Shhhhh.... here is one of my cheats...
Growing herbs from seed takes a long time and space during the winter months, but how can you not grow them? Fresh herbs are a must have for many different projects and not just for cooking.
Did you know that many herbs can be started from a cutting? Every spring I will go and buy an organic potted plant (like basil) OR cuttings ( like lemon grass) from the produce section of the grocery store.
Bring it home and snip cuttings (including a leaf node at the bottom section) and put them in water to root. For lemon grass I just stick the whole stem in water on the windowsill and watch it go.
In a while you will have created a whole plant with roots ready to plant in a pot awaiting its garden spot.
Here is the lemon grass I started last week. No roots yet, but the tall new part has grown since I brought it home