HYDROPONIC BASIL AND CILANTRO
“Cilant ro seed
is
large, rounded and easy to
handle. It is best sown into
individual cubes, cells or pots
of sterilized, free-draining
substrate, as seedlings are
not suited to transplanting.”
Both basil and cilantro are easily propagated from seed.
For basil destined for pesto
production, specific varieties include
Lettuce Leaf Basil, Napoletano
and Italian Large Leaf cultivars,
which produce sweeter foliage than
Genovese types with leaves up to
4 in. long. More exotic basil varieties
are used in a range of cultures and
cuisines and many are well-suited to
hydroponic production. These include
the popular Sweet Thai Basil with its
distinctive anise-clove flavor, Holy
Basil (Kapoor Tulsi) with a spicy flavor
and aroma, Cinnamon Basil, Citrus
NFT systems are ideal for growing basil.
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Maximum Yield USA | June 2016
or Lemon Basil and Lime Basil with a
strong citrus/basil flavor combination,
Spicy Basil and Globe/Greek Basil,
small-leaved, compact, rounded plants
suited to restricted spaces.
Cultivars of basil with inbred
disease resistance or tolerance
to common diseases such as
Fusarium and downy mildew are
worth considering for larger-scale
hydroponic basil production.
Basil is most commonly propagated
from seeds, which are available in raw
and pelleted form. However, cuttings
can also be taken
and will form
roots within
seven to 10 days.
Seed germinates
readily under
warm conditions
with 75˚F being
ideal for most
basil types and
takes between
five to seven
days. Rockwool
propagation
blocks are
often used in
commercial
production,
while perlite/
vermiculite,
coconut fiber,
peat, foam
substrates and sand are also suitable
provided the medium is sterilized.
Basil seedlings are extremely prone
to Pythium and other damping off
pathogens, so care needs to be taken
with watering in the early stages post
germination to ensure the surface of
the growing media is not overly wet.
Once the seedling leaves have
expanded, a dilute nutrient solution
at an EC of 0.5 mScm-1 can be
applied with a pH between 5.8-6.2.
Once transplanted into a hydroponic
system the EC can be gradually
increased and full, high-intensity
light levels supplied. Tall, dense
stems of many basil varieties benefit
from a good degree of air movement
and ventilation, up and under the
plants to help prevent some of the
fungal infections such as Botrytis
(gray mold), which these plants can
develop under high humidity.
Just as with cilantro, basil can be
prone to bolting at a fairly young age
if the plants are stressed. This may
include root restriction, moisture
stress, overly dry environments,
excessive light or temperatures and
overcrowding. Flower buds can be
removed from the growing points
of plants as they develop, however,
once these are seen it is usually mo