Help to start container herb gardening...

I would like to start container herb gardening. I live in an apartment complex, so planting them in the ground isn't an option. I plan to just grow them in pots and will grow them from seed.

These are the herbs I have in mind:

rosemary
oregano
sage
basil
thyme
marjoram
chives

The pots I have are 8". I want to grow them from seed in the pots I have. Can I do this without issues or should I just start them in peat pots and then transplant them? My gardening zone is 8 and I can basically grow warm weather herbs outside without any issues. With the herbs I've listed, what size pots should I use? Should they be bigger or smaller then the pot size I have? Some herbs above I know need 4" pots. Is growing them in a pot twice the size they're supposed to be grown in going to be an issue?

Please reply if this is your area of expertise or you know a good deal about herb gardening as I could really use help regarding this.

Thank you!

Hi kumquat67,
I'm not an expert but I grew a lot of herbs in the same zone as you- both indoors and out. The only tricky one on your list is the rosemary. It can be a little finicky and did best outside for me. Other than that, I have grown all of the herbs on your list in both large and small pots. It didn't seem to matter. What does matter is what I used to start them. Here is what worked for me.
I use seed starter, not potting soil. Potting soil did not work well for me with herbs until they were larger. I did not have fancy grow lights. I use seed flats now but in the past, I dampened the seed starting mix and filled the pots. Then I added the seed to the pots, covered them with a light cover of the starter mix and put plastic wrap over them. To get them to germinate, I had to have them in a warm place. I have used windowsills, the top of the fridge, etc. Once they germinate, remove the plastic. Keep them warm with a lot of light and don't let them dry out but don't overwater either. I can give you a list of good books if you'd like but it really is quite easy. (If I was back in the States now, I could just send you one of mine. Unfortunately, I don't have them with me over here.) Good luck and if you have any other questions, just ask.