Blog · Guides
Hydroponics: from seed to salad in 30 days
No soil, just water, nutrients and light. How a hydroponic system works, what you need to get started and how we went from seeds to a salad ready to harvest in about a month.
What is hydroponics
In hydroponics plants grow without soil: the roots sit in water (or an inert growing medium) and get dissolved nutrients directly. The plants don’t have to search the soil for food, so they can grow faster – and with less water than a traditional vegetable patch, because the water circulates instead of draining away.
We filmed our own hydroponic system: from seed to salad in about 30 days.
Watch more on our YouTube channel.
The most common systems
- NFT (Nutrient Film Technique): a thin film of water flows through channels holding the plants. Ideal for salads and herbs.
- DWC (Deep Water Culture): roots hang in a tank of water oxygenated by an air pump.
- Kratky method: the simplest, with no pumps. A container, water with nutrients and a lid with net pots.
What you need to get started
- seeds (lettuce, rocket and basil are perfect to begin with);
- rockwool cubes or sponges for germination;
- net pots and a container or channel system;
- hydroponic nutrients and a pH meter;
- plenty of light: a very bright window or a grow lamp.
From seed to salad, step by step
- Germination: sow in the moist cubes. After a few days the sprouts appear.
- Transplanting: when the roots come out of the cube, move the seedlings into the system.
- Growth: regularly check water level, nutrients and pH (for salads usually between 5.5 and 6.5).
- Harvest: after about four weeks the salad is ready. You can pick the outer leaves and let the heart keep growing.
Watch more on our YouTube channel.
Pros and cons
Pros: fast growth, less water, no weeds, harvests even indoors or on a balcony.
Cons: it takes some know-how, the setup has an upfront cost and a pump failure can damage plants quickly.
If you’d rather start with something simpler, read what to grow indoors in autumn and winter – or try one of our grow kits.
From our shop
NatureCube – peppermint grow kit
- Wooden cube with everything you need
- Simple instructions
- A first step to growing at home, even without hydroponics
Frequently asked questions
What is hydroponics?
A way of growing plants without soil: the roots sit in water with dissolved nutrients, sometimes in an inert medium such as rockwool.
How long does lettuce take to grow hydroponically?
With good light and temperature, about four weeks from seed to harvest.
Which hydroponic system is the simplest?
The Kratky method: no pumps needed, just a container with water and nutrients and a lid with net pots.
What pH do you need for hydroponics?
For salads and herbs usually between 5.5 and 6.5. Check it regularly with a meter.
Live Nature
From reading to adventure.
Join our outdoor events or discover the projects we carry out in Sicily and beyond.
Keep reading
More stories from Nature
What to grow indoors in autumn and winter
The days are getting shorter outside, but something green can still grow on your windowsill. The best plants to sow indoors, tips to get them started and a gift idea that’s a little different.
Read
Recycling shutters in raised garden beds
Raised vegetable beds made from recycled materials: how we turned old shutters into vegetable beds at the Hotel Kalura in Cefalù. A green project you can replicate at home.
Read
Planting exotic trees
Planting exotic trees in Sicily: we’ve planted 400 tropical trees in our garden. Here’s how we chose them and what we’ve learnt.
Read