Hydroponics Herbs

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