The Quick Guide to Growing Lettuce Hydroponically

This is the first of a series of "Quick Guide" reading materials for crops that have been grown by the owner of GTG through SNAP Hydroponics.

Hello there! For this series of quick guides, each one will have three parts, namely, The Gist, How To, and Everything In Between. Hopefully this is informative enough to ensure success in your hydroponic endeavors. Take note, however, that GTG is not paid to mention or promote a specific brand. You are free to select your own items or inputs.

Lettuce is the recommended crop for starters due to its ease of production. Moreover, it has a relatively quick cycle, compared to larger plants such as tomatoes and peppers. While a cold climate favors its growth, varieties have been developed to allow it to thrive under hot conditions, such as those mentioned below.

THE GIST
Scientific name: Lactuca sativa
Varieties Tested: Lollo Rossa, Green Eton (both from Ramgo), Emperor (Condor Seeds)
Size: Small
Approximate Growth Timeline: [Sowing to emergence: 4 days][Pre-growing: 6 days][Growing at setup: 30-35 days] = total approx. 40 days (Lollo Rossa and Green Eton)
Sunlight: Full, at least 4 hours

HOW TO
1. Get a pinch of seeds. Sow them according to the instructions provided in setting up SNAP Hydroponics. You do not need to bury the seeds; you just have to sprinkle them on top of the coir and water them. Don't allow the setup to dry up; otherwise, it will affect germination rate. Germination time should take around four days.
2. Once the seeds have germinated, water them using dilute SNAP solution (2.5mL A&B per 1L water) until the first true leaves appear. True leaves are the leaves that grow after the first two leaves emerge. This will take around six days from the date of emergence.
3. Around the 10th day from date of sowing, your seedlings are ready to transfer. Pick the best ones in terms of growth and transplant them, one seedling per cup. For one styrofoam box, eight seedlings can be accommodated.
4. Harvest the seedlings at 30 to 35 days after transplant, regardless of its size. You may harvest it earlier but NEVER later, otherwise, you will end up eating bitter lettuce. Bitterness is a result of age, not that it intakes solution.

EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
1. Most of the time, the setup does not need to be refilled with solution, but in summer times, evaporation rates may be higher. If you see that your lettuce hasn't developed much roots but water has already receded below the base of the cup, all you have to do is just refill it with water. No need to add fresh solution to it. Likewise, if harvest time is near but the setup is about to dry up, just refill it with water only.
2. If you planted iceberg varieties (like Emperor) under hot conditions, don't expect it to form a head. Its leaves will remain loose, and chances are, the leaves will taste bitter. A safe way to ensure good harvest is to follow the schedule of leaf lettuce, such as in Lollo Rossa and Green Eton.
3. It's normal for lettuce to look wilted when the sun is at its peak intensity. They will look fresh once more when the intensity recedes. You should be concerned, however, if they do not seem to recover even at night. If that is the case, then you must troubleshoot it immediately (For now, you may contact us through our Facebook page or mobile number should you have inquiries regarding this matter).
4. Insect pests aren't usually attracted to lettuce, but one must monitor moth larvae (locally known as higad) since they attack lettuce crops. Their population usually increases at the onset of rainy season. Be careful not to touch them by hand since their hair can cause excessive irritation. You may use pesticide, but be sure to pick the right one, and to follow the instructions provided. The label will indicate to which pests is it effective plus the proper way of handling it. You may also contact us for proper guidance.
5. Leaf miners may attack the crops. You can say that they have when you see discolored lines on the lettuce's leaves. They won't kill the plant but it can affect the plants' growth rate if infestation is severe. There is no way to control them by means of pesticide, so the best way to control is to simply pluck out the infested leaves. It is recommended, however, to just leave them alone.

Information provided in this guide are based on the author's experience and on the seminar on SNAP Hydroponics conducted by the Institute of Plant Breeding, UP Los Banos. If you have comments or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Hydroponics Made Simple!

    This is a set of instructions in setting up your own hydroponic setup. Tips and additional information are available below. You are encouraged to read the instructions fully before performing the tasks. If you wish for a more comprehensive set of instructions, you may refer to the manual provided by the manufacturer or you may consult with GTG through the contact details below.

    In setting up your hydroponic setup, you will need the following: seeds of your crop of choice, plastic container, styrofoam cups, grape Styrofoam box, coco coir, black garbage bag, packaging tape, barbecue sticks and SNAP hydroponics solution. 

PART 1: GERMINATING YOUR SEEDS
1.    Prepare the coconut coir by immersing it in water. Squeeze out excess water.
2.    Prepare your plastic container. This may be a used food or butter container, keeping in mind that this will be used to germinate your seeds. Punch holes on the base if you are not confident with your watering. Add at least an inch of coir.
3.    Sow the seeds to the container according to the seed packet’s instructions. It is not necessary to follow the spacing recommendations at this stage. Top the seeds with some coir.
4.    Prepare a solution of 2.5mL SNAP A + 2.5mL SNAP B per liter of water. Use this to water your seeds.
5.    Wait for the seeds to germinate. This will take days depending on the crop.

PART 2: PREPARING YOUR SETUP
1.    Get your Styrofoam box and cups. Using the lip of the cups, trace eight circles at the cover of the box, such that they are equally spaced apart.
2.    Make holes on the cover using the traced circles as your guide. Make sure that you don’t make the holes too big as the cover will be used to hold the cups. If you accidentally make holes too big for the cup, you may try to cutout Styrofoam cups to narrow the holes.
3.    Now get the base of the box and your garbage bag. Line the base with the garbage bag, making sure that the bag is lined flat on the corners of the base. After which, use the packaging tape to secure the bag in place.
4.    Fill the box with water. Check for leaks. If there are leaks, you are recommended to either replace the lining or double line the lining of the box.
5.    Transfer the water to a pail. You may use this for any purpose.
6.    Now get your Styrofoam cups. Make six to eight slits that are around ¼ inch wide and extends from the base to half the height of the cup.

PART 3: TRANSPLANTING
1.    Get your cups with slits. Add a half-inch worth of coco coir, slightly compressing the coir.
2.    Once your seeds have germinated, gently uproot them by using a barbecue stick.
3.    Transfer one seedling to the cup with coir. Bury the roots, making sure that the leaves are left above.
4.    Add these to your Styrofoam box. Place your box to its final location (since it will be hard to transfer once water has been added). Make sure the location has ample amount of sunlight (at least 4 hours) and has protection from rain.
5.    Add water until the level just reaches the base of the cups. A good indication would be if the coir is saturated by water.
6.    Add 2.5mL SNAP A and 2.5mL SNAP B per liter of water added on the setup. Add them one at a time, NOT simultaneously. For grape boxes, water added is usually 10 liters, so 25mL SNAP A and B are added.
7.    Inspect the setup. Make sure that the water level is sufficient, the plant/s is/are not submerged, and that there are no leaks.
8.    You may now leave the setup alone at this point. Check it up once a week, troubleshooting any possible issue.
9.    Harvest your crops at the recommended day of harvest, or if physical looks indicate that it is ready for harvest.

TIPS AND REMINDERS
1.    Materials need not be strictly followed. Alternatives that can serve the same purpose may be used.
2.    Likewise, measurements (except the SNAP proportions) need not be strictly followed. They only serve as guides and approximates.
3.    Black garbage bag is recommended to avoid algae growth.
4.    Coco coir is not recommended for re-use. You may use them for composting or for soil growing after use.
5.    Likewise, used solution is not recommended for re-use after harvest. You may use it for watering instead.
6.    Although rain will not directly kill the plants, it will fill up the setup with water, diluting the solution and eventually drowning the plants. In the event that this happens, drain the water to an acceptable level.
7.    You may customize your setup based on materials available and to your preference for as long as the requirements for setting up a hydroponic setup are met.

A printable document can be downloaded here (SOON!)

A Primer On Doing Hydroponics in the Philippines

If you have limited space for gardening or want to be less dirty with gardening then hydroponics might be right for you. Hydroponics is basically a way of raising plants by only using water instead of soil. In short, the water provides for the plant's nutrient requirements. Some prefer this over the traditional soil-based method since this is more efficient (plant grows faster) than the latter and that this prevents any soil-borne disease. 

In most cases, preparing and conditioning the soil to outdo hydroponics is more meticulous and time-consuming. Not everyone has the luxury of time to do so. With hydroponics, one does not need to go through such tedious process. Most nutrient solutions are as good as “ready for use” when prepared.

Do take note that not all plants can be grown hydroponically. For example, I tried to grow a dwarf variety of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) using hydroponics, since I was unsuccessful in growing it using soil. While it yielded a larger plant, it proved to be an unsustainable practice since the nutrients had to be replenished more often, and that not being able to will immediately lead to nutrient deficiency. It was also able to grow a flower, but its head was much smaller than what is sold by garden shops, grown in soil. As a general rule, hydroponics works best with vegetables, not ornamentals.

Moreover, this is NOT organic gardening (although some organic gardening methods can still be employed in the process). I've read gardening forums wherein attempts were made at making hydroponics organic (by using extracts from organic sources to replace chemical solutions) and it proved to be disadvantageous. Lastly, there is a difference between hydroponics and aquaponics. Aquaponics is the combination of hydroponics and aquaculture (raising of aquatic animals). Nutrients are obtained from animal excrement (in short, poop). Aquaponics, therefore, can be considered organic.

In the Philippines, hydroponic resources are not so accessible to the public. But some locally-established physical and online shops do offer products for hydroponics. 

If you're the no-frills type like me, you can still do hydroponics. A low-cost option locally available is SNAP Hydroponics, a nutrient solution developed by researchers at the Institute of Plant Breeding, UP Los Baños. It is an alternative hydroponic method that requires no electricity and makes use of recyclables. 

I am selling the solution for only P350. You may refer to this for further details in ordering your SNAP Hydroponics Solution. I ship nationwide through Xend. 

For more information, you may visit Greenthumb Gardening's Facebook page at facebook.com/greenthumbmnl, call me at 09062084851 (Globe), or send me an email at jdiegoroxas@gmail.com