So You Want to Grow Hydroponic Lettuce

Hydroponics is the growth of plants without using soil and the name means. The grower provides through water instead all of the nutrients they would normally get from the soil. Hydroponics can be scaled down and used by a home gardener as well as on a larger production scale. A good place to start is hydroponic lettuce growing if you are new to hydroponics. The plants are easy to work with for novice farmers and they are also forgiving.

You will need to prepare for starting your hydroponics garden two weeks in advance of actually planting the lettuce. First, gather your equipment. You will need to get a container that is 5-gallon size with a lid. Darkness helps keep algae from growing so it is best to use dark plastic containers. If you can only find a clear plastic container, cover it with a dark plastic film or aluminum foil. Also you will need a growing medium. Root cubes, such as Oasis root cubes, work well for lettuce. Pre-formed grwoth mediums such as root cubes are easy to handle. They should be designed for propagation and ahve a neutral ph. Lettuce seedlings will also be needed of course. The seedlings need to be placed in the growth cube two weeks in advance of planting and then put in a dish of water.

While your seedlings are in water, you can prepare the lid of your container for planting. Place the plastic planting cones on the lids and trace their outline. Four to six should fit, evenly spaced on a 5 gallon lids; just try to not get too close to the edge. Once you have cut out circles you have traced with the plasctic planting cones you need to insert the cones into the holes.

Now you can create your water nutrient solution. In hydroponic growing the most crucial step is to remember you must supply via water all the nutrients plants would normally get through the soil. The base for your solution is easy to find because there are many pre-mixed hydroponics solutions on the market. In a 5-gallon drum you take 2 tsp of pre-mixed hydroponic fertilizer or you can also use 8-15-36, 1 tsp of Epsom salt, and 2 tsp of calcium nitrate. In a cup of water dissolve each of these ingredients one at a time and then add the water to the drum. After adding the nutrients you need to put water in the drum filled nearly to the top.

After your seedlings have been sitting in water for two weeks, they are ready to add to the planters. First, place your lid over the drum and secure it in place with duct tape. Then, place the seedlings, inside the root cubes, into the plastic planting cones, which should already by in the holes you made in your drum lid. Hydroponic lettuce needs plenty of sunlight; about equal amounts of direct and indirect sunlight works best.

You will need to keep an eye on the plants for any insects or worms. Remove by hand any insects you might see. Pesticides are not recommended for growth projects on such a small scale as this even though they are used in hydroponic gardening. You must keep an eye on the water in the drum to be sure that the water level is not getting too low and that the plants are actually taking water.

Within 4 to 5 weeks, you should have fully grown lettuce plants, ready to pick. Simply remove the leaves to pick. Though some kinds of hydroponic growth mediums can be recycled, root cubes should not be used more than once.