With 20,000 known herbs on the planet, you cannot expect them all to behave in the same ways, or to have the same requirements.

Basically, you'll just have to do some homework to learn about the herbs you want to grow! But you'll find the following helpful (hopefully!):

Caraway: In regions with short summers, sow seeds outside as soon as the soil can be worked. In warm climates, sow them outside in late summer or autumn for bloom the next season. Sow only fairly fresh seeds for best results. Seeds are slow to germinate (21 days or more) and should be sown direct because seedlings do not transplant well.

Basil: Seeds usually germinate in 7-10 days but can take several weeks. Ideal temperature for germination is 13-16°C. Seeds need light to germinate and should be just barely covered.

Tarragon: French Tarragon is not usually propagated by seeds, as most are sterile. If you've got seeds, I'm prepared to wager that you have Russian Tarragon - an almost tasteless weed. Do a search in this forum for some further reading on the matter!

Rosemary: Seed is slow to germinate and not always true to the cultivar. Seed should be fresh. Ideal sowing temperature is 20°C. Seeds need light to germinate and should be lightly covered.

Chives: Seed can be sown, 5mm deep, in late spring if planting directly outside and take 7-14 days to germinate and 75-90 days to be ready for harvest. Ideal temperature for germination is 20°C, and germination occurs in less than 2 weeks.