Herbs (Miscellaneous)
Quick Reference
| Herb | Day Temp | Night Temp | VPD | DLI | pH | EC | Days to Harvest | Bolt Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cilantro | 60-72°F | 50-60°F | 0.8-1.0 | 12-16 | 6.0-6.5 | 1.0-1.4 | 30-45 | HIGH above 75°F |
| Parsley | 65-75°F | 55-65°F | 0.8-1.2 | 12-18 | 5.5-6.5 | 1.0-1.6 | 45-60 | Low |
| Dill | 60-72°F | 50-60°F | 0.8-1.0 | 14-18 | 5.5-6.5 | 1.0-1.4 | 40-55 | HIGH above 75°F |
| Mint | 65-75°F | 55-65°F | 0.8-1.2 | 12-16 | 6.0-7.0 | 1.2-1.6 | 30-45 | Low |
| Chives | 65-75°F | 55-65°F | 0.8-1.2 | 14-18 | 6.0-6.5 | 1.2-1.6 | 60-90 | Low |
| Oregano | 70-80°F | 60-65°F | 0.8-1.2 | 14-18 | 6.0-7.0 | 1.2-1.8 | 45-60 | Low |
| Thyme | 65-75°F | 55-65°F | 0.8-1.2 | 14-18 | 5.5-7.0 | 0.8-1.2 | 60-90 | Low |
The Cilantro Problem
Cilantro bolts (goes to flower/seed) at temperatures above 75°F. The East Zone hits 91°F on hot days. This means:
- March-April: ✅ Good window. East zone is cool enough.
- May-September: ❌ Too hot. Cilantro will bolt within days of hitting 80°F.
- October-February: ✅ Good window if supplemental light is adequate. Mitigation: Use slow-bolt varieties (Calypso, Santo). Plant in rapid succession — cilantro from seed to harvest in 30 days. Or accept the bolt and harvest the coriander seed. Dill has the same bolting problem.
Zone Recommendations
| Herb | Best Zone | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Cilantro | East hydro, spring/fall only | Needs coolest zone + correct season |
| Parsley | East or West | Tolerant, flexible |
| Dill | East, spring/fall only | Bolt-sensitive like cilantro |
| Mint | West shelving (ISOLATED) | ⚠️ Mint is invasive. Never in hydro. Contained pot on shelving. |
| Chives | East or West | Perennial, tough, any zone |
| Oregano | West or South | Heat-tolerant, likes light |
| Thyme | West or South | Drought-tolerant, likes dry conditions |
⚠️ Mint Warning
Never plant mint in the hydroponic system. Mint is aggressively rhizomatous — it sends runners through any shared growing medium and will colonize the entire hydro rail system. Keep mint in an isolated container on shelving.
Hydroponic Growing Notes
- Spacing: Most herbs can go in consecutive positions
- Harvest method: Cut-and-come-again for most
- Nutrient level: Light feeders. EC 1.0-1.6 for most herbs.
- Mixed planting: Herbs with similar needs (parsley + chives) can share adjacent hydro positions
Economics
| Herb | Grocery Price | Greenhouse Yield | Value/Position/Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cilantro | USD 2-3/bunch | 2-4 bunches/month | USD 4-12 |
| Parsley | USD 2-3/bunch | 2-4 bunches/month | USD 4-12 |
| Mint | USD 2-3/bunch | 3-6 bunches/month | USD 6-18 |
| Chives | USD 2-3/bunch | 2-3 bunches/month | USD 4-9 |
| Dill | USD 2-3/bunch | 2-3 bunches/month | USD 4-9 |
| Herbs are the highest-value crop per position. | |||
| → See [[greenhouse/crops/basil | Basil]] for the primary herb profile | ||
| → See [[greenhouse/growing | All Crops]] |
Current Light Availability
Catalog Entry
Slug herbs; category herb.
Cycle 30-60; scientific name —.
Default DLI; default VPD 0.80-1.20 kPa.
Launch Taxonomy
Does not count toward the active-control crop total. Mixed-herb reference profile; individual herb species are not active control records right now.
Current occupied positions from v_position_current: none.
Target Bands
No hourly target profiles defined for this crop yet.
Current Plantings
No active plantings of this crop type right now.
Latest Vision
No camera observations have been linked to this crop yet.
Planting History
No historical plantings recorded yet.