---
title: "First attempt at growing herbs: can someone help me figure out what…"
description: "First attempt at growing herbs: can someone help me figure out what I’m doing wrong? My seedlings (basil and cilantro) keep falling over like this. I’m growing…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/CQDcNKuFT2eBWinfsTKHmQ/m2CRxrhSRv2caM_McfsXKw"
community: "Gardening and Outdoor"
author: "Caitlin D"
published: "2024-02-27T00:46:24.788831Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/8432hHVTgLz-m1B3S30awFqexhWj4Q8SlKNDmg26weY/3AU31xCwQKKvNDcfEELcig.webp?size=large"
---

[Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [Gardening and Outdoor](https://getplanta.com/community/CQDcNKuFT2eBWinfsTKHmQ.md)

# First attempt at growing herbs: can someone help me figure out what…

_Posted by Caitlin D on 2024-02-27_

First attempt at growing herbs: can someone help me figure out what I’m doing wrong? My seedlings (basil and cilantro) keep falling over like this. I’m growing it indoors under a plant light. The pot is about 4-5 inches deep.

I’ve been told to plant them deeper. I did that with my basil, but I’m so nervous that I just killed them 🥲 help?

![Attachment 1 of 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/8432hHVTgLz-m1B3S30awFqexhWj4Q8SlKNDmg26weY/3AU31xCwQKKvNDcfEELcig.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 2 of 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/8432hHVTgLz-m1B3S30awFqexhWj4Q8SlKNDmg26weY/buz8Rv0GRZ6wwu4Ha0KwIg.webp?size=large)

## 5 comments

### Chrissy commented on 2024-02-27

My only inkling would be that they are not getting enough light. The only seedlings I’ve ever had like that were light deficient. How long do you have the light on them? 8 hours?

#### Caitlin D replied on 2024-02-27

Yeah it’s a full 8 hours. The plant light is directly over them so I thought they were getting enough light. Maybe it needs to be brighter?

#### Chrissy replied on 2024-02-27

The only success I’ve had with basil is full sun, outdoors, in a lot of direct sun. Try more light and see how it goes!

### JustHereForPlants commented on 2024-04-03

I second that, we have one cilantro plant by our big east facing window, and one in our little ikea greenhouse with a grow light directly above it. The one in the window is doing this same thing stretching towards the light desperately. However, the one with the grow light are growing perfectly straight up and have finally started sprouting little cilantro leafs.

#### Caitlin D replied on 2024-04-03

No matter what I do, my cilantro sprouts are always leggy and limp 😢 I have a plant light directly over it

---

_Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_