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"So, You Want to Grow...Herbs"
by Gordon Creaser

I first began to grow herbs hydroponically about forty years ago but, at that time, I did not see any significant commercial interest. About ten years ago I noticed people beginning to use fresh herbs more and more each year. The interest has steadily grown and now the demand for hydroponically grown herbs has increased all over the world to the point where there is an over abundance of some herbs, such as basil, on the market. Prices have dropped from $7.00 per pound to $3.00 and, only in the winter months where field grown basil gets killed off by low temperatures, does the price rise again.

There are several reasons for the new popularity of herbs including the fine quality and increased flavor and oils. For example, a test done in Minnesota revealed that hydroponic basil being prepared for flash freezing had an increase of 40% in flavor over field grown. These kinds of results encouraged me to take more interest in the commercial production of all kinds of herbs...culinary, pharmaceutical and cosmetic. I now recommend to all my clients that they look into the feasibility of growing herbs as a commercial crop.

The growers who took my advice are now growing and selling their herbs and are showing a better profit margin than if they grew other conventional hydroponic crops. Some growers are processing their herbs into pesto or are freeze-drying.

If you are deciding whether or not to grow herbs, there are a few simple rules to go by. First, you must evaluate your market area and the ethnic make-up of the population around it. For example, my wife and I are both English and, generally speaking, if an English person saw basil or cilantro in a grocery store they would not know how to use it. However, mint is very popular in England and is well known as a condiment served in a sauce with a meal of roast lamb.

So, as you can see, what you grow and where you sell your product is an important decision when planning your business. There is no point growing it if you cannot sell it!

Therefore, you must visit your local supermarkets in the area you wish to sell and check the produce shelves and talk to the produce manager. He will be able to tell you what herbs he can sell, what he finds is in demand the most, what he has a problem obtaining and those herbs that mostly get thrown away. At the same time you can check on the packaging that he is currently using and determine if he would prefer another type of bag or box that would help present and sell the product better. Some buyers prefer Ziploc bags, others prefer the clear clamshell boxes and some like the look of “fresh” open bunches.

Most supermarkets have fixed ideas on the packaging, some for safety reasons and others for looks. Remember, the more sophisticated the packaging the more labor intensive it becomes...leading to your cost going up and your profit going down! For example, the Ziploc bag costs less than one cent, whereas clamshell boxes can be as high as .20c each, depending on the volume.

After completing your market research you should have a pretty good idea of what to grow and how much of each herb you will need to produce to be able to provide your customer with a constant supply. I remember my first trip to the buyer of a large chain when I first started to grow herbs in a 6,000 sq.ft. greenhouse. He loved my product and went on to explain that he had over 300 stores in the South-East division and would like eight cases a week for each of the stores. This staggered my imagination since that meant over 2,400 cases a week. At that time, I was only producing about half that much and could not meet his expectations. I therefore had to find a smaller chain until I could expand my greenhouse to fulfill the needs of the large chain stores. So you must be able to supply on a constant basis for the needs of your customer. The buyer will not give you space if you cannot produce consistent quality and quantity.

When planning a project, leave enough in your budget for such things as racks and promotional needs. Most start-up growers forget such simple things as UPC codes and liability insurance which most supermarket chains require before they purchase produce. These items are not usually expensive but should be planned ahead of time.

The best method for growing herbs, in my opinion, is the 12” roof-pan system. The aluminum roof-pans are covered with enamel. I have used these pans for over ten years and hardly have seen any deterioration or corrosion. They lock together and will make a beautiful 4’ bench. I have run them up to 30’ in length with a depth of 2.” They are filled with a coarse grade of perlite and are set on supports that provide a 4” drop over 24.’ This gives a gentle slope for the nutrient to run from one end to the other.

The nutrient is fed by a dripper at one end, drains at the other end and then returned to the nutrient tank. The nutrient tank we use most is a 1,000 gallon septic tank set in the ground 1” above ground level. This prevents run off into the tank. The pump that I recommend is a one HP shallow well pump which is large enough to supply about 20,000 sq. ft. of greenhouse. If the set-up is in a tropical location then a chiller/aerator would be needed to keep the nutrient temperature cool enough for herbs.

The nutrient is kept at an EC (Electrical Conductivity) level of 2000 and a pH of 6.8. All the herbs I have grown commercially do very well at these levels. I have also grown herbs at these levels in my home system which is a small 12’ unit.

Many of the herbs (e.g. basil, mint, oregano, marjoram and others) can be cut and will re-grow very quickly. Basil, for example, will grow back in about 12 days depending on the light and temperature. The output of herbs in this system can vary with climatic conditions. Here in the Southern part of the United States herbs grow very quickly. In the northern states where it is colder with less light during the winter months, growth will take much longer. Other herbs such as arugula and cilantro will re-grow but I have found it quicker to re-seed. I have grown up to 1.5 lbs. of basil per month per square foot but I prefer to keep it down to about 3/4 to 1 lb. per square foot.

When growing herbs in a hydroponic system pesticide use can be kept at a minimum. A good preventative, such as safer soap and Dipel, will usually keep most pests away or under control. Sticky traps should be used for indicators of what is present in your greenhouse or home unit.

The feasibility of hydroponically growing pharmaceutical and cosmetic herbs is also increasing. With a large greenhouse and hydroponic system, one could supply this market. Most companies who buy medicinal herbs require huge volumes and like to get herbs grown in a controlled environment because of the purity and cleanliness of the environment and the extra oils present in the herbs.

In closing, I cannot impress upon you enough that, before you jump into growing any hydroponic crop commercially, please do your homework.

For the hobby growers, have fun in experimenting with the hundreds of herbs available today. We would love to get some feedback from you.