10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics

  • By: SFUAA NWB
  • Date: June 18, 2022
  • Time to read: 15 min.

If you have never had the pleasure of harvesting your own herbs to season your homemade dishes, you have not lived. They are one of the most rewarding plants to grow.

Not only do they look beautiful, but they are also edible and we all love a plant that is both beautiful and useful. Best of all, they are super easy to grow. 

10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics
10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics

Sadly, not everyone has the garden space to reap the benefits of having a herb garden. If your house does not have a garden or you just do not have the room for pots, what can you possibly do? The answer to this issue is actually quite simple.

All you need is hydroponics. The best part about this plan is that herbs are actually particularly suited for hydroponic gardening. Herbs tend to be quite small and grow rapidly so you should be able to use this method quite easily.

Best of all this method of gardening is super easy. So much so that hydroponic gardening can easily be done by even novice gardeners. 

Hydroponic gardens are now at an affordable price more than ever. They even come with everything you need incorporated into your hydroponic gardens for a decent price. There are a great variety of hydroponic gardens on the market.

But, how do you know which herbs are best suited to being grown in a hydroponic garden? You could experiment with every herb out there, or you could read our article and learn everything you need to know about ten herbs that are best suited to being grown in a hydroponic garden. 

The big question now is which herbs are best suited for hydroponics. Well, we have you covered. Below is a list of the most reliable and productive herbs that you can grow in a hydroponic garden: 

  • Sage
  • Lavender
  • Mint
  • Parsley
  • Chamomile
  • Basil
  • Oregano
  • Thyme
  • Watercress
  • Chives

It is all well and good having a basic list of herbs that will flourish in your garden. But how do you care for them? We have you back!

The following sections are going to go over each of these herbs in more detail as well as some tips on how to achieve the best results. So, without further ado, let us get started!

Thyme

Thyme Companion Plants – What to Grow with Thymes
10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics

Thyme is a herb that is infused with the scent and flavor of Mediterranean food. It is an extremely tasty plant that goes well with a ton of delicious meals. In the wild, you will see a lot of thyme growing in rocky regions. So you can expect this herb to be quite hardy and easy to care for.

One of the best things about thyme is that each leaf is packed with a refined and delicious flavor that will certainly add flavor to your meals. But thyme is useful for more than food.

Many people like to make essential oils out of it and who can blame them when the scent is so delightfully pungent. 

But if like us, you love the taste of thyme you might be interested in finding out what healthy nutrients it has packed in it: 

  • Manganese
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin C
  • Copper
  • Iron

To top it off, thyme is a perennial and will be with you for many years to come!

Best Tips on How You Can Grow Thyme

Now that we have covered the important information concerning thyme, what it is, and how great it is we can finally start to delve into the many hints and tips you can use to assure success when you plant them in your hydroponic garden. 

  • Nutrient Solution – The soil nutrients and pH for thyme needs to be between 5.5 and 7.0 if you want to get the best growth out of your thyme plant. 
  • Electrical Conductivity – The electrical conductivity in thyme soil nutrients needs to be between 0.8 and 1.6 in order for your thyme to be most productive. 
  • Environment – Thyme is not a picky plant and will thrive in almost any light conditions. full shade, or full sun, this plant will do fantastically well no matter where it grows.
  • Harvesting  – When you are harvesting thyme you need to refrain from harvesting as at this time in the plant’s life the leaves will lose flavor.
  • General Soil Nutrients – Thyme does not need a lot of nutrients to thrive. So if you grow this plant you can save money on purchasing soil nutrients. Thyme actually prefers soil that is of poor quality. 
  • Propagation  – Propagation can be a fantastic way to create more plants from just the one that you have. All you need to do to propagate thyme is gather some cuttings, and plant them in wet rockwool as this substance will stay quite wet. Thyme is quite a tough plant and the cuttings should start to sprout roots quite soon. 

Parsley

Parsley
10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics

Parsley is an extremely popular herb and one that you use in a great many dishes. It is one herb that you should never run out of because it does well with almost any dish and also makes a great garnish if you want to add a little extra flair to your home-cooked meals. 

But parsley is not just a tasty herb that can add extra flavor to a dish, it is also an extremely healthy and natural antibacterial that contains myristicin which will help to keep your bones healthy. 

But that is not all that this amazing plant contains, below are a few of the other nutrients that this plant contains: 

  • Vitamin K
  • Magnesium
  • Calcium
  • Potassium

Parsley originally came from the Mediterranean and was used by the ancient Greeks. One of the best things about parsley is the fact that it is a voracious grower and will continue to quickly sprout new leaves after harvesting it. To top it off, parsley is the kind of herb that loses its potency after you have harvested it.  

Best Tips on How You Can Grow Parsley

Now that we have covered the important information concerning parsley, what it is, and how great it is we can finally start to delve into the many hints and tips you can use to assure success when you plant them in your hydroponic garden. 

  • Nutrient Solution – If you are trying to successfully plant parsley that you can enjoy in your food you should pay attention to the nutrient solution. The best pH for parsley is about 5.5, so make sure that your levels stay in that range for the best results. 
  • Electrical Conductivity – Otherwise known as EC, this is an important element in growing good quality and healthy parsley. The best EC nutrient solution for parsley will be between 0.8 and 1.8. 
  • Environment – While parsley is not hard to grow it is important that you make certain that they get the right lighting and temperature. Parsley likes plenty of sunlight and prefers warmer temperatures. They tend to enjoy temperatures between sixty and sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit. They can survive freezing temperatures but they do better in the warmth.
  • How to Grow  – Growing parsley using hydroponic gardening can seem intimidating. But, all you need to do is soak a few rockwool cubes in water, place them on a tray that has a bit of water in the bottom, and plant your parsley seeds in the wool. Make sure that the seeds are at least two seeds per square inch so that they have enough room to thrive. Next, you will need to put the tray, with the rockwool and seeds into a plastic bag. Now all you have to do is wait for the seeds to sprout. 

Mint

Mint
10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics

Mint is one of the most appreciated herbs out there and is loved by many. You can find them in all kinds of candies, drinks, jellies, salads, and even some savory meat dishes. It is an extremely versatile herb and one that you will not regret growing. 

This strong-flavored herb is extremely fast-growing and does not require a lot of care and attention to yield results. 

Not only is mint tasty, but it is also full of healthy nutrients, some of which you can see below: 

  • Iron
  • Folate
  • Manganese
  • Vitamin A
  • Fiber

But mint is more than minerals, it actually has other health benefits. For example, it can help your brain to work better, it can be used to ease the pain that women feel while breastfeeding, it can help you digest food and it can treat indigestion. There are of course other health benefits associated with mint leaves. 

Best Tips on How You Can Grow Mint

Now that we have covered the important information concerning mint, what it is, and how great it is, we can finally start to delve into the many hints and tips you can use to assure success when you plant them in your hydroponic garden. 

  • Nutrient Solution – If you want your pH to truly thrive you will need to make sure that the pH stays between 5.5 and 6.5  so that your mint plant is perfectly balanced. 
  • Electrical Conductivity – The EC for your mint plant should be between 2.0 and 2.4 if you want your mint to produce the tastiest foliage. 
  • Environment – Mint loves a lot of sunlight. This can make growing it indoors tough but as long as you make sure that your mint plant gets between twelve and sixteen hours of light every day your plant should do great. Mint does not particularly like cold weather and prefers to be in temperatures between fifty and fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit. 

Basil

Basil Plant Wilting
10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics

Basil is one of the main ingredients in the delicious condiment we know as pesto. This herb is one of the freshest tasting ones on our list and it is good for more than just your meals. You can also harvest basil to make essential oils that you can use however you see fit.

The thing with basil is that you cannot really freeze it as you will lose that fresh flavor if you do. So what is the best way to enjoy basil? Well, growing it yourself of course. 

But, basil is also an extremely fast grower, so if you decide to plant one of them in your hydroponic garden you can expect to see fresh harvestable leaves after two months at most. 

But basil is not just tasty, it also includes a ton of healthy nutrients. Some of which you can see below: 

  • Zinc
  • Vitamin K
  • Vitamin A
  • Calcium
  • Potassium
  • Magnesium

Best Tips on How You Can Grow Basil

Now that we have covered the important information concerning basil, what it is, and how great it is we can finally start to delve into the many hints and tips you can use to assure success when you plant them in your hydroponic garden. 

  • Nutrient Solution – If you want to be able to grow the best quality basil for your home-cooked meals, one of the best things you can do is make sure that the nutrient solution and pH are about 5.5. 
  • Electrical Conductivity – Also known as EC, this nutrient solution needs to be between 1.0 and 1.6 for basil to thrive. 
  • Environment – Basic is an easy plant to grow, especially outdoors. But, it is easy to recreate the conditions indoors. As long as you give your basil enough sunlight and warmth in a sheltered spot you will be successful in growing basil. 
  • Prolonging the Plant’s Life  – If you want to keep your basil alive longer than it normally lives you will need to hold off on plucking leaves that are lower down the stem. The leaves you pick should be at the top and you should avoid picking the buds under the points where you cut leaves or sprigs from the mother plant. 
  • Propagation  – If you would like to get plenty of basil plants all you need to do is learn how to propagate your basil. All you need to do is steam some cuttings or even hydroponically with rockwool as the growing medium. 

Sage

Sage
10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics

Sage is one of those plants that does not like to be wet all the time. So, how can this arid plant cope with being grown by way of hydroponic gardening? We do not know the exact science but trust us. It grows fantastically well using hydroponic gardening. 

Sage is an extremely tasty and aromatic herb and one that you will not regret growing. But it is more than seasoning. Sage also has a ton of healthy nutrients. Some of which you can see below: 

  • Potassium
  • Magnesium
  • Folate
  • Vitamin K
  • Vitamin A
  • Beta-Carotene
  • Phosphorus

Best Tips on How You Can Grow Sage

Now that we have covered the important information concerning sage, what it is, and how great it is we can finally start to delve into the many hints and tips you can use to assure success when you plant them in your hydroponic garden. 

  • Nutrient Solution – If you want your sage to stay producing and thrive you are going to need to make sure that the pH of the soil stays between 5.5 and 6.0. 
  • Electrical Conductivity – If you want your sage plant to thrive you will need to make sure that the electrical conductivity or EC stays between 1.0 and 1.6. 
  • Environment – Sage is a plant that loves plenty of sunlight; it will need about twelve hours of light indoors or outdoors. On top of that, these plants will grow best between temperatures of seventy-five and eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit during the day. But at night they will do best if temperatures are above sixty degrees Fahrenheit. 

Chives

Chives
10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics

Chives are one of the most underrated herbs of all time. They are sweet and oniony and very versatile so you can add them to almost any dish that you imagine they would go well with. Chives are also extremely fast-growing, so you can enjoy them quite soon after planting them. 

Chives are not only tasty, they are also packed full of nutrients, as you can see below: 

  • Vitamin K
  • Vitamin C
  • Folate
  • Potassium
  • Calcium

Best Tips on How You Can Grow Chives

Now that we have covered the important information concerning chives, what it is, and how great it is we can finally start to delve into the many hints and tips you can use to assure success when you plant them in your hydroponic garden. 

  • Nutrient Solution – If you truly want your chives to thrive you will need to make sure that the pH stays above six. It can be quite hard to keep the pH steady but as long as it stays 6.1 and 6.8 your chives should do really well. 
  • Electrical Conductivity – The electrical conductivity for chives should remain between 1.8 and 2.4 if you want the best results and the plants to produce the most edible leaves.
  • Environment – Chives will do best if they get about twelve hours of light every day. They like the warmth and nice bright light. While chives prefer warm temperatures they are pretty temperature resistant. This is especially true when there are sudden drops in temperature. For this reason, chives are the ideal plant for those of you that want a hydroponic garden or garden outdoors. That being said, they will do best if they remain in temperatures between sixty-five and eighty degrees Fahrenheit. 
  • Size – Chives are quite small and perfectly suited to grow in hydroponic gardens. Because it is so easy to grow large quantities of this plant you can easily make a profit by selling them to people. 

Watercress

Watercress
10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics

Watercress is probably one of the easiest herbs to grow with hydroponic gardening. So you can easily enjoy it once you grow your own supply. This herb is peppery, versatile, and will grow super fast. Watercress originally came from the Mediterranean but now it is extensively grown in the United States and Europe.  

But other than being tasty, watercress is also super healthy and full of nutrients. Some of which you can see below: 

  • Antioxidants
  • Calcium
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin K
  • Manganese

Best Tips on How You Can Grow Watercress

Now that we have covered the important information concerning watercress, what it is, and how great it is we can finally start to delve into the many hints and tips you can use to assure success when you plant them in your hydroponic garden. 

  • Nutrient Solution – If you want your watercress to thrive you should make sure that the pH stays between 6.5 and 6.8 so that your watercress stays healthy and productive. 
  • Electrical Conductivity – the EC for your watercress should stay between 0.4 and 1.8 if you want your plant to stay perfectly healthy and productive. 
  • Environment – Watercress prefers to grow in temperatures between seventy-seven and eighty-six degrees Fahrenheit. That being said, they can tolerate temperatures that are lower for short periods of time. 
  • Propagating  – Watercress can actually be propagated and to top it off the whole process is super easy. All you need to do is cut a stem and place the cut end in a nutrient-rich solution. After just a few days you should start to see your cutting grow roots. 

Oregano

Oregano
10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics

If you are a fan of eating food with tomatoes you will absolutely need to grow yourself some oregano to go with it. This herb is most often used in its dried-out form. But when it is eaten fresh you unlock a whole new pallet of flavor. 

Oregano is an extremely healthy herb that contains a ton of nutrients. Below is a list of just a few of these healthy nutrients you can find in this herb:

  • Manganese
  • Iron
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin K
  • Tryptophan
  • Calcium

Best Tips on How You Can Grow Oregano

Now that we have covered the important information concerning oregano, what it is, and how great it is we can finally start to delve into the many hints and tips you can use to assure success when you plant them in your hydroponic garden. 

  • Nutrient Solution – Oregano has a tendency to prefer quite a high pH. They will do best if it is between 6.0 and 8.0 even in the wild. 
  • Electrical Conductivity – If you want your oregano plant to produce the best and the tastiest leaves you will need to make sure that the EC stays between 1.5 and 2.0. 
  • Environment – Oregano will usually like temperatures that range between fifty-five and seventy degrees Fahrenheit. 
  • How to Grow  – If you are growing your oregano indoors you will need to use LED lights to help give them the correct light cycle that will make them thrive. 

Lavender

Lavender
10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics

Lavender is one of those herbs that you always hear about. They have a heavenly scent and are mostly used for essential oils. But lavender is also excellent if you want to provide flowers for the butterflies and bees. 

Lavender is also extremely healthy and contains the following nutrients:

  • Antioxidants
  • Phytochemicals

Best Tips on How You Can Grow Lavender

Now that we have covered the important information concerning lavender, what it is, and how great it is we can finally start to delve into the many hints and tips you can use to assure success when you plant them in your hydroponic garden. 

  • Nutrient Solution – If you want your lavender to stay productive you will need to make sure that the nutrient soil pH stays between 6.4 and 6.8.
  • Electrical Conductivity – If you want your lavender plant to produce high concentrations of essential oils you will need to make sure that the soul retains an EC of between 1.0 and 1.4. 
  • Environment – Lavender will do best if the climate is humid and there is plenty of ventilation. The temperatures that they prefer are usually quite warm. They will do best in places that are above sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperatures are much higher than that your plant will live, but the concentration of essential oils will be much smaller. 
  • How to Grow  – When you are growing lavender you will need to be aware that this plant grows into quite large shrubs. Because of this, you will need to make sure that you plant them at least three feet apart. Sadly this means that you can’t really grow lavender indoors unless you have a smaller dwarf variety. This plant also requires a drip system so that they get the right amount of water. You have to be extra careful though as they like dry conditions. Lavender plants require at least six hours of full sunlight every day. So, if you live in an area that does not meet these requirements you will need to install an LED system. 

Chamomile

Chamomile
10 Of The Best Herbs For Growing In Hydroponics

Chamomile is often associated with tea and relaxation. So, why wouldn’t you want to have your own personal store chamomile on hand? If you grow chamomile at home you will have access to your very own source of aromatherapy and relaxing tea. 

But chamomile tea does more than relax you, it is actually full of nutrients as well. Some of which you can see below: 

  • Folate
  • Vitamin B-12
  • Vitamin B-6
  • Pantothenic Acid

Best Tips on How You Can Grow Chamomile

Now that we have covered the important information concerning chamomile, what it is, and how great it is we can finally start to delve into the many hints and tips you can use to assure success when you plant them in your hydroponic garden. 

  • Environment – While chamomile loves sunlight it can quite easily do well with only four hours of sun per day. This plant will actually need about eight hours of dark every day in order to thrive. On top of that chamomile prefers temperatures between sixty and sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Harvesting  – When you harvest chamomile you need to take extra precautions not to damage the main plant. The best way to avoid damage is to use a small and sharp knife that has been disinfected. This is so that your chamomile plant does not get infected when you prune it and harvest leaves and flowers. 

Final Thoughts

We hope that you enjoyed reading about these delightful herbs that you can grow in hydroponic gardens. They are truly very easy to grow, so even amateur gardeners should have an easy time with this selection. 

We hope that you have a good time gardening and best of luck with your very first hydroponic experience!

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