I am, however, keeping the lights on longer than others here with their brighter lights (only giving about five hours' darkness or less). In an effort to address the needs of an emerging trend for indoor-food gardening, we have begun to characterize the minimum light requirements to grow lettuce plants . As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Youll also need a water pump, tubing, and timer. There are over a thousand varieties of lettuce grown today. Acidity of alcohols and basicity of amines, Full text of the 'Sri Mahalakshmi Dhyanam & Stotram'. As soon as you start growing lettuce, you should use fluorescent grow lights to illuminate it. Since hydroponic lettuce is grown in controlled environments, its hard to imagine a scenario where e.coli could be introduced. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Lettuce can be fed at about 600 ppms and a pH around 6. The reason why lumens are a bad indicator for determining light requirements of plants is that the light plants need most is almost out of the visible spectrum for humans. Start small and experiment, you can add more if you like. Leaf lettuce is probably best. Use the tubing to connect the water pump to the container of nutrient solution. I'm guessing they grow toward blue light more than red. Stratification (also known as cold stratification) doesn't apply to all seeds, but it's the number-one reason some seeds take their sweet time germinating (or refuse to germinate at all). Lettuce seedlings should get about 18 hours of sunlight or grow lights daily, followed by 6 hours of darkness. Monitor the pH and temperature of the solution and adjust as needed. Plenty of water is needed to keep leaves sweet and full. (given that this question's two years old, perhaps you've moved on already) You might be able to assemble a cheap setup with a desklamp and a CFL, and try at least one case. Standard grow lights include fluorescent, LED and HID lamps. There are three main types of hydroponic systems: a nutrient film technique, an Ebb and Flow System, and a Wick system (Figure 2). The amount and strength of this light determine the taste of your lettuce leaf. Another great thing about lettuce is that it grows well in tandem with other leafy vegetables and herbs. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Nitrogen levels will determine how tall your plants grow. PAR is more accurate but for practical purpose lumens is useful if you know the spectrum of the light. A lot of commercial lettuce is grown this way. University of New Hampshire Extension, Optimizing Plant Growth with Indoor Lighting Q&A. So, for example 6 ml of each per gallon would make a gallon of 600 ppm nutrient solution. Water is heavy, about 8 pounds per gallon. . What Types of Plants Can Grow in a Hydroponic Garden? What is the best nutrient for hydroponic lettuce? All hydroponic lighting systems have four main parts: the bulb, reflector hood, remote ballast, and timer. To be most effective, each light should be a specific distance from the plants: Fluorescent lights should be 3 to 12 inches above the tops of the plants; HID s, 24 to 60 inches; and LED s, 12 to 24 inches. You should really have a TDS meter and pH pen to measure your nutrient solution. The size of the plants also impacts this. The required pH for hydroponic lettuce ranges from 5.6 to 6.2. This also allows you to use lights that give off less heat, saving on electricity and cooling costs. Others, like Iceberg and denser, sturdier lettuces, are ready to harvest in six to eight weeks. This package includes a 4-18-38 Tomato and Vegetable Formula, 15.5-0-0 calcium nitrate fertilizer, and Epsom salt. Factors should include your system size and what type of plants you are growing. I also added a wick system to it. This post contains affiliate links. ). The easiest way to maintain a lighting schedule is with an automatic electric timer. BTW, if you are in a cold climate where the inside air in the winter is very dry you will get better results if you enclose your growing area as much as you can and do everything you can to keep the humidity up. You should be able to start harvesting sooner with leaf lettuce. The amount of light varies depending on what type of plants you are growing. 25 Best Plants for Stem Cuttings | Multiply Your Collection! Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Approximately 80-100k will be adequate. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Christina D'Anna is a gardening expert and freelance writer who contributed content to The Spruce in 2013. Artificial lighting for a hydroponic garden should imitate the direct and indirect sunlight requirements for outdoor gardening. Here is what mine looks like: You can also see the jiffy pellets I planted my lettuce seeds in. Direct light As shown in the table, most leafy greens grow well with at least 5 hours of direct light per day. Step 2: Add 600 grams of Masterblend 4-18-38 Tomato & Vegetable Formula. Hydroponic lettuce offers all the benefits of traditional, soil-grown lettuce. From personal experience I know these lights work well with lettuce and basil. However, its possible for seeds to be contaminated and carry the contamination through the growth cycle and end up on the final productbut this is unlikely. The high temperature will cause your lettuce plant to bolt or go into the flowering phase. Some people say 16-18 hours a day because that is how much light they get outdoors. Harvest can be incredibly simple if youre not concerned about regrowing your lettuce from the same root system. Heading lettuce takes longer to finish but can be done in about 45 days. It is just the right grow light match for your lettuce plant.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'growertoday_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_5',138,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-growertoday_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'growertoday_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_6',138,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-growertoday_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0_1');.large-mobile-banner-1-multi-138{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Lettuce, for example, prefers a range high in blue light. You can use a pH test kit. The texture is crisp, and the flavor is slightly sweet. All plants have different light spectrum requirements. So lets look at some of the hydroponic lettuce light requirements.Advertisement.medrectangle-3{text-align:center;padding-top:20px!important;padding-bottom:20px!important;padding-left:0!important;padding-right:0!important;background-color:#eee!important;outline:1px solid #dfdfdf;min-height:335px!important}if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'growertoday_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_3',105,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-growertoday_com-medrectangle-3-0');.medrectangle-3{text-align:center;padding-top:20px!important;padding-bottom:20px!important;padding-left:0!important;padding-right:0!important;background-color:#eee!important;outline:1px solid #dfdfdf;min-height:335px!important}if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'growertoday_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_4',105,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-growertoday_com-medrectangle-3-0_1');.medrectangle-3-multi-105{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding-bottom:20px!important;padding-top:20px!important;text-align:center!important}. It is fine as is. Generally, you need at least 30 watts of light per square foot of growing space. I added wicks to each pot. Here is everything you need to know about hydroponic lettuce. I added the wicks to move water up to the pots as the water level drops. She is especially fond of growing roses and enjoys experimenting with different varieties and colors. For instance, the Kratky method and the wick system are passive and require no pumps or energy to work, while others ensure proper oxygenation and lower the risk of root rot. That said, its still essential to understand the proper conditions for optimal growth. Fourteen to 16 hours of sunlight is ideal. DLI is calculated by measuring the photosynthetic photon flux density, which is how much light within the wavelength that plants need. You can even notice a difference in flavor in lettuce that is harvested early in the cool morning, and late in the afternoon when the sun is out. Hydroponic systems today are very sophisticated; there are systems that will monitor the level of nutrients pH, and temperature of the water, and even the amount of light the plants are receiving. If you arent controlling the temperature that your lettuce is grown in, you need to work with the sun or accept the occasional bitter head of lettuce. This way, you can extend your yields and get great value out of each plant. I found some for only 6 USD in my local store here in Berlin. Budget: A total of 306.72 kWh of energy was used growing lettuce hydroponically with 48 LED lighting fixtures on for 18 hours each day. If you remove the large, outermost leaves and keep the rest of the plant intact, the head will continue to pump out new leaves. We are reader supported. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. You can also severely cut down on the amount of light (and electrcity) you need to use, by putting highly reflective material around the lights, so it bounces back on the plants. A fertilizer high in nitrogen and potassium will work best. Even with all the answers, there doesn't appear to be a mention of recommended lux/lumen for lettuce. They are cheap and easy. Romaine is one of the most common lettuce varieties used in the United States. For most varieties, this means a daytime temperature of around 50F to 75F. Hydroponic lettuce growing with indoor lighting. The plants dont really grow much in this. That's inaccurate. Next, a lack of water will cause bitterness. The roots in the water are feeder roots. Check out TrueLeaf Market for 20+ varieties of lettuce seeds, Greenway Biotech 1 Pound Lettuce Fertilizer (8-15-36 ) Plus Trace Minerals, MASTERBLEND 4-18-38 Complete Combo Kit Fertilizer Bulk (2.5lb Kit), When Does Primrose Die? The nutrient solution provides the plants with all the necessary nutrients to grow. To get the best out of your hydroponic lettuce, it is best if you grow it in a medium with a PH value of 5.5 to about 6.5. Daily light integrals below 6.5 mol m 2 d 1 could greatly compromise growth and quality of pick-and-eat lettuce, potentially leading to an unsuccessful consumer experience. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. At the same time, lettuce needs plenty of potassium for structure and to prevent wilting. and denser, sturdier lettuces, are ready to harvest in. It is also easy to grow. Yes. She is a former Clemson University Extension Agent. My electric bill is lower and they will be slower to bolt and go to seed. So be assured of ready available nutritious leafy green at your disposal. You should maintain your hydroponic system to ensure your lettuce grows as quickly as possible. A great tip for beginners is to rotate the plants. However, for lettuce, you probably want mostly the higher color temperatures which should help the leaves grow most. Ways to Use You dont need to worry about having the perfect, optimum light cycle, just one that keeps your plants healthy. The most common types of bulbs are LED, fluorescent, metal halide (MH), and high-pressure sodium (HPS). When this happens, your lettuce plant will taste annoyingly bad.