Hydroponic gardening is not only attractive to city dwellers as it allows them to grow vegetables and herbs in a small indoor space. Even for people who do have a garden, it is a great way to have fresh vegetables year-round.
Once you are familiar with the basics of hydroponic gardening and have a hydroponic system set up, there are lots of plants you can grow. It is possible to grow almost any plant hydroponically; the only plants that aren't suitable for hydroponic gardening are those that need a lot of vertical or horizontal space (trees and vines) and deep root crops such as potatoes, carrots, or onions.
What Is Hydroponic Gardening?
Hydroponics is a method of cultivating plants in a solution of water and nutrients instead of soil. Some hydroponic techniques use an additional soilless growing medium such as vermiculite, perlite, or coconut coir. The plants receive the nutrients they need through water and because there is no soil, the nutrients in the water go more directly to the plant roots, leading to faster and more vigorous growth.
In hydroponic gardening, you won't have to struggle with plant pests or weeds but notwithstanding, growing plants hydroponically requires regular caring for the plants and close monitoring to make sure the system is functioning properly, and waterborne plant diseases won't take hold.
Providing hydroponic plants with the proper amount of light is just as important as giving them water and nutrients. Many ready-to-use hydroponic systems come with LED grow lights. If you build your own hydroponic system, make sure to include strong grow lights in your setup.
Here are 21 plants to grow hydroponically. Unless noted otherwise, the crops on this list are self-pollinating so they will produce fruit indoors without requiring hand-pollination.
Lettuce
Lettuce is the poster child of hydroponic gardening-it's the easiest crop to grow. Butterhead lettuce such as Bibb and Boston lettuce are especially tender when grown hydroponically but any type of salad greens, including fast-maturing baby lettuce, is fair game. For a constant supply, plant small amounts at regular intervals.
Name: Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
Recommended Hydroponic System: Water culture
Light: Full to partial sun
Mature Size: 6-12 in. tall and wide
Days to Maturity: 25-60 days
