Aquaponics is a great way to grow herbs for medicinal or culinary purposes. With aquaponics, not only do your herbs grow faster, but they also have more flavor and aroma than herbs grown in traditional methods. However, to have a successful aquaponics herb garden, there are steps that need to be taken to ensure healthy herbs with added benefits. This article will serve as your guide on how to grow herbs in aquaponics.
The aquaponics method of growing is simply the soilless way of growing herbs. It is based on the principle that the nutrient-rich water from rearing fish can be utilized and re-circulated for growing a variety of plants, including herbs. The beneficial bacteria convert fish waste into food for the plants to grow healthily. In return, plant roots clean the water for the fish.
The advantages of growing herbs in aquaponics are:Here are a few things you need to consider to have a successful aquaponics herb garden.
Deciding if you will be growing indoors or outdoors is one of the things you will have to consider. Evaluating your surroundings and available space will help you determine what direction will work best. One important thing to look at is the climate of your location. Do you live in a warmer climate or colder climate? If you live in a colder climate, you might need to grow indoors if you want to grow herbs all year round.
You can choose between a media-based system, a raft system, and NFT system, or a combination of these systems. If you want to save cost in building your aquaponics set up, you can do a DIY system using recyclable materials. There are plenty of free guides for aquaponics beginners available online. You can also purchase a kit that includes everything you need to set up and run an aquaponics system within a small amount of time.
Once your system has been set up, deciding what type of fish species you want to grow is another consideration you have to make. One of the essential questions you need to ask is, are you growing fish for consumption or decoration only? If you want to harvest fish for food, tilapia, trout, catfish, bass are great fish species for aquaponics. Your choice for decorative fish is goldfish and koi. Your location, temperature, local laws, and fish availability will influence your choice of aquaponics fish.
An aquaponics system can grow almost any plant. However, the popular choices for medicinal herbs grown in aquaponics are Basil, watercress coriander, sage, lemongrass, parsley, chives, thyme, oregano, mint, chamomile, rosemary, and more.
Basil is one of the most popular herbs used in cooking and is considered a high-value crop for aquaponics. It adds flavors to meals, and its nutrients provide health benefits in the diet as herbal medicine and as an essential oil. The most common types of basil are sweet basil, purple basil, lemon basil, and Thai basil. Basil grows well in aquaponics systems because of the ideal growing conditions created with warm water and sunlight.
Watercress is one of the healthiest and easiest herbs to grow in aquaponics. Watercress is an ancient green that is a member of the cruciferous family, alongside kale, broccoli, arugula, and brussels sprouts. It has become popular now because of the growing awareness of its nutritional content.
Sage belongs to the mint family, alongside other herbs like oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary. Sage has a strong aroma and earthy flavor and is usually used in small amounts, but it’s packed with essential nutrients and compounds.
Parsley is a herb that is native to the Mediterranean and Europe. With its refreshing and high market value, parsley is a popular ingredient in many recipes and cultivated worldwide. The two most common types of parsley are the curly-leaved parsley and the Italian or flat-leaved parsley. Labeled as one of the most potent disease-fighting plants, parsley provides nutritional value and offers many potential health benefits.
Chives belong to the onion family, but unlike the traditional onions, chives do not form large underground bulbs. This herb also offers a mild flavor and is ideal for blending with dips, soups, omelets, and fish. Although chives are often just as a garnish, it offers promising health benefits.
Thyme is an herb from the Mint family that is fast gaining popularity for its medicinal qualities. This herb is always present in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Latin, and Central American cuisines because of its lovely aroma.
Oregano is one of the staple herbs from many recipes around the world. It has a strong flavor and can be used fresh, dried, or as an oil. Although oregano is usually used in small amounts, it is still packed with important nutrients.
Chamomile is a fragrant herb that is a member of the sunflower family. Chamomile is famous for its healing qualities but is also often used in dessert recipes because of its gentle and sweet taste.
Rosemary is a wonderful herb to add to your aquaponics system. Besides its benefits, rosemary is a natural pest repellent that will help protect your other plants from pests. Rosemary prefers at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight every day to thrive. So make sure you can provide this requirement before growing rosemary in our aquaponics system. Rosemary is a perennial evergreen herb. This means that it does not shed during winter, plus it remains green throughout the year.
Keeping a successful aquaponics herbs garden requires regular maintenance. Here are some tips on maintaining your system.
The Aquaponics system can be the best gardening method to grow your favorite medicinal herbs. One very important thing to remember is that in aquaponics, the ecosystem balance between fish, plants, and bacteria should be maintained at all times to ensure that everything is running well. An imbalance may happen at times, but with regular monitoring and fast action, you’ll have a successful aquaponics herbs garden.
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