How to grow hydroponic lettuce at home? Hydroponic lettuce step by step? If you are looking for some tips for growing hydroponic lettuce at home, this generic guide might help you.
How to Grow Hydroponic Lettuce: Hydroponic System
It is important to consider factors such as your budget, the area and, especially, the type of hydroponic crop because, depending on the time of harvest, the area of cultivation varies.
How to Grow Hydroponic Lettuce: Best lettuce for hydroponics
Chiefly, the best lettuces for hydroponics are Butterhead, Romana, Loose leaf, Iceberg, among others.
Seeds
Certainly, the first two weeks of hydroponic lettuce cultivation are very important as its growth develops in seedlings with controlled temperature, good lighting, necessary irrigation and so on.
Moreover, once you open the package, you must sow the seeds immediately so that they do not lose their viability.
Growing media and Germination
Generally, there are many options such as: rock wool, coconut fiber, perlite, river rock, vermiculite, etc. One of the best options is rock wool.
Procedure
- The starting buckets should be moistened. Too much water can rot the seeds.
- Place three to five seeds in each bucket, place the bucket under an artificial light or window, spray them for the next few days until the seedlings germinate.
- Some people, for transplanting, are guided by the height or number of true leaves. Then, when the plants reach a length of 2-3 inches with 4 true leaves (about 3 weeks), you can start transplanting them (true leaves are larger than embryonic leaves).
- Remember that not all your seeds will germinate well.
How to Grow Hydroponic Lettuce: Transplant
Firstly, before transplanting into the hydroponic system, check the pH. Secondly, check for pests, fungus, odors, stains in order to get a good harvest.
Subsequently, take each cube and transplant it into your system. Carefully loosen the roots and place each seedling in its pot.
Hydroponic lettuce nutrients requirements
Emphatically, you have to look at the nutrient requirements of the type of lettuce. Generically, lettuce has high needs for potassium, calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium and manganese.
By the time the cotyledon leaves are open, the plants should already receive good nutrition. Besides, should be, on average, every 8 days. But this varies depending on the type.
Related Post: Hydroponic Nutrients
Hydroponic lettuce light requirements
By and large, lettuce seedlings need approximately 18 hours of light during the day and 6 hours at night. Most lettuces require low radiation light, therefore, one of the best lights are fluorescent lights.
During the day, lighting should be between 10 – 14 hours.
Related Post: Grow Lights for Hydroponics
Best ph for hydroponic lettuce?
Lettuce is a cool climate crop, so in warm temperatures it can deteriorate. An appropriate temperature would be between 68-73 F during the day and 54-59 F at night.
- Water temperature: 68-77 F
- Minimum relative humidity: 50-70%.
- pH: 5.5-6.5
- EC: 1.2 – 1.8
- PPM: 560 – 850
How to harvest hydroponic lettuce?
In most cases, lettuce will be ready for harvest in six to eight weeks, as its diameter should be approximately 8-9 inches.
In addition, leaving the roots intact allows for longer storage time after harvest.