Hydroponics is proven technique to
grow herbs. All most every popular culinary herbs can be grow with hydroponics
technique. The most important herbs are: basil, chive, chervil, dill, lavage,
marjoram, Oregano, parsley (curly or plain), sage, savory, tarragon and thyme. The
advantage with herbs is that it does not required big or sophisticated system,
rather they can be grown successfully in small and basic arrangement.
Some important noteworthy Hydroponics Herbs :-
BASIL :- It is the secret that accounts for many
delicious southern Italian dishes containing tomatoes, such as spaghetti and
ravioli sauces. This herb will lend a new and interesting flavour to
practically all foods. It is one of the few herbs that actually increases in
flavour when cooked.
CHIVE
The smallest of the onion tribe,
chive has a subtle flavour. It is one of the best culinary herbs, making fatty
foods more digestible and giving a special piquancy to almost anything. It is
excellent when used on salads, soups, in cottage cheese, devilled eggs or in
the famous Green Sauce that will be given later.
DILL
The lacy leaves of dill are
delicately aromatic and when finely chopped yield a very special, sharp and
interesting flavor. Dill grows tall and
graceful (two to three feet) and other things can be planted beneath it.
However, don't grow dill next to fennel; they cross-pollinate and produce
strange and useless offspring that are neither dill nor fennel.
LOVAGE
This giant herb has a strong scent
reminiscent of yeast or the famous soup extract, Maggi. It gives strength to
soups, stews, casseroles, salads and mixed vegetables. This extraordinary herb
deserves a bit of experimenting. Lovage is an important flavoring for some
vegetarians, for it provides the tastes normally associated with meat or soup
bones.
OREGANO
this herb is a favourite in Italian,
Spanish and Mexican dishes. Its hot flavour is best in tomato dishes,
spaghetti, pizza, hamburgers, meat loaf, .sauces, stews and stuffings. Tomato
or bean soup is much improved by the addition of a small quantity of Oregano.
Oregano in cooking is as old as the Greek hills where it originated, and it has
both stimulating and medicinal properties.
PARSLEY
Parsley underlines the taste of
food. It has a remarkable gift for overcoming strong odours on the breath, even
the powerful garlic is largely neutralized by it. In large amounts, it is a
good natural tranquilizer. The finely chopped leaves are added twice in
cooking; at the beginning when other flavours are brought out, and again
shortly before serving. Parsley is a carefree crop, but very slow to germinate.
SAGE
The beautiful gray-green leaves of
this wisest of all the mints is a must
in every kitchen. The ancients thought it prolonged life, the Chinese love it
as a tea for medicinal purposes and the modern family uses this incredibly
fragrant herb on a modest scale in cheese dishes and sausages.
THYME
You would almost think thyme was
the twin sister of sage, since they go so well together. The beautiful, broad,
dark green leaves of the English variety and the narrow gray-green leaves of
the French type are the most flavourful and popular of all thymes. In early
Greek and Roman days it was used on the body as an antiseptic. Today, however,
it is without equal as an additive for soups, sauces and stuffing.
Chervil
improves the flavour of any herb with which it is mixed, making it a constant ingredient in the fines herbs of French cooking. Chervil's mild flavor makes generous use necessary.
Growing time and yield of herbs in Hydroponics System
Growing
Time(days)
|
Yield (gm)
|
|||
Variety
|
1st Cut
|
Replacement
|
1st Cut
|
Replacement
|
Basil
|
9 to 12
|
4 to 7
|
252
|
420
|
Chervil
|
12 to 16
|
7 to 10
|
140
|
224
|
Chive 15-20 7-10 3 5-8
|
15 to 20
|
7 to 10
|
84
|
196
|
Coriander 15-20 7 5 8
|
15 to 20
|
7 to 10
|
140
|
224
|
Dill 12-15 5-7 5 8
|
12 to 15
|
5 to 7
|
140
|
224
|
Marjoram 12-15 5-7 4 5
|
12 to 15
|
5 to 7
|
112
|
140
|
Mint 24-30 7-10 6 10
|
24- 30
|
7 to 10
|
140
|
252
|
Oregano 13-18 4-7 4 5
|
13 to 18
|
4 to 7
|
112
|
140
|
Parsley 13-18 7 5 8
|
13 to 18
|
7 to 10
|
140
|
224
|
Rosemary 15-24 10 6 8
|
15 to 24
|
7 to 10
|
168
|
224
|
Sage 12-18 6-9 8 12
|
12 to 18
|
6 to 9
|
224
|
336
|
Savory 14-20 7-10 8 12
|
14 to 20
|
7 to 10
|
224
|
336
|
Sorrel 14-19 7-10 8 12
|
14
to 19
|
7 to 10
|
224
|
336
|
Tarragon 20-30 10 5 8
|
20 to 30
|
7 to 10
|
140
|
224
|
Thyme 18-24 7-10 3 5
|
18 to 24
|
7 to 10
|
84
|
140
|
Watercress 12-15 6-10 5 8
|
12 to 15
|
6 to 5
|
140
|
224
|
Variety
|
Growth 1st Cut (Days)
|
Replacement (Days)
|
Yield 1st Cut (gm)
|
Yield Replacement (gm)
|
Basil
|
9 to 12
|
4 to 7
|
252
|
420
|
Chervil
|
12 to 16
|
7 to 10
|
140
|
224
|
Chive
|
15 to 20
|
7 to 10
|
84
|
196
|
Coriander
|
15 to 20
|
7 to 10
|
140
|
224
|
Dill
|
12 to 15
|
5 to 7
|
140
|
224
|
Marjoram
|
12 to 15
|
5 to 7
|
112
|
140
|
Mint
|
24- 30
|
7 to 10
|
140
|
252
|
Oregano
|
13 to 18
|
4 to 7
|
112
|
140
|
Parsley
|
13 to 18
|
7 to 10
|
140
|
224
|
Rosemary
|
15 to 24
|
7 to 10
|
168
|
224
|
Sage
|
12 to 18
|
6 to 9
|
224
|
336
|
Savory
|
14 to 20
|
7 to 10
|
224
|
336
|
Sorrel
|
14 to 19
|
7 to 10
|
224
|
336
|
Tarragon
|
20 to 30
|
7 to 10
|
140
|
224
|
Thyme
|
18 to 24
|
7 to 10
|
84
|
140
|
Watercress
|
12 to 15
|
6 to 5
|
140
|
224
|