How to Grow Hydroponic Lettuce

Hydroponics, which literally means, “working water ,” is the growth of plants without soil. Through water the grower provides all of the nutrients they would usually get from the soil for the plant. Hydroponics can easily be used by the home gardener as well as used on a mass production scale. If you are new to hydroponics then a good place to start is growing hydroponic lettuce. 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. The first thing you do is gather your equipment. You will need to get a container that is 5-gallon size with a lid. Dark, plastic containers work best, because the darkness helps keep algae from growing. 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. What works well for lettuce are root cubes, specifically Oasis root cubes. Root cubes are easy to handle becasue they are a pre-formed growth medium. They should have a neutral pH and be designed for propagation. You will also need your lettuce seedlings, 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. 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. Cut out the circles you have traced with the plastic planting cones, and insert the cones 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. For a 5-gallon drum, take 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). One ingredient at a time should be dissolved in a cup of water and then pour it in 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. First, place your lid over the drum and secure it in place with duct tape. Then next thing is toplace the seedlings inside the root cubes and then into the plastic planting cones that you previously prepared and placed 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. If you do see insects, you should remove them by hand. Pesticides are used in hydroponic gardening, but they are not recommended for growth projects on such a small scale as this. 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. Root cubes should not be used more than once though some kinds of hydroponic growth mediums can be recycled