10 Herbs You Can Grow In Water

Did you know that on your kitchen window sill, you can grow some of your favorite herbs in water? There’s no need to use dried herbs when it’s too chilly to plant a garden. The nicest feature is that you can grow fresh herbs in water without having to deal with soil or watering! It’s actually quite simple; I started mine about a month ago after becoming frustrated with having to either buy fresh herbs and have them deteriorate, wasting money, or using dried herbs. Dried herbs, in my opinion, do not have the same brilliant, lively flavor as fresh herbs. That’s why I decided to experiment with growing them in water.

Water cannot be used to grow all herbs. Those developed from seeds every year can’t actually be grown in water without first roots in soil, and even then, they won’t always survive the transition to water. As a result, it is best to grow growing dill, mustard plants, or cilantro.

Oregano

To grow oregano in water, start with a four to six-inch-long cutting from a mature oregano plant. Just below a leaf node, make your cut (the place where leaves grow from the stem). Remove all of the leaves from the lowest two inches or so of each cutting.

Put the cuttings in a container with an inch or two of room temperature water within it as soon as possible. Choose a location for the oregano that receives dappled or partial sunshine, as direct sunlight might harm the cuttings. Every three or four days, change the water in the container.

Basil

You may have an endless supply of this aromatic plant throughout the year. It’s simple to grow basil, and it’s a terrific method to get several specimens from a single plant.

Sage

When properly propagated, sage is quite happy to grow in water. In the spring, pick three to four inch long cuttings from a healthy sage plant. Place the cuttings cut end down in a container of fresh water. Find a location for the sage cuttings to grow that has lots of air (to avoid mildew) and plenty of sunlight. Every other day, make sure to replenish the water in the container.

Thyme

Take cuttings from a thyme plant between the middle of spring and the beginning of summer to propagate thyme and grow it in water. To propagate, choose healthy, bright green portions and make your incisions on a node (the part where the leaves join the stem of the plant). After taking the cutting, strip the lowest section of the leaves and immerse them in a container of water right away. Mist the section of your cuttings that remains above the water’s surface using a spray bottle.

Choose a sunny windowsill for your plant, but stay away from places where the cutting will be exposed to direct sunlight all day. The cutting will be protected from heat or sun damage if there is some dappled shadow or shade throughout the afternoon. Every two days, change the water in your container. Cut the tip of the stem when you realize your thyme cuttings are sprouting roots and putting out new growth to stimulate the new plant to produce branches.

You may either transplant the thyme to a container of wet potting soil or continue to let it grow in water after a considerable root has grown from the bottom of each cutting.

Rosemary

Take a 6-8-inch cutting from a healthy rosemary plant and place it in a glass of freshwater to propagate it. Make sure the leaves don’t contact the water, then place it on a bright windowsill with some sunshine.

Stevia

Stevia is a natural sweetener that roots and grows quickly in a container of water. Make a cutting slightly above one set of leaves from the tender sections of a vigorous and healthy stevia plant. Remove the foliage off the bottom of the cutting, but make sure there are at least two leaves on the top. If you want to apply rooting hormone on the end you just cut, you may, but stevia will grow well without it.

Place your cutting in a container of fresh water as soon as possible after taking it, and choose a warm position for it to grow where it will get lots of sun. However, stay away from places where the sun shines brightly in the afternoon. Every other day, replace the water in the container with fresh liquid.

Peppermint

Peppermint is a vigorous plant that is simple to root in water and will grow in the absence of soil. Cut your peppermint cuttings right below a node from a happy, healthy peppermint plant (where leaves emerge from the stem). Except for the ones at the very top, remove all of the leaves. Place the cuttings in a container with approximately an inch of water inside right away. Change the water for your peppermint cutting every two days or so, and place it in a warm position with lots of sunlight.

Celery

By storing celery in a jar of water, you may quickly replant it from its base. You’ll witness nicely formed tiny celery emerging from the root in 7-10 days!

Lemongrass

In two to three weeks, lemongrass stems can be rooted in water. Place five to six inch stem cuttings from the bottom of a healthy, mature lemongrass plant in a basin of water. Allow at least half of the cutting to remain above the water line, and never let it sink in and get entirely immersed. Maintain it in a bright location and change the water every two to three days. To hasten the process, add some liquid fertilizer. Move your lemongrass into a soil-filled planter and give it a sunny spot after the roots have formed.

Marjoram (Origanum Majorana)

The optimal time to propagate fresh marjoram cuttings and grow them in water is in the middle of summer. Keep in mind that marjoram takes longer to root than some other herbs, but with perseverance, you may successfully grow marjoram from cuttings in water. Make three-inch-long cuttings from the tops of a healthy plant’s stems, choosing portions that do not have flower buds. Leave six to eight leaves on each stem after removing the leaves from the bottom of each cutting.

Then, cut side down, place the cuttings in a container filled with room temperature water, immersing the bottom inch or two of each cutting. For your new cuttings to grow, choose a shaded, warm windowsill and change the water in their pots every two days.

What You’ll Need To Begin:

Containers

It’s critical that the containers you use are made of tinted glass or are opaque. Herb roots dislike the sun and will not grow well if exposed to it. The simplest solution is to place them in a container that keeps them out of direct sunlight. If you don’t have any dark containers, paint them (only outside) or put a piece of paper over them to hide the light. Because the plants require sunlight, placing the containers in the shadow will not be effective.

The Mason jars below would make excellent containers; all you’d have to do is punch an inch-wide hole in the lid to hold the plant stems in place.

The capacity to hold your stems erect is another vital quality of your containers. You may achieve this in one of two ways: use a narrow-necked container or cover the top with net or chicken wire to keep your plants upright. Simply avoid using a container with a tight neck since they are difficult to clean, and you want to make sure you have enough area if your herb grows quickly.

Water

It’s crucial to utilize clean water. Tap water can be used, but it must be allowed to sit for 24 hours before use. You may also use bottled water, but you should let it sit for at least 8 hours before using it. You may use spring water if you live in the country and have access to it, but it is not the greatest because it may include trace elements that are beneficial to your plants. Rainwater is the last sort of water you may utilize. You may utilize it straight immediately without having to wait.

Plants

Cuttings from fresh herbs purchased in the store can be taken immediately away. They should be washed and cut to about 6 inches before being placed in the water-filled containers. Remove any leaves from any section of the stem that will be submerged in water. Even if the stems aren’t 6 inches long when you start, you’ll need to cut the end off so they can begin to root. If you start your herbs this way, they will root rather rapidly.

If the herb has a woody stem, such as rosemary, it takes a bit longer to get started. Without removing the plant from the container, the water must be changed once a week. It may take up to six weeks for the roots to begin to grow. Once they’ve done so, the water won’t need to be changed as frequently.
Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone to aid in the rooting process. This may grow the emergence of the plant’s roots.

How to Take Care of Your Herbs

Because water lacks the minerals and nutrients that soil provides, you must continually feed your plants. This is simple to perform; simply fill the container with water and add one-quarter of the manufacturer’s recommended amount of water soluble fertilizer.

The fertilizer will become watered down as the water evaporates and you refill it, so you’ll need to refresh the water and fertilizer solution around once a month. It’s critical that you carefully clean every portion of the plant that’s in the water, as well as the container inside and any gravel or marbles in the container. You don’t want fertilizer to accumulate on the roots or in the container/gravel, causing your plants to burn.