Herbs are generally forgiving plants to grow and they respond exceptionally well to hydroponic growing methods. The crop yields are high and herbs mature to usable size quickly. Having a small indoor herb garden provides fresh herbs for cooking all year. Although wick hydroponic systems are the simplest to setup, some herb plants object to the constant moisture, preferring to dry out between watering. Lincoln University Extension found the nutrient film technique—which requires more skill to set up and operate—worked well in producing healthy, herb plants.
A nutrient film technique (NFT) system exposes plant roots to a small amount of fertilizer solution that flows through a tube or pipe on a timed schedule. A simple NFT system can be built using PCV four inch diameter pipe that has holes cut in the top to hold plant containers. The holes should be far enough apart for mature plants with additional space to allow air to flow around the plant.
The PVC pipe is supported on two stands, such a hobby horse or concrete blocks, with one side slight higher than the other. There are two holes drilled in the bottom of the pipe. One hole is for the nutrient feeding tube and the other for a drain tube.
Below the stand that holds the PVC tube and the plants is a container for the commercial nutrient solution. A pump placed in the solution’s container pushes the nutrient liquid up into the PVC pipe. The slight slope of the PVC pipe between the two stands causes the water to flow downward where the excess is captured in the drain tube and returned to the nutrient reservoir.
A timer is attached to the pump to allow drying time between watering. It will be necessary to watch the system in operation for awhile to determine the best timer settings, although an hour between feedings is usually effective.
Herb plants, rather than seeds, are placed in containers which are filled with an aggregate material such as perlite, vermiculite, coconut fibers, or rock wool to keep the plant upright in its container. The containers are then placed in the holes cut in the top of the PCV pipe. If growing herbs from seed, start the plants in soil containers first and then transplant them to the hydroponic system after the herb has developed a few leaves.
Herbs grown indoors need additional light which is usually provided by a grow light suspended about two feet above the plants in the PCV pipe. A typical lighting schedule for hydroponic herb growing is 12 hours of light followed by 12 hours of darkness. Maintain an ambient temperature of between 65 degrees and 85 degrees recommends the University of Florida Extension.
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