HYDROPONIC LETTUCE PRODUCTION

2013 Harley Smith

All rights reserved.

Lettuce is a great crop for year-round, greenhouse production, particularly in northern

latitudes. Lettuce is a low-light, low-temperature crop, so supplemental lighting and
heating costs can be kept to a minimum. Lettuce is also a very perishable crop, giving
local growers who pick fresh and deliver daily a competitive advantage. For example, to
ship lettuce from the west coast to the east coast in temperature-controlled containers
may cost as much as forty cents per pound, and the longer the lettuce is in transit, the
more that may be lost as scrap. On the other hand, local growers who can provide a
steady supply of fresh, gourmet-quality lettuce can often charge premium prices or above,
while saving money on shipping costs!
Head lettuces, such as iceburg lettuce, are not usually recommended for hydroponics, but
there are many leaf lettuces and other leafy vegetables that are well suited for
hydroponics applications. Bibb lettuces are the most popular, with fast turn-around times
and excellent quality. Romaine takes a little longer to grow, but can command higher
prices, especially in years when field production is poor. Spinach is great for
hydroponics since there is no sandy grit, and other green vegetables such as bok choi and
arugula can be grown for specialty markets. Another emerging market for hydroponics is
micro-greens. Micro-greens are baby lettuces, mustards and herbs that are densely sown
and harvested in days, and they often bring in premium prices in niche markets. So
whether growing for home use or for commercial production, a wide variety of lettuces
and leafy vegetables can be successfully grown in hydroponic systems.
Lettuce Growing Systems
Around the world, different styles of hydroponic systems are used for growing lettuce. In
Japan, for example, lettuce is produced in warehouses under artificial light, growing
crops from seed to harvest in only 30 days. The lettuce is grown aeroponically in Aframes with nutrient solution sprayed on the bare roots. Computers automate the entire
growing process, even the speed that the air flows over the crop, and manual labor is only
used for sowing and harvesting. Workers wear gloves, hats and masks during harvesting
and the produce is so clean that it doesnt even have to be washed before delivery to local
restaurants. Since the lettuce is grown indoors in filtered air, the produce can be certified
as bacteria free, allaying health concerns over potential bacterial contaminants.
In Canada, some large commercial facilities use a raft system for producing lettuce. The
lettuce is grown in Styrofoam boards that float in a pool of nutrient solution held in wide
channels. The rafts of lettuce start at one end of the channel and are pushed down the
channel as the lettuce grows. The lettuce is transplanted several times along the way,
allowing for wider spacing of the growing lettuce in the rafts. Finally, it exits the channel
at the far end for packaging and shipping. The system is very efficient since there are no

rows between the channels, but extra care must be taken to insure proper aeration, disease
control and nutrient solution management in the deep pools.
By far the most popular hydroponic system for lettuce production in the United States
and Europe is the NFT system. NFT stands for Nutrient Film Technique. The lettuce is
placed in plastic gullies, usually 2-1/2 to 6 wide, and a thin film of nutrient solution
trickles over the bare roots. The nutrient solution is stored in a reservoir, and a
submersible pump pumps the solution to the far end of the gullies. The gullies are placed
at a slight slope so that the nutrient solution flows down the gullies to be collected at the
other end and returned to the reservoir. The system then recirculates the nutrient solution
over and over again. Since the nutrient solution is flowing in a thin film, aeration at the
root zone is optimal, and since the reservoir is in a closed system, it is possible to capture,
clean and re-use the nutrient solution for maximum efficiency. Only a fraction of the
water and nutrients required for field production is necessary, and there is little or no
runoff of concentrated fertilizer salts to pollute the environment.
Propagation
Lettuce is usually propagated in rockwool starter cubes or Oasis cubes. A sheet of 98
one-inch rockwool starter cubes fits perfectly in a standard nursery tray. Before planting,
the sheets of rockwool are soaked overnight in rockwool conditioning solution with a pH
of about 5.5. The conditioning solution neutralizes the lime used during the
manufacturing process, and it provides a small amount of vitamins, minerals and root
promoters to help the lettuce get off to a good head start. After conditioning the
rockwool, the excess solution is drained so that the starter cubes are not sitting in a pool
of water, and one lettuce seed is placed into each starter cube. Lettuce seeds are quite
small, so commercial growers sometimes use seeds that are coated with clay. The clay
coating makes it easier to use automated seeding machines, and it holds a little moisture
for good germination rates. Most hobbyists, however, simply plant the lettuce seeds
directly into the moist rockwool starter cubes or into pre-soaked Oasis foam cubes.
No bottom heat is required to germinate lettuce seeds. Lettuces are cool weather crops,
so excessive heat can actual delay or prevent germination! Simply cover the tray of
starter cubes with a plastic sheet or humidity dome, place under cool fluorescent lights
and wait a few days for germination. Once the roots begin to poke out through the
bottom of the cubes, they are ready for transplanting into the NFT system.
Most NFT systems use net pots to hold the seedlings. The roots grow through the
bottoms of the net pots directly into the flow of nutrient solution. So make sure that there
are enough roots coming out of the net pots to touch the flow of nutrients. Sometimes
capillary matting is used to ensure that the newly planted roots remain moist. Capillary
matting is simply a piece of felt or other absorbent material that insures even moistening
of the roots. After initial rooting, however, capillary matting makes little or no difference
to the growth of the plant, and it can actually become a hindrance when harvesting lettuce
roots on. Another option is to place the net pots into an aeroponic system for a few
days before planting into the NFT system. The net pots are suspended in air, with

nutrient solution sprayed directly onto the roots. Roots develop rapidly during this
transition phase, and the use of capillary matting can be avoided. The lettuce plants only
need enough root development to easily reach the nutrient flow in the troughs. It is not
necessary to wait for excessively long roots to develop. The excess roots will simply die
back and new roots will develop in the NFT channels.
NFT System Design and Setup
Care should be taken when designing and building an NFT system to make sure that the
proper combination of water and aeration are delivered to the roots. The bottoms of the
NFT troughs should be flat so that no puddling of the nutrient solution occurs. Even a
little sagging or depression in the troughs can cause aeration problems. Flat bottoms also
insure that the roots fan out in the nutrient solution so that there is plenty of surface area
for air exchange. The troughs should also be wide enough so that the growing roots dont
dam up the flow. Areas of stagnant water can reduce aeration and promote root disease.
Attention should also be placed on gulley length. In a small hobby system, NFT channels
are only 4 to 6 in length, so there is little depletion of dissolved oxygen and nutrients
over the length of the gulley. Much longer gullies are used in commercial production.
Gulley length should never exceed 60 feet. If the gullies are too long, plants will deplete
the oxygen along its length and the plants at the far end of the rows will suffer. Slope is
also important for nutrient flow and aeration. When building stands for the NFT system,
make sure that there is enough slope for a good gravity feed. In a four foot NFT system,
one side of the stand should be about one inch higher than the other side. In longer
systems, a slope of 50:1 or 75:1 should be adequate.
Flow rate and distribution is also important to successful lettuce growing. In NFT, the
nutrient solution flows over the roots in a film not more than a couple of millimeters
deep. Therefore, it is important to keep the width of the stands level so that the nutrient
flows evenly and doesnt trickle down only one side of the gulley. Flow rates vary
according to the width and slope of the gullies, but generally speaking, a flow rate of 15
gallons per hour is adequate for about 50 feet of 4-inch NFT channel. When calculating
pump size, make sure that you take into account the height of the NFT stands.
Centrifugal pumps rate gallons-per-hour according to the head height or vertical
distance the water must be pumped; the higher the head height, the lower the total volume
of water being pumped. Also make sure that the emitter tubing is wide enough to allow
adequate flow. Since water pressure is not as important as water flow rate in an NFT
system, it is often better to increase the size of the pipes and tubing instead of increasing
the capacity of the pump!
The spacing between lettuce plants depends on the size of the plants being grown.
Generally speaking, spacing plants on 7 inch centers is adequate for finishing most full
grown lettuce plants. Nursery gullies with closer spacing between plants are sometimes
used to start lettuce plants and conserve growing space. Just make sure that there is
adequate space to keep the leaves from overlapping. Overlapping leaves not only shade
out light they also restrict proper air flow and promote fungal disease. Since plant

density is a factor of how many mature heads of lettuce are to be harvested and delivered
per day, cycle times are more important for calculating space requirements than total
amount of plants produced. By properly calculating how much time plants spend in the
nursery areas and finishing areas, scheduling can be planned to provide just-in-time
deliveries without wasting valuable resources.
Nutrient Solution Management
Since lettuce is a vegetative crop, a well-balanced grow formula is all that is necessary
to produce a high-quality crop. Grow formulas are proportionately higher in nitrogen
than bloom formulas, usually with an N-P-K ratio of about 3-1-5. The nitrate form of
nitrogen is usually preferred, with no more than about 3-10% of the available nitrogen in
the ammonium form. Ammonium ions are rapidly taken up and utilized by the lettuce
plants for fast vegetative growth, but too much ammonium nitrogen results in rank
growth, producing soft, weak tissue with poor shelf life. Nitrate nitrogen is utilized more
slowly by the plant, producing stronger, healthier lettuce plants.
Unlike tomatoes and other fruiting crops which can handle high levels of nutrient salts,
lettuce has a low salt tolerance. Therefore, when growing lettuce it is beneficial to use a
clean, slightly soft water source with relatively low levels of minerals and very low levels
of sodium. During the summer months, the total EC of the nutrient solution should be
maintained at 10 cf or below. During the winter months, with lower light levels, the EC
may be raised a little, but the grower should still try not to exceed a total cf of 12. By
starting with raw water with a 2-4 cf and adding only a mild nutrient formula, a good
balance can be maintained between fast growth and top quality.
If hard water from a well is your only option, a special hard water nutrient formula may
need to be used. To compensate for the high levels of calcium and magnesium carbonate
in the hard water (usually over 150 ppm), hard water formulas have lower levels of
calcium and magnesium than standard formulas, and the magnesium is provided as its
nitrate salt instead of as magnesium sulfate. Hard water is often very high in sulfur,
giving it that rotten egg smell, so adding more sulfate to the nutrient solution can be
detrimental. Since sulfur is taken up slowly by the plants, sulfate levels tend to build up
quickly in the nutrient solution, reducing the availability of other essential elements.
Hard water nutrients are formulated to be more acidic than standard formulas. Hard
water buffers pH more than standard water, so using a more acidic nutrient formula
reduces the amount of acid that has to be added to reach the target pH of 5.8 to 6.4. The
type of acid used to lower pH is also important, especially in hard water. For commercial
lettuce growers, nitric acid is the acid of choice. Nitric acid burns off the bicarbonates as
carbon dioxide and water, and it doesnt form insoluble lime scale in the process.
Unfortunately, nitric acid is a very aggressive chemical and extreme caution must be
taken when handling it! Even the smallest spills can result in severe burns, and breathing
the fumes can permanently damage the lungs! For the hobbyist, using a mild phosphoric
acid to lower pH is a much safer choice. Although gloves and eye protection are

recommended, there is little chance of serious injury when using dilute phosphoric acid to
reduce pH.
Amino acid blends may also be beneficial in a complete nutrition program for lettuce.
Amino acids are intermediate chelators, improving the availability of calcium and other
important cations. When phosphoric acid is added to hard water, the bicarbonates are
burned off, but the calcium ions react to form calcium phosphate. Calcium phosphate is
what bone is made of, and it is 95% water insoluble. So calcium phosphate locks up both
calcium and phosphate, making them unavailable to the plant. When amino acids are
added, however, the calcium remains available. Primary chelators, such as glutamic acid
and glycine, attach to the calcium ions like a claw, preventing them from reacting with
the phosphorous. At the same time, glutamic acid and glycine stimulate root cells to
open up calcium ion channels, taking up calcium thousands to millions of times faster
than simple osmosis! Inside the plant, the calcium is used to strengthen the cell walls and
help protect the lettuce from temperature stress, pathogen attack and common
physiological diseases such as tip burn.
When a complete nutrition program is followed for lettuce production, including both
mineral and organic components, it is possible to produce a consistently superior product.
Color, texture and flavor can be enhanced, with the added benefit of improved vitamin
and mineral content. An objective measurement of how well your plants are taking up
water and minerals can be obtained by using a brix refractometer, an instrument that
measures the sugars and dissolved solids in the sap. But many experienced chefs and
produce buyers can detect superior quality simply by looking at it. Once your nutrient
solution management program is developed and fine-tuned, a foundation can be laid for a
continual harvest of gourmet-quality produce.
Environmental Control
Temperature and humidity control are also important to successful lettuce production.
Tip burn is caused by calcium deficiency, but high humidity can limit calcium uptake,
even when there is plenty of water-soluble calcium in the nutrient solution. Calcium is an
immobile element, and must be taken up in the transpiration stream. Under high relative
humidity, the stomata in the leaf cells close and transpiration is reduced. Calcium uptake
becomes insufficient to reach the newly-developing cells, and tip burn symptoms begin to
appear. Once the cell walls begin to weaken and collapse, the plant also becomes more
susceptible to fungal attacks, and since fungi thrives in humid conditions, disease can
easily spread.
Ventilation is the first line of defense. Simply installing horizontal fans for air movement
can help keep moisture from accumulating around the leaf surfaces and closing the
stomata. So if temperature and humidity levels are within reasonable limits, oscillating
fans may be enough to keep tip burn at bay. If temperature and humidity rise above
acceptable levels, however, it may be necessary to install exhaust fans to remove the
warm, moist air from the room. Thermostats and humidistats monitor the temperature
and relative humidity in the room. Once relative humidity reaches a preset threshold,

blower fans are actuated and the humid air is exhausted from the greenhouse or grow
room. Since warm air holds more moisture than cool air, it is often desirable to purge the
humid air before cooler night temperatures set in. Many advanced computer controls for
greenhouses include a purge cycle. The temperature of the zone is first heated by a few
degrees to allow the air to hold more moisture, and then the humid air is purged from the
room. When the air cools, the relatively dry air does not condense moisture on the plants.
Temperature control is also important. Lettuce is a cool weather crop, so long days and
hot summer temperatures can cause the crop to bolt or go to flower. Once the lettuce
starts to bolt, the quality rapidly declines and the lettuce can become bitter. In
greenhouses, shade cloth is often used in the summer to keep the lettuce cool, but in some
climates it may be necessary to install cooling pads such as swamp coolers. Swamp
coolers, also know as evaporative coolers, blow air through a honeycomb-structured wall,
over-flowing with a trickle of water. As the water evaporates, heat is removed and the
greenhouse is cooled.
Winter poses another set of problems. In northern climates, prolonged periods of short,
overcast days can dramatically slow down growth rates of lettuce. Therefore, the
judicious use of horticultural grow lights is often recommended. Plants need full
spectrum light, with both the blue and red ends of the spectrum for vigorous growth.
During the vegetative growth stage, plants prefer the blue end of the spectrum. Blue light
at the 460 nanometer wavelength greatly influences phototropism, the tendency of
plants to lean toward the light. If plants receive enough blue light in the 460 nm range,
plants tend to have a more compact growth habit. Also, blue is responsible for
chlorophyll production more than other wavelengths. Metal halide (MH) grow lights are
full spectrum lamps, rich in the blue end of the spectrum, and they are well suited for
lettuce production.
Some growers like to warm their nutrient solution in the winter, especially in NFT
systems where water is continuously circulating over the roots. By holding the root
temperature at about 75 degrees F, it is often possible to lower air temperatures without
sacrificing quality or yield. Since fuel costs for greenhouse temperature control can
become significant in the winter, heating the nutrient can save production costs.
Value-Added Products
Fancy hydroponic lettuces and leafy vegetables can provide valuable products for niche
markets. For example, some leaf lettuces grown in NFT systems can be harvested rootson and sold as living lettuce. Special clam shell packaging is already available for
individual heads, and the advantages of gourmet quality, guaranteed freshness and
extended shelf life allow the lettuce to be sold at premium prices.
Many of the bagged salad mixes on the market today are grown hydroponically. The
lettuce blends are thoroughly washed, cooled and vacuum packed to provide a convenient
ready-to-serve product. Sometimes the blends are supplemented with fancy vegetables,
red oakleaf lettuces and micro-greens to add color and texture to the mix. By growing

and marketing a unique blend of savory herbs and greens to meet local market demand,
and by providing hard-to-find produce for specialty and ethnic markets, repeat customers
can be cultivated.
After-market products, such as private-labeled salad dressings can add value to locallyproduced lettuces. Fresh salad dressings with expiration dates can be delivered along
with the fresh produce, adding to the gourmet perception of your business. To further
extend profits, many of the fresh herbs included in the dressings can be grown along side
your main crops, and even the trimmings from the herbs can be processed and utilized.
Many growers have developed highly profitable businesses from products regarded as
after-thoughts!