Hydroponics grows leafy greens in water, indoors, year-round — lettuce in 30 days, no soil, no weeds, no slugs. A deep-water-culture (DWC) tub with net pots, an air pump and air stone to oxygenate the roots, a full-spectrum grow light on a timer, hydroponic nutrients, and lettuce seeds. Mix the nutrients, set the timer, and harvest salads all winter.
Plans
Choose a plan that fits your needs and budget
Item List
4System
2 items
Light & Nutrients
2 itemsPlan Totals$159
Total$159
FAQ
Common questions about this kit
What is DWC?
Deep Water Culture — the roots hang in a reservoir of nutrient solution, kept oxygenated by an air pump and stone (drowned roots rot without oxygen). It is the simplest, most reliable hydro method for leafy greens — no pumps to fail, no timers to miss, just a tub of aerated nutrient water.
Why an air pump?
The roots need dissolved oxygen or they drown and rot. The air pump and stone bubble oxygen into the reservoir continuously — it runs 24/7 and is the life support of the system. A backup or a battery on the pump is cheap insurance; a dead pump for a day kills the crop.
What nutrients?
Hydroponic nutrients — a two-part (grow and bloom, or A and B) liquid that supplies all the macro- and micronutrients the plant needs, since there is no soil. Mix to a measured EC (electrical conductivity) and pH (around 5.8-6.2 for lettuce). An EC/pH meter is the dial for the nutrient strength.
How much light?
12 to 16 hours of full-spectrum grow light per day, on a timer — the light replaces the sun and must be strong and close (6 to 12 inches above the canopy for LEDs). Too weak or too far and the lettuce grows leggy and bitter. A decent LED grow light is the main investment and the main yield driver.
User Reviews
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Hydroponics and my soil beds share the right-nutrients-and-the-right-light gospel — an EC/pH meter is a soil test, and the 16-hour grow light is the south-facing bed. Year-round lettuce is the raised bed's winter dream, agreed.
Hydroponics and my aquaponics share the water-grows-the-plant gospel — the nutrient-reservoir is the fish-waste, and the EC-meter is the test-kit. The closed loop is the open system plus a fish, agreed.