You can easily grow lettuce at home and get economical benefits. In this article, we are going to discuss how to grow lettuce without soil. We have been growing plants in the soil for thousands of years. Soil is a great medium that supplies water and nutrients to the plants.
You can grow lettuce and leaves without soil but for this purpose, you should have some experience. Make sure the water in which you are growing plants, has the exact amount of nutrients that is the requirement of your plants.
But that is not enough, you have to take care of a lot of things such as you have to control temperature, humidity, and light. You have to check what is the favorite temperature of your plant or at what temperature your plant grows well.
Most people think that the nutrition value for the flavor of the letters will be changed if you grow them without soil the Racer says that if you grow lettuce hydroponically then the nutritional value of such type of lettuce is better than the lettuce you grow through conventional way.
WHY SOILLESS LETTUCE?
As you know, in the traditional way, we are growing plants in the soil. The question comes to our mind; Why grow lettuce without soil?
- As you know you can’t store lettuce leaves so it is worth it to spend on growing them. The important thing is that lettuce can’t naturally be grown throughout the year.
- The lettuce grows very quickly and you can harvest them regularly. If you fulfill all the basic requirements then you will get lettuce for your kitchen at home.
- The roots of lettuce plants don’t have a complex structure that’s why you can effortlessly grow them without soil.
BEST VARIETIES OF LETTUCE YOU CAN GROW INDOORS
When you decide to grow lettuce in your home. The first question that comes to your mind about which type of variety you should grow inside your home. There are a lot of varieties you can easily grow inside your house. There are four basic varieties of lettuce you can grow indoors.
- Butterhead
- Crisphead
- Cos or Romaine
- Loose-leaf
Among all the varieties mentioned above, loose-leaf is one which you should choose to grow indoors because it will provide you with a continuous supply of leaves.
If you are looking for a small variety then you should go for Little Gem. It is a popular upright variety and tends to be most tender.
BUTTERHEAD
This variety will grow well if you provide it with all the suitable conditions. The size of this variety is medium and it is best to harvest them when they are immature. So you will enjoy a good flavor of leaves instead of allowing them to grow more.
LOOSE-LEAF
Green leaves of this variety will enhance the taste of your variety. The seeds of this variety will germinate very fast. By growing this variety you will get lettuce ready quickly so most of the gardener prefers to grow this. This variety has drilled leaves and wavy stems.
CRISPHEAD
This variety has a firm stem and light green drilled leaves. This variety is very unique because it has a combination of all varieties. You will find Iceberg lettuce crunch in its stem.
Its texture is just like summer crisp and you will surprise to see the easy growing nature of this variety resembles the loose-leaf lettuce. This variety needs regular water but too much water is not good for your lettuce plant because it will rot the roots.
ROMAINE LETTUCE
If you want to make your salad yummy then this variety will be best for growing indoors. This variety has tall stature and sturdy leaves. You can harvest the heads before maturity so you can add sweetness to the salads with baby leaves of this variety.
Read More: HOW TO GROW LETTUCE IN PLASTIC BOTTLES?
HOW TO GROW LETTUCE INDOORS WITHOUT SOIL USING CLICK AND GROW SYSTEM?
First, I will describe this device so you will understand the benefits of the device.
WHAT IS CLICK AND GROW SYSTEM?
Before discussing how to grow lettuce without soil using this system. You should know what a click and grow system is so you can better understand how to use it. It is a zero effort device that gives you maximum results.
When you will use it, I’m sure you will not disappoint. It has three parts
- A base that holds the seed pods and water tank.
- LED light strip
- The arm helps to connect the LED light to the base.
The tank can hold up to 4 liters of water. When you fill the pod with a soil capsule the next step is to plug the device so the light starts working. This light will continuously work for 16 hours and off for 8 hours.
If you are planning to keep this smart garden in your bedroom then switch on the light after waking up in the morning.
HOW TO GROW LETTUCE IN CLICK AND GROW?
If you grow plants outdoors then you have to think about many things such as temperature, weather, climate, and space. Click and grow is a gardening system that helps to take care of watering and lightening consideration of your plants.
There are 3 planter boxes with seed pods that can hold water to irrigate the seeds. Besides this, it has a special LED light. After a few weeks when you see healthy plants then you will believe their effectiveness. Now we will explain how you can grow lettuce in a click and grow system.
- The sprouting time of the seeds is 1 to 2 weeks. Lettuce will germinate easily and give more growth if you provide suitable conditions. The best temperature for lettuce is about 15 to 22°C.
- Germination of the seed depends upon the temperature of your room or the place where you place the click and grow system. If the environment is warmer then germination will be fast but remember lettuce plants are very sensitive to high temperature.
- You can harvest the plant in 4 to 5 weeks after planting the seeds. You can also harvest the leaves in 25 days after picking only larger outer leaves. In this way, you can get more leaves, and you can harvest gradually until the plant is 40 days old.
- You should not cut too low because the basal growing point will be damaged. This will become the reason for the death of your plant and you will not get any leaves from it.
- If you see the tips of the leaves turning brown. The reason behind this is too warm temperature, as a result, you will have to postpone harvesting.
- As you know lettuce is an annual plant and you will get the best nutritional value in 25 to 40 days. so use the leaves before it grows old otherwise they will lose flavor.
Read More: How To Grow Your Salad Greens Without A Garden?
HOW CLICK AND GROW GARDEN HELPS TO GROW LETTUCE?
If you have a busy schedule and you want to grow lettuce, basil, and any other plants then you should buy this wonderful device. If you are living in a small flat or facing the problem of shortage of space or you want to grow plants indoors but plants will not get ample sunlight in your house.
Then you should not think about all these problems because your issues are solved by one smart device.
There is a combination of factors that are involved in providing the best environment to the lettuce seeds for their germination in this smart and click device. Now we will give a brief explanation of how a cluck and garden will help your plants to grow fast.
PLANTER BOXES
There are 3 planter boxes in each box there is a seed pod. These pods are designed for self-watering. They can hold water to irrigate the seeds and make you free from all worry of watering.
SMART SOIL CREATES BEST ENVIRONMENT FOR LETTUCE PLANT TO THRIVE
This system has pre-planted soil and seed pods. Fertilizer is already part of the soil. It means the seeds will get nutrition from the start. One thing I must tell you is that no pesticides, plant hormones, or harmful substances are added to the soil so you should not worry about the health of the plants.
The soil is very smart as it releases all the nutrients in the soil. It provides aeration to plants because it has tiny oxygen pockets. In this way, plants can get the best breathing space and nutrients.
STRONG, NON-WASTEFUL LED LIGHTS
In gardening, lighting is a very important factor for the better development of your plants. The LED light system in this smart garden will consume less energy which is a plus point of using this great invention for growing lettuce.
Only 6 watts of energy will be consumed by the LED lights of this unique device. LED light of the device provides light to your plants evenly, the lights are arranged directly overhead on this sturdy arm.
There is an extension so you can raise the lights as you see the plants are growing taller. When your plants grow they start to touch the lights which is not good because they can burn the delicate leaves.
This artificial light will help your plants to grow just like the plants in the real sunlight. Now there is no problem with bending, kneeling, and dirty hands in the soil. You will get fresh green salad leaves for your meals without facing any problem.
A LARGE, SELF-WATERING TANK
If you are living a busy life then you can’t water regularly to your plants. Another important thing, some plants need more water and some less. It is very difficult for you to decide when to water and when there is no need for it.
Instead of thinking too much, you just pour water into the base of the click and grow system. The water indicator indicates when to fill water in the tank.
When the indicator reaches a lower point this is the best time to add more water in the tank so your plants will not dry. This will solve all your problems and you know when to water.
Now it is not a dream that you can grow plants without hard work. This is an incredible way of growing plants on your desk, kitchen shelf, or even in your bedroom.
It is fun to watch your seeds germinate thanks to this device. In this way, you will get fresh air in your living environment with the help of these plants. At the same time, you will get fresh herbs with low maintenance.
Greens will add freshness to your mood, when you see fresh green plants around you it will reduce your stress, anxiety, and pressure.
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