burn them, but you want to acclimate them to the weather, especially if it’s still hot at the end of August.
Keep the pots well watered before transplanting so the soil sticks together. Dig a hole the size of the pot. Turn the pot over in your hand without breaking the stem of the plant. Set the roots and soil down in the hole so that the base of the stem is even with the top of the soil. Fill in the rest of the hole with soil. Water heavily and keep watering daily for about a week. After the plants are settled in the soil should be kept moist an inch under the surface. You can stick your finger in the soil to see if it needs to be watered. If it’s drying out too quickly, you need to add more compost and mulch.
Links to More Information
Growing Herbs in the Garden: Best Herbs for Beginners https://www.almanac.com/growing-herbs-garden
Planting an Herb Garden https://youtu.be/BG4v_qJV-KI
