AG Gourmet Herbs: Thai Basil, Curly Parsley, and Thyme

[pfunnyjoy]

2024-10-11: Day 0

Seeds: AG Gourmet Herbs: Curly Parsley, Thyme, and Thai Basil
Aerogarden: Harvest Elite 360
Location: North 40, office
Water: tap
Grow Medium: AG sponges
Preferred pH Basil: 5.6–6.4
Preferred pH Parsley: 5.8–6.5
Preferred pH Thyme: 5.5–6.5
Preferred EC Basil: 1.0–1.6
Preferred EC Parsley: 0.8–1.8
Preferred EC Thyme: 0.8–1.6
Nutrient: none yet, but plan to try Ionic Grow out

Water pH: 6.0

Since I have some Gourmet Seed kits from units I bought on eBay, I thought I’d go ahead and use them. I’ve planted two pods, the curly parsley and the thyme to give them a head start, then will add the Thai basil probably in a week.

[LoveSalads]

I hope you have better luck with your herbs then I seem to be having. My Thyme and either Parsley have Algae. The Chives, Basil's and, Mint are doing ok. I tried to swab out the seed hole with a toothpick but usually that doesn't work for me. Since they proclaim a 90 day warranty I will see if I can hound then on FB.

   20241011_160754 

I removed the grow domes for the picture wondering if I should leave them off ?

[scarfguy]

I only leave the grow domes on for a day or two in order to raise the humidity to get moisture into the dry seeds.  After a couple of days, I've always felt that the grow domes contributed to mold growth.

[Clovis Sangrail]

LoveSalads, looks like you have some good chive action going there. Mine is not sprouting. Two batches with bupkis -- one was all AG, and the other was something I got off Amazon last year. 

So I just sent off a Baker Creek order for some new chive seeds. 

(And maybe some other stuff I don't even have room for.)

The old stuff is going in the trash. Or maybe I'll just fling them outside the apartment door and see what comes up.

[pfunnyjoy]

Y'all just reminded me, I forgot to put my hydrogen peroxide in my lettuce and watercress gardens! Done now.

The herbs don't actually have any nutrition, just tap water adjusted to 6.0, so I'm not worried about algae yet.

If the AG herb pods don't sprout, I won't bother hassling AG, as I didn't even care that the gardens I bought on eBay had seed pod kits. I just wanted the gardens and got them for good prices back when. But it seemed a shame not to at least try them. I have an old pot of thyme outdoors that I will probably replant next year, but in winter, it's just not that tasty, so since I had the seed pod...

If the parsley and thyme don't sprout, hopefully the basil will once it's added. I have one other unopened gourmet herb kit, so I could potentially grab an extra of any pod that doesn't sprout and try again. Worst case scenario, none sprout, I get extra baskets.

Which won't bother me, as starting to clean up the kale garden, it turns out those vigorous plants busted through the bottoms of two baskets and the third was not in good shape.

[pfunnyjoy]

Oct 11, 2024 16:37:28 GMT -5 scarfguy said:

I only leave the grow domes on for a day or two in order to raise the humidity to get moisture into the dry seeds.  After a couple of days, I've always felt that the grow domes contributed to mold growth.

I usually lift mine as soon as I see germination, but maybe earlier is better? OTOH, very dry climate here, and I've got heating going, so for the moment, I'm leaving them until a sprout pokes up. 

The two Tatsoi pods have had theirs removed. I've got the first set of true leaves just visible on the first Tatsoi to sprout. My Parris Island Cos should have sprouts poking up very soon.

[pfunnyjoy]

Day 7

Possibly wishful thinking, but I thought I saw a trace of action in the thyme pod. Here's hoping! I think I'm going to add a trace of nutrition, like 2ml, just in case. It'll help keep the pH from rising, at the least.

Otherwise, no sign of any problems. I think I may go ahead and add the Thai basil pod.

[pfunnyjoy]

Day 8
Not wishful thinking, definite germination in the thyme pod. I hope it IS thyme, but looks good!

And, something is starting to show a little bit of light green in the curly parsley pod. We are off and running!

[pfunnyjoy]

2024-10-22: Day 11
Thai Basil has germinated. Nothing in any of the pods is above the covers yet, but all sprouts look good. I can’t remember exactly what these plants look like as sprouts, but I think all is normal and well from what I see so far.




Pictures of the Thai basil sprout will have to wait until it peeks above the covers. I don't feel like bothering trying to raise the light to get a shot, since it is at the back of the unit. Just call me a lazy gardener!

[pfunnyjoy]

2024-10-25: Day14
Rinse and refill. All sprouts progressing, but not over the pod covers yet. Soon, I think.

1.0ml CaliMagic
10.0ml Ionic Grow
1.2ml pH Down
5.0ml 3% food-grade hydrogen peroxide

pH: 6.0
EC: 1.0

[pfunnyjoy]

The little plants are around 3" tall now. I cut the top off the Thai Basil today and added it to a green juice I made this morning and I could taste a faint note of it in there.

I believe I'll next need to cut the thyme, so it gets bushier. 

They've had a rinse and refill and more nutrition, so should be taking off from here on out.

[pfunnyjoy]

2024-11-16: Day 36
It's looking like a nice herb garden already! This morning I took a small bit of the Thai basil, along with two sprigs of the parsley and a couple tiny cuts of the thyme to go in a green juice.

The green juice ingredients were:

• 1/4 green cabbage
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 regular cucumber, peeled
• 1 zucchini
• 1/2 lime with peel
  
• 2 apples
• 1" of ginger root
• A small handful of Tatsoi, watercress, and the herbs mentioned above

Made 3 cups. I drank 2 cups, hubby had a cup. We both thought it was a particularly delicious juice. I use a Sana 727 horizontal masticating juicer.