Lettuce is one of the easiest plants to grow hydroponically. It is the perfect choice for beginners as it is fast-growing and requires very little maintenance. However, there are a few important things to note while growing lettuce hydroponically indoors. Those points are discussed below.
Taking out the plug
- The seeds are grown growing in rock wool cubes.
- Pre-soak the cubes in the nutrient solution and place the seeds in the middle.
- Allow them to germinate under adequate light and temperature, and place the light closer so that the seedling does not grow longer.
Readying the net cup
- Do not place the individual seedling cube directly into the cup, without lining it.
- Add some clay pellets at the bottom and then the rock wool cube over it.
- Not having a lining layer at the bottom, could cause crushing of the seedling roots. adding a lining allows the roots some breathing space and they will grow properly.
Filling in
The space around the cube is duly filled using more clay pellets. This will help prevent the moisture from the cube from escaping and retaining enough moisture and the roots grow longer with enough air space.
Watering
While watering, make sure that the water level always reaches the roots. Lettuce plants love water so allow the water to flood around their roots. Also, check the water level every single day.
Nutrients
Add an adequate amount of nutrients with every water change. The leaves could have a bitter taste due to excess nutrients. So supplying the right amount of nutrients as needed is crucial. Even a mild reduction in nutrient supply could have a huge difference.
Lighting
Lettuce is a long-day plant that needs around 18 hours of light. The intensity is not a big issue as long as it gets an adequate amount of light.
It can thrive in 14-16 hrs of light. You can use a fluorescent light, which is more efficient and economical.
Harvesting
Lettuce grows fast so harvesting can be done regularly. It will be ready for harvest within 3 weeks.
Take the leaves right when it is young and tender. Mature leaves will be bitter so look for light green leaves. The best time for harvest is the morning before the sun comes up. While harvesting, be careful to cut out only the outer layers of the leaf so that the center leaves will still grow and provide fresh leaves for the next round.
If you want to harvest lettuce seeds, allow them to grow to maturity and provide higher temperatures. Under warmer climates lettuce plants go into flowering and later form the seeds. These seeds can be used for larger crop production.
Concluding Notes
The best lettuce varieties to grow hydroponically are Butterhead lettuce and loose-leaf lettuce. I would highly recommend starting with a smaller unit and then leaping longer. The smaller unit allows you to make mistakes and errors that will not affect big. You will end up ruining only fewer plants. Once you are confident, go for the larger production. Lettuce is fast growing, but it needs some extra care, especially with the water pH and nutrients.
Lettuce
