Hydroponics: Lettuce Update

How fast did this lettuce grow? I cannot believe it! And this picture was taken today after I picked a bowlful for my salad. I highly recommend growing lettuce if you've got a hydroponic set up because it's much easier than any other plant and it grows so fast. 

DCW_NYC

-Hilary-

Hydroponics: Lettuce

Erik's sous chef Omar has got us going on bibb lettuce now that our basil has ended its life cycle. Hydroponics is so easy! I mean, after Omar does all the hard work of getting the seedlings going, really all you have to do is watch them grow! We've got a timer on the lights and the motor that supplies the bubbles/oxygen to the water runs all day and night. Once in a while the water has to be changed, but overall-this is so easy!

Check out these babies.

DCW_NYC

-Hilary-

Hydroponics

Week one

Week five

Inside of the tub. See the roots?

Basil

Parsley

Erik's sous chef, Omar, made him a hydroponic herb garden last month. I guess I always understood the general idea of growing plants with water, but seeing before my own eyes has given me a fresh appreciation for the alternative growing method. The set up is basic, a plastic tub with water, 6 circular sections filled with porous rocks, a sponge and a UV lamp overhead mocking the sun. As far as I understand it, the roots grow directly into water that has bubbles blowing into it to create oxygen. Seems simple enough.

The results are amazing. Though I live 20 floors into the sky in the middle of a concrete wonderland, I've got herbs growing in my kitchen. We started with 6, but the mint didn't make it. Now our little babies have grown into chives, basil, dill, cilantro and parsley. We are just now starting to harvest the herbs and I can't wait to add them to food. Well, Erik will do the adding. I'll do the eating.

DCW_NYC

-Hilary-