After 5-6 weeks of growth, begin harvesting the lettuce by pulling the outer leaves. We recommend an indoor start, to allow time for the lettuce to mature, before hot weather sets in. Contact Brian, Mr Stacky Australia admin@mrstacky.com.au 0424 169 729, Vertical Gardens –5 Tier Stackers –Wall Gardens –3 Tier Hangers –Heavy Duty Trolleys, Hydroponic Kits –5 Tier Manual Watering –Smart Farm Tower –Smart Farm 3 Tower –3 Tower DIY Kit –9 Tower DIY Kit, Commercial Farms –30 Tower Farm –60 Tower Farm –100 Tower Farm –Bulk Stacking Planters, * Needs full sun during winter (min 4-6 hours p/day) and shaded sun during summer, * Should be continually planted at intervals of 3 weeks to ensure a continuous harvest, * Will be ready for harvest from 30 – 60 days from sowing (depending on the variety). Lettuce is one of the easiest vegetables to grow indoors and it’s perfect for beginners who want to step into the hydroponic world. This video shows how to grow lettuce in glass mason jars hydroponically, meaning in water instead of in soil. But I think its overkill. Diagnosis: Tip burn. Then, place … So far, I’ve had to add nutrients twice in 6 days. You may need to consider a method to control the temperature during the day. And, lettuce is something that you can grow within weeks. over soil grown lettuce, but warning! If you don't remember which nutrients you were successful with, it's always a safer bet to purchase a nutrient kit from a gardening store. Grow lettuce seedlings outside of the water culture system, and once they are around 2 inches tall, transplant them into a net pot and place the pot in the reservoir. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. wide, and a thin film of nutrient solution trickles over the bare roots. Lettuce is not a tropical vegetable! However, the growing conditions can affect the growth rate.”. This method allows you to grow an abundance of small, lightweight crops such as lettuce, spinach, endives, or herbs such as basil, parsley, and cilantro. Leaf lettuce seedlings should be 4 inches (10.2 cm) apart while heads of lettuce should be 6 to 8 inches (15.2 to 20.3 cm) apart. If you had success the first way you grew your lettuce, go back to using those nutrients. Lettuce is the easiest vegetable to grow hydroponically, so it’s a great place to start. Problem: Your lettuce seedlings suddenly died. If you decide to grow your own hydroponic lettuce, you can ensure that your lettuce crop is free of pesticides: simply avoid using any pesticides in your hydroponic lettuce setup. Problem: Tiny green, white, or black insects are clustered on the underside of lettuce leaves. https://www.commercial-hydroponic-farming.com/lettuce-head-development Be sure to always have the cubes in a dish of water. Problem: Your lettuce tastes terrible. This is because you’re constantly giving fresh water, instead of recirculating systems. For those who want a simple and incredibly effective method to grow abundant quantities of quality lettuce, this, 9 Versatile Herbs to Grow in Your Vertical Herb Garden, How to - Growing From Seed in Mr Stacky Systems, Aquaone Maxi 105 - Tower Garden Water Pump, AP250 Infinity Air Pump + Air Stone + Tubing. The lettuce is placed in plastic gullies, usually between 2.5- and 6-in. Some lettuce types are more sensitive to nitrogen that others, so make sure that the nutrients that you purchase are for the right kind of lettuce. Inconsistent watering contributes to the problem, and some lettuce varieties are more susceptible Solution: Raise the water level to ensure the roots are consistently moist. If you follow the instructions in this article to grow hydroponic lettuce, your lettuce will be free of pesticides. The time it takes for a lettuce head to become … In … The best EC value for growing lettuce is about 1.4 mS/cm. Problem: Mature plants rot or collapse. What is the hydroponic mixture? Do you want to start easy with hydroponics? Make sure that the kit is made specifically with the type of lettuce you're growing. The seeds will need two weeks to fully germinate and you … Lettuce grown hydroponically in Mr Stacky Tower Gardens; * Grows best in the cooler months * Needs full sun during winter (min 4-6 hours p/day) and shaded sun during summer * Should be continually planted at intervals of 3 weeks to ensure a continuous harvest * Will be ready for harvest from 30 – 60 days from sowing (depending on the variety) * Needs constant moisture * Are very easy to grow and taste amazing!!! If it is hot during the day, the leaves will wilt. Problem: The edges of lettuce leaves turn brown and die back. Consider taste, mature plant size, and nutrition information (check out our review of the best hydroponic nutrients! Grow rock is another popular option that has a neutral pH and holds moisture well. Caring For Your Lettuce As your lettuce plant start to grow, you will need to give it nutrients daily. Solution: Use a natural insecticide such as Pyrethrum to control especially bad infestations, but before you spray, monitor the problem for a few days. Ensure that you re growing your lettuce in a cool space – hot temperatures are known to hold lettuce growth. unlocking this expert answer. Once you ace the art of growing, you can grow your crop throughout the year. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. Different lettuce crop varieties can be in the greenhouse — both pre and post-transplant — for 90 days or fewer, and many for 60 days or fewer, Brown said. Row covers also help control thrips, leaf hoppers and aphids. 9 Ingenious Tips to Grow High-Quality Hydroponic Lettuce. I have successfully grown lettuce hydroponically. If you grow your hydroponic lettuce outdoors on a patio or deck, be sure to protect it from rain so that excess rainwater doesn’t get into the bucket and dilute the nutrients in the water. Isn’t that good? pH control is also important for hydroponic lettuce production. The Best Hydroponic System for Growing Lettuce By far the most popular hydroponic system for lettuce production in the United States and Europe is the nutrient film technique (NFT) system. Romaine also does well although it takes just a bit longer to reach maturity. Mr Stacky is the leader in Tower Garden Systems in Australia, specializing in commercial hydroponic farming, urban farming & residential vertical gardening. I have a habit of covering the tray or the flatwith the polythene sheet to keep the moisture intact and it has always paid off well. If you want to grow hydroponic lettuce, pick a lettuce variety and a water culture system for your setup, such as NFT or Ebb and Flow. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is one of the most commonly grown hydroponic vegetables. much to do something for the future, for the people. Cover very lightly with a fine starter soil. A plant that is being attacked just tells you it’s not getting the right amounts of sunlight, water, nutrients or oxygen to the root zone. Thanks for reading. Rockwool is the most popular medium choice and is both sterile and porous. For tips from our Horticulturalist reviewer on setting up the water culture system and managing pests, scroll down! Gently, partly cover the seed with sowing media to keep the seed intact. * Are very easy to grow and taste amazing!!! If you get these basics down, you can have home-grown lettuce all through the year! How to Harvest Hydroponic Lettuce With or Without the Roots. Tom Thumb is a good option if you’re trying to take up a little less room, Bibb lettuce is a little bit of an easier variety to grow, and Romaine works well but takes a bit more time. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. Are bumps on the lettuce leaves indicative of too much indoor LED light? For an early start, seeds can be started in flats 4 weeks prior to the last frost and transplanted outdoors in mid to late spring. If you want to attempt to save your dying crop, switch out the water and nutrient combination that you currently have and replace it with the new one. Plants may be grown in a nutrient solution only (liquid culture) or they may be supported by an inert medium (aggregate culture). This can lead to root suffocation, stem rot, and root rot. I notice that my lettuces' leaves have bumps on them. This happens especially if you get very hot weather after a cool spell. When it comes to lighting, no one has an accurate answer. After some research, we chose this plant because it is the best plant that you could grow using the wick system. How to Grow Iceberg Lettuce: Iceberg lettuce seeds can be sowed directly into the garden, or started indoors. The ideal water temperature for hydroponic lettuce is between 20 to 25 degrees celcius. Solution: Bitterness naturally occurs in older lettuce plants, but it can occur in drought-stressed young plants. Keep soil in the seed tray moist. There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. During my second time trying, I decided to change the types of nutrients and now the plants are dying. If done in a correct manner it can result in growing the lettuce within a short period of time. Purchase both up and down pH adjusters that, when added to your reservoir, will be able to bring the pH back to the correct level. For Cos and Iceburg varieties, pinch off the weakest seedlings leaving 1 seedling per mesh pot for best results. % of people told us that this article helped them. What is your water temperature? Lettuce is a low-light, low-temperature crop. Just a simple inspection for any creepy crawlies is all that’s needed every couple of days…. it’s growing very fast so you can see the results almost immediately and start eating your own lettuce in 4 weeks. Indoor lighting The best thing about it is that it grows rapidly. "I have no idea to what to do to the piece of agricultural land that I bought, but seeing your site inspired me so, "It is a very helpful and easy way to explain the whole theory that I was looking for. Taste-test your lettuce often. This medium is reusable if cleaned thoroughly, which can be beneficial for growing hydroponically in your home, but might be tedious on a larger scale. I have been to many hydroponics stores and seen almost all the lettuce hydroponics videos on youtube. If the pH is too acidic, use a pH Raise solution containing a mild base such as potassium, Thanks for reading. It is very fast growing and works very well with, hydroponics. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. Bibb lettuce grows very rapidly as do the leaf lettuce varieties. Remember that plants that are grown in a hydroponic setting require water and nutrient support just like soil-based plants. Lettuce grows best in full sun, though excessive heat can cause plants to bolt to seed, or leaves to wilt. You can grow most varieties of lettuce hydroponically. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Pour in the cup beneath the plant with the hydroponics nutrient blend to just about an inch or more as the plant grows. Diagnosis: Your plants are old, bolting, or drought-stressed. If the pH is too high (alkaline), use a pH Lower solution containing a mild acid. Well, there are a lot of things that you need to take care of. Is it possible to grow lettuce using aeroponics? Hydroponics is a science in which plants are grown in water that contains all the essential nutrients necessary for the plants to grow, flower and fruit. What I do is, I create a small depression on the potting media surface and press the lettuce seed in. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. Did you know you can read expert answers for this article? Solution: If you live where cold, damp weather is normal during the lettuce-growing season, space plants farther apart to encourage good air circulation and reduce watering. During most times of the year, beneficial insects quickly control aphids. I find an EC of 1.2 in cooler weather (under 75 degrees F) to be effective. Lettuces are considered short-term, fast-growing leafy greens. Encourage a robust population of aphid enemies by growing plants with nectar-rich flowers, including cilantro, dill, and sweet alyssum. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Sow a few lettuce seeds in each cell of a seed tray. To grow iceberg lettuce, start by filling a shallow seed tray with soil and sprinkling a few seeds in each cell a few weeks before the last frost. Sow at least 5-10 seeds per seedling cube. Hydroponic lettuce is surprisingly easy to cultivate and boost great confidence in beginner hydroponic enthusiast the reason for this being is that it can be raised in temperate and tropical climates. Diagnosis: Damping-off, a soilborne fungal disease that thrives in cool, damp, cloudy conditions and kills seedlings Solution: Space plants apart to provide good airflow and reduce watering. Plant varieties that resist fungal disease, such as ‘Optima’. How to Grow Hydroponic Lettuce: Step by Step Choose your lettuce variety and purchase your seeds. For those who want a simple and incredibly effective method to grow abundant quantities of quality lettuce, this 72 plant 3 tower system can be set-up in any small space! {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/af\/Grow-Hydroponic-Lettuce-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Grow-Hydroponic-Lettuce-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/af\/Grow-Hydroponic-Lettuce-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid2212127-v4-728px-Grow-Hydroponic-Lettuce-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"