How to Grow Hydroponic Lettuce

Hydroponics or “working water” is a way of growing plants without soil. The grower provides through water instead all of the nutrients they would normally get from the soil. Hydroponics can easily be used by the home gardener as well as used on a mass production scale. If you are new to hydroponics, growing hydroponic lettuce is a good place to start. For novice farmers the plants are easy to work with and are very forgiving.

You will need to prepare for starting your hydroponics garden two weeks in advance of actually planting the lettuce. The first thing you do is gather your equipment. Get a 5-gallon container and lid to use. Using a dark plastic container works the best as it helps prevent algae from growing. You can cover a clear plastic container with dark plastic film or use aluminum foil if that is all you can find. You will need a growing medium also. Oasis root cubes work well for hydroponic lettuce. Root cubes are easy to handle becasue they are a pre-formed growth medium. They should be designed for propagation and have a neutral ph. Lettuce seedlings will also be needed of course. Two weeks prior to planting you must insert the seedlings in the growth cube and then place them in a dish of water.

While your seedlings are in water, you can prepare the lid of your container for planting. Trace the outline of the plastic planting cones on the lids. Try not to get too close to the edge but four to six should fit on a 5-gallon lid evenly spaced. After tracing circles with the plastic planting cones cut them out and insert them into the holes.

Now you can create your water nutrient solution. Remember you must supply through water all the nutrients plants would normally get through the soil, this is the most crucial step in hydroponic growing. The base for your solution is easy to find because there are many pre-mixed hydroponics solutions on the market. Mix together 2 teaspoons of the pre-mixed hydroponic fertilizer (8-15-36 works well), 2 teaspoons of calcium nitrate, and 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) in a 5-gallon container. In a cup of water dissolve each of these ingredients one at a time and then add the water to the drum. Fill the drum almost to the top with water after you have added your nutrients.

After your seedlings have been sitting in water for two weeks, they are ready to add to the planters. With duct tape secure the lid on the drum first. Inside the plastic planting cones, which should already be in the holes you made in your drum lid, place the root cubes with the seedling in it. Plenty of sunlight is necessary to grow hydroponic lettuce and equal amounts of indirect as well as direct sunlight works well.

You will need to keep an eye on the plants for any insects or worms. If by chance you see any insects you must remove them by hand. 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. It is simple to pick just remove the leaves. Though some kinds of hydroponic growth mediums can be recycled, root cubes should not be used more than once.

One Response to “How to Grow Hydroponic Lettuce”

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   November 22, 2009 at 8:29 am

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