Hydroponics prevents wastefulness by multiplying the efficiency of water utilization in your garden.
While you could culture almost every vegetable this way, we understand that taking the first step or deciding on what to grow can be a confusing experience.
Here is a list of the most viable vegetables that you could grow hydroponically. I hope this gives you the push you need to set up your veggie garden!
Related page: "Grow Your Own Food with Hydroponics
1. Lettuces
Favorable temp: cool. pH: 6.0 – 7.0
Lettuces, the perfect ingredient for the salad sandwich in your kitchen, are probably the most common vegetables that are grown in Hydroponics. They grow super fast in a hydroponic system and are fairly easy to take care of. Lettuces can be grown in any Hydroponics system, including the NFT, Aeroponics, Ebb & Flow, etc. This vegetable is no doubt a great plant if you just start with Hydroponics.
2. Tomatoes
Favorable temp: hot. pH: 5.5 – 6.5
Many types of tomatoes, including traditional and cherry ones, have been grown widely by Hydroponic hobbyists and commercial growers. Botanically, the tomato is a fruit, but most people whether sellers or consumers consider it as vegetables. One thing to keep in mind is that tomatoes require much light. So be prepared to purchase some grow lights if you want to grow indoors.
3. Radishes
Favorable temp: cool. pH: 6.0 – 7.0
Radishes are another vegetable that makes a good flavoring mix with other vegetables. Radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow – either in soil or hydroponics. It’s better to start from seeds, and you can see seedlings within 3 – 7 days. Radishes thrive in cool temperatures and do not need any lights.
4. Kale
Favorable temp: cool to warm. pH: 5.5 – 6.5
Kale is a very nutritious and delicious-flavored plant for home and restaurant dishes. It is a great vegetable for a healthy person with proven health benefits. The great news is that people have grown Kale hydroponically for so many years, so definitely you can do it in the water system. And in fact, it’s easy to grow and thrive well in this system.
5. Cucumbers
Favorable temp: hot. pH: 5.5 – 6.0
Cucumbers are a common vining plant that is grown at home and in the commercial greenhouses. They enjoy a rapid growth under sufficient condition and hence give very high yields. There are several types and sizes of cucumbers, including the thick-skinned American slicers, long thin-skinned seedless European, and the smooth-skinned Lebanese cucumbers. All can grow well in Hydroponics. Cucumber is a warm plant so be sure to supply it with enough light and temperature.
6. Spinach
Favorable temp: cool to warm. pH: 6.0 – 7.0
The favorite vegetable that can be either eaten raw or cooked in your meal does grow well in the water-based environment. Spinach is a cool plant, so it does not require too much light. You can harvest it all at once or tear off some leaves. You can get up to 12 weeks of continuous harvesting under a good condition of climate and growing environment.
7. Beans
Favorable temp: warm. pH: 6.0
One of the most productive and low-maintenance vegetables that can be grown hydroponically. You can choose the types of beans you can grow, including green beans, pole beans, pinto beans, lima beans. You will need a trellis or something to support the plants if you plant pole beans. Seed germination usually takes 3 – 8 days. Harvesting begins after 6 – 8 weeks. After that, you can continue the crop for 3 – 4 months.
HERBS
8. Chives
Favorable temp: warm to hot. pH: 6.0
It’s easier to grow chives from a plant in a Hydroponic system. So better to get them from your local garden supplies. Under a standard growing condition, it takes six to eight weeks before it is fully mature. Then you can harvest it regularly – it needs 3 – 4 weeks later to fully regrow. Chive requires lots of light, 12 – 14 hours of light each day.
9. Basil
Favorable temp: warm. pH: 5.5 – 6.5
Basil thrives very well in a hydroponic system, and it is indeed among the most grown herbs in Hydroponic. You can grow basil in NFT or Drip system. Once this plant reaches the mature stage, you harvest and trim it weekly. Basil needs lots of lights. It will undergo poor growth when you do not provide it with over 11 hours of lightning.
10. Mints
Favorable temp: warm. pH: 5.5 – 6.5
Mints, mainly peppermint and spearmint, have been grown extensively whether in soils and hydroponics. Their aromatic compounds in mints are refreshing, and pungent, which proves their use as a flavor for food and beverages. Mint roots spread so quickly, making it ideal to grow with Hydroponics.
FRUITS
11. Strawberries
Favorable temp: warm. pH: 6.0
Strawberries are well suited for hydroponic growing. In fact, these fruits are one the most popular plants grown in commercial hydroponic production. They have been grown in large-scale NFT systems by commercial farms for decades. However, you can still enjoy delicious fresh strawberries to feed all your family by growing them at home and harvesting the fruits all year long.
12. Blueberries
Favorable temp: warm. pH: 4.5 – 6.0
Blueberries, a great fruit high in vitamins for your meal, can be grown well in Hydroponics. This plant takes longer to bear fruits than strawberries, often until the second years. They are usually grown in an NFT system. It’s hard to plant blueberries from seeds, so transplants are recommended.
13. Peppers
Favorable temp: warm to hot. pH: 5.5 – 6.0
Peppers need the same hydroponic growing condition like tomatoes – warm temperature and large amounts of lights. Peppers often take two to three months to mature
You can either start growing them from seeds or plants from the local garden supplier. Recommended varieties for hydroponically growing are Jalapeno, Habanero for hot peppers; Mazurka, Cubico, Nairobi, Fellini for sweet peppers.
14. Melons
Favorable temp: warm to hot. pH: 5.5 – 6.0
Most hydroponic systems are suitable for growing watermelons. If multiple plants are being grown, then an ebb-and-flow system is the best option, because it uses a single reservoir to provide nutrients to multiple hydroponic units, reducing the amount of time spent checking nutrient levels and adding more solution.
For smaller growing setups, a floating hydroponic system allows one or more watermelon plants to stay suspended above a container of nutrient solution.
Related page: "Grow Your Own Food with Hydroponics
Why Not Give Hydroponics a Try?
I can think of no reason not to try using a hydroponic system, even if you use it in conjunction with your normal gardening. This means you can have fresh food when you want it, and the food miles work out to about 6 feet depending on the size of your kitchen. It sure beats having it flown in from a country thousands of miles away.
Kids will love seeing the plants growing in front of them. They may even be more receptive to eating their greens if they have helped grow them.
Visit our shop for a nutrient solution suitable for your crop of choice:
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Should you be looking for even more information on how to set up your own hydroponics system, consider checking out the articles below:
Related page: "Grow Your Own Food with Hydroponics
