Mint and Basil Hydroponic Jars
The journey of my first ever step into the world of hydroponics.
I have been growing herbs indoors using hydroponic jars, providing them with nutrient-rich water and a controlled environment for their optimal growth.
Day 1: Starting out
Wash hands and empty the planter to prevent mold growth.
Pour 1 ¼ cups of water into the planter, avoiding overfilling, and screw on the jar ring.
Thread the wick through the hole in the growing pot, creating a loop.
Adjust the wick loop to be ¼" below the top of the growing pot.
Add the grow medium around the wick, filling it to ¼" below the top, and run warm water over it.
Place the coco disc on top, sprinkle with water until expanded, then add carbon evenly.
Insert the growing pot on top of the ring, sprinkle the seeds, and gently tamp, but avoid pushing mint seeds below the surface as they need sunlight to germinate.
Day 3: Basil Sprouts
Day 3, I noticed a few small but promising basil sprouts emerging from the hydroponic jars, showing early signs of growth and making me excited about their development in the coming days. Because there was sprouts, I was able to add in the plant food into the water to help nourish the plant.
Day 5:
On day 5, the basil sprouts in the hydroponic jars have noticeably grown taller and developed more leaves, indicating a healthy and thriving start to their growth journey. However, the mint still has not shown any signs of growth yet.
Day 10: Mint Sprouts!
I was delighted to discover on day 10 the emergence of tiny mint sprouts in my hydroponic system. I eagerly added the plant food into the water, knowing that it would provide essential nutrients to nourish and support the growth of the plant.
Day 30: Mold in the Soil
This is a big leap from day 10 but I was focused on how the hydroponic plants were doing and forgot to take pictures of the growth of the mint and basil. Unfortunately, it looks like both the mint and basil have grown mold, but they still seem to be growing just fine. I will keep an eye out to see if there’s any problems.
Day 60: 2 Months!
This is the day that it marks 2 months since I first started this project. I am very pleased to say that I have not killed the herbs off which I feel very good about. The basil the thriving and has lots and lots of sprouts. The mint is still small, which I do not know why, but there is two stems of the mint that are doing better than the rest. They are growing big and maybe in a couple of weeks I can start trying the mint leaves.
Day 75: Bigger and Bigger
The basil is growing so much that I think that soon enough I may have to find a new jar for it to grow in. I am so happy of how big it’s turning out to be.
Also, the mint seems to be doing quite well. It had a slower start most definitely compared to the basil, but it’s thriving none the less.