Growing herbs is one of the vegetable gardens that many people are interested in and carry out cultivation. Because herbs give the meal specific and delicious flavors, helping the dish to be more unique and the eater feels delicious.

Growing herbs is very popular because they are easy to care for. However, growing herbs hydroponically requires more effort than growing by traditional methods, but the benefits of growing this method are absolutely worth it! For hydroponics, herbs are usually grown with substrates such as coco coir or potting soil for herbs is applied and brings the best effect.

If you do not know how to grow herbs and the best soil for herbs to grow healthy, follow the article below to make for your herb garden.

Contents

What is hydroponic growing?

Hydroponics is a method of growing vegetables without soil, plants, or vegetables are grown on substrates and directly absorb hydroponic nutrients to grow. This is a highly efficient method of growing vegetables recognized by many farmers, saving space and easy care.

Hydroponic growing can be done anywhere, so growing herbs indoors or growing herbs outdoors can be done. If you grow hydroponics indoors, choose areas near windows or balconies to help the plants breathe better.

Benefits of growing herbs hydroponically

Growing herbs hydroponically requires more effort, but the benefits they bring are well worth it!

Some of the benefits of growing herbs hydroponically bring:

Faster growth rate: herbs grown in hydroponic environments receive all nutrients directly so they can grow faster in the soil. On average they grow 25% to 50% faster than traditional soil growth.
Achieve higher yields: thanks to receiving abundant nutrients directly, your herbs can achieve much higher yields.
No need to treat the soil: growing herbs without soil is much easier because you do not need to clean up or deal with messy soil debris.
Herbs will taste better and more fragrant: Growing herbs hydroponically allows you to control the nutrients that plants receive in the most appropriate way, which helps herbs receive balanced nutrition from which to taste better.
Proactively controlled growing conditions: you can control the temperature, humidity, and light exposure of your plants, giving you more flexibility in growing different herbs.
Weather independent: bad weather and harsh environments don’t have to make you worry about your crops being destroyed; Your herb garden can grow well in any environment as long as you provide the right growing conditions.
More environmentally friendly: growing herbs hydroponically will not need to use pesticides or herbicides because the growing medium for hydroponics – especially coco coir is completely natural, does not contain pathogens, and absorbs nutrients well. And planting this method also does not cause soil erosion.
Cost savings: the initial cost of hydroponic gardening may be a little more expensive due to equipment and machinery, but then it saves you a lot of effort and money because you need less watering and fertilizer, and at the same time higher yield.

The easiest herbs to grow hydroponics

General conditions

pH level: Most herbs work well in the pH range of 5.5 to 6.5
EC: Herbs are crops with lower EC, just like green leafy vegetables. They fluctuate between 1,0 and 1,6. However, this level will vary for different herbs.
Lighting: Most hydroponic herbs will need at least 8-10 hours per day under ideal sunlight or artificial light if no sunlight (some may need 14 hours), they equate to 6-8 hours in natural light. Fluorescent (T5 bulbs) or full-spectrum LED grow lights are great options for general herbs.
Temperature: at least 60 degrees F (15 degrees C). However, 70 degrees F is the average temperature for herbs (21 degrees C) and some will reach 80 degrees F.
Nutrients: nutrients commonly used in hydroponics that are basic nutrients and additives. In general, the best hydroponic nutrients contain minerals and important elements such as potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. These nutrients are necessary for herbs to grow healthy.

The best herbs to grow hydroponically

The best herbs to grow hydroponically are the herbs that you use regularly in your cooking. These are basil, thyme, mint, and parsley. Coriander, oregano, sage, lemon balm, chamomile, and watercress are also herbs that grow well in this method.

If you’re a beginner, plant a few plants to see how they perform before undertaking a larger-scale activity.

Normally, herbs grown in hydroponics will grow faster than herbs grown in the ground, here are some herbs and their growing and harvesting times you can refer to:

Herbs	Germination (day)	Seedlings (week)	Harvest (week)
Basil	5 – 10 days	8 weeks	5 weeks
Marjoram	8-14 days	6 weeks	6 weeks
Thyme	8-20 days	6-8 weeks	4-6 weeks
Chives	15-21 days	12-16 weeks	11 weeks
Sage	10-21 days	8 weeks	4-6 weeks
Mint	12-16 days	Cutting	4 weeks
Tarragon	10-14 days	Cutting	7 weeks

The growing medium or best soil for herbs in hydroponics – Coco coir

If you do not know the best environment for herbs to grow, Coco Coir Global will help you find a solution for your herbs garden.

Herbs are grown in hydroponics and grow best when grown in coco coir or potting soil for herbs (which may or may not contain soil). The common feature of these growing media is good drainage and nutrient absorption.

Best potting soil for herbs is enriched by organic or soil-free growing medium made from coco coir. There are many “soilless” growing media available today that are suitable for growing high-yielding herbs, as long as you have a regular feeding regime with adequate nutrients provided.

How to grow herbs effectively

What to pay attention to for effective growing of herbs

Water and Nutrients

To grow herbs hydroponically most effectively, you need to prepare nutritional products with sufficient nitrogen and a good phosphorus ratio. Most herbs prefer low to moderate electrical conductivity levels (1-1.6) and total dissolved salt between 800 and 1200 ppm. A pH between 5.5 and 6.4 is ideal. However, you can learn each herb to get the most suitable pH.

With a growing medium rich in organic matter, most herbs do not need a lot of additional plant food. Some herbs can grow in any type of soil, however, providing an optimal growing environment will increase the health, vitality, and yield of plants. That means herbs really thrive when given additional nutrients.

Lighting

Place your herbs garden in an area that receives as much natural sunlight as possible. The ideal time to receive light is at least six hours a day.

If you grow indoors and can’t find a location that fits these requirements, you might consider replacing it with artificial lighting. A compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) will help your herbs garden grow just as well.

Watering

Watering the hydroponic herbs garden is very simple. If you grow in coco coir grow medium or potting soil for herbs you do not need to spend a lot of time and effort for this stage. All you have to do is make sure to keep the nutrient concentrations at the correct level.

Hydroponic systems for your herb garden

There are many types of hydroponic systems to get you started growing herbs such as Ebb and Flow (Flood & Drain), Deep Water Systems, Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), Drip Irrigation, Aeroponics, and Wick Systems.

Depending on the purpose of commercial or personal cultivation there will be suitable hydroponic systems. It is important to remember that the system needs to be suitable for your growing area and production scale. A large-scale garden will require a much larger growing area than a beginner growing or just growing a few herbs for their own use. You can learn more about hydroponic systems here.

Ebb and Flow System

This type of system uses a tank or tray filled with growing medium and water. The plant is grown in a medium and the roots hang down into the water.

There is a pump used to supply water and nutrients to the plants. When the timer goes off, the water recedes back into the tank or tray, taking with it nutrient-rich water. At this point the medium dries out, allowing air to reach the roots. Then the timer goes off again and the process repeats.

Deep water system

This type of hydroponic system is quite similar to the Ebb and Flow system, but with some differences. That is, you will have a larger planting area because the plants are grown in water, not growing media or soil. There will be air stones at the bottom to circulate oxygen through the roots, meaning this system requires more equipment.

Nutrient film technique (NFT)

A type of system in which a thin film of water flows through the roots of the plant, this water film is usually used with a PVC pipe with a hole drilled, after which the plants are grown in a net pot that fits the pipe. Nutrient-rich water will flow continuously flowing over the roots. So the thing is that you need to be very careful about the growing media you use.

NFT works best with growing media like Rockwool and Coco Coir. These growing media help effectively retain water and nutrients and also allow air to reach the roots of your plants. The NFT system can be used for all kinds of vegetables or fruits as well as for the production of culinary herbs!

Drip irrigation

This type of system is perfect for growing herbs hydroponically indoors. Water and nutrients are supplied to the vegetables through a small drip line that goes directly to the roots. This method is very suitable and effective as it does not need to use a lot of water and there is no risk of over or under watering your plants.

Aeroponics

Aeroponics is a hydroponic method in which plants are suspended in the air and roots are misted with water and nutrients. This system is suitable for growing a variety of crops in a small area and is suitable for commercial cultivation.

Wick system

The wick system is one of the simplest types of hydroponic growing systems and is best suited for beginners. The plant is placed in a container, after which a cotton wick is inserted into the growing medium and arranged so that it is in contact with the water. As the wick absorbs water, it will slowly introduce water to the plant’s roots.

There are many other types of hydroponic growing systems, but these are the ones you’ll most often encounter. Depending on the purpose of growing, choose what type of system is best for your herb area, then get started!

Growing tips for a fast-growing herb garden

To have a lush hydroponic herbs garden, it is important that you take care of your growing system. To keep your system going well, you need to clean it regularly by rinsing all parts with water and mild detergent.

What is the best soil for herbs? When growing herbs hydroponically, you will need a growing media such as coco coir or potting soil for herbs. Make sure that the growing medium is free of any chemicals as they can damage the roots.

The water and nutrients that you use for your plants need to be of quality and prestige. One of the benefits of growing herbs hydroponically is that you don’t have to worry about diseases or pests from the soil. However, you will need to ensure that the growing medium you are using is safe and free of harmful substances.

Another tip for a successful harvest of herbs is to keep the temperature in the range of 65-70 degrees F.

Also, a good tip for any grower to harvest productive and quality herbs is to use coir as a growing medium as they provide optimal moisture and help with good air circulation from which your vegetable garden grows quickly and healthily.

If you are looking for an easy and effective way to grow your own herbs, then in my opinion hydroponic gardening is the best way. By following these simple tips, you will be able to have the best fresh herbs garden!

Wishing you success and looking forward to a quick harvest.