Growing Hydroponic Minutina: Buckshorn Plantain as a Cut Green
The short answer
Hydroponic minutina is Plantago coronopus, a small salad plant with narrow, notched leaves and a mild, crunchy bite. Mother Earth News notes that this green thrives in cool weather, offering a sweeter and nuttier taste than parsley or spinach. In water it forms a tidy rosette you can cut again and again.
What is minutina?
Minutina is buckshorn plantain, also called herba stella. Mother Earth News says it grows wild along the coasts of Europe and the Mediterranean and tolerates saline soil. The crunchy leaves are most tender when young. People use them raw in salads or as a garnish, and the flowers can go in too.
It thrives in cool, rainy weather and survives light frost, which makes it a fit for a cool room. In the garden, plants sown in early April gave greens until about the end of June before they ran to seed.
How do you start minutina in a hydroponic system?
Sow seed in rockwool, foam or coir plugs, using Virginia Cooperative Extension guidance for DWC crops. Feed diluted solution once seedlings appear. Move each seedling into a net cup when roots push through the bottom of the plug.
Give each plant about 8 inches of room, which matches the spacing Mother Earth News gives for garden beds and the 8 inch spacing Virginia Extension uses for lettuce rafts. The University of Minnesota Extension advises that net pots sit only partly in the solution. An air stone moves oxygen through the water. Virginia Extension gives pH 5.5 to 6.2 and EC 1.2 to 2.0 mS/cm for many leafy greens. For routine upkeep, read caring for your hydroponic system.
How do you harvest it as a cut and come again green?
Cut the outer leaves while they are young and crisp and leave the center to grow. Mother Earth News notes the leaves are most tender when young and lose flavor once the plant flowers, because the flowers draw flavor from the leaves. Pinch off any flower stalks you see and cut again often. Once a plant bolts for good, start fresh. A growing schedule for your hydroponics helps you sow on time.
Minutina growing basics
| Stage | What to do | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Sow in plugs | Feed a diluted solution after germination |
| Move | Net cups about 8 inches apart | Roots only partly in the solution |
| Grow | Aerate and check pH | pH 5.5 to 6.2 for many greens |
| Cut | Take outer leaves young | Leave the center to regrow |
| Finish | Restart when it bolts | Flavor fades after flowering |
Sources: Mother Earth News, Virginia Cooperative Extension, University of Minnesota Extension.
How to: step by step
- Sow minutina seed in plugs and set them under light.
- Feed a diluted solution once seedlings appear.
- Move seedlings into net cups when roots show at the bottom.
- Space plants about 8 inches apart on a raft or lid.
- Aerate the solution and check pH and EC a few times a week.
- Cut outer leaves young and pinch off flower stalks.
Troubleshooting
Leaves taste flat: the plant is flowering. Pinch flower stalks or start new plants.
Crowded, small rosettes: plants are too close, so give each about 8 inches.
Roots look brown: too much root sits in still water. Lower the level and add air.
A crisp green for cool rooms
Minutina is an easy cut green for cool spaces. Compare root media in hydroponic in different mediums. Kind Seed Co shares more hydroponic salad notes on the blog.
Sources
- Rediscovered salad green: buckshorn plantain, Mother Earth News
- Hydroponic production of edible crops: deep water culture (DWC) systems (SPES 464), Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Small scale hydroponics, University of Minnesota Extension
- Growing lettuce in small hydroponic systems (HS1422), UF IFAS Extension
FAQ
Is minutina a weed?
It grows wild along the coasts of Europe and the Mediterranean, according to Mother Earth News, but it is also grown on purpose as a salad green called minutina or herba stella.
Does minutina grow in cool or warm rooms?
It thrives in cool weather and survives light frost, according to Mother Earth News. A cool room suits it, and warm spells push it toward flowering.
How often can you cut minutina?
Cut outer leaves whenever they reach a useful size and leave the center to grow. Regular cutting gives a steady supply until the plant runs to seed.
Why is my minutina flowering?
Flowering is the plant running to seed, which garden plants did around the end of June. Pinch off stalks, since flowers draw flavor from the leaves, and start new plants.
Can you eat minutina flowers?
Yes. Mother Earth News notes the flowers can be added to salads along with the young leaves.
