So, have you decided which hydroponic setup you’re going with, or still deciding?
The type of crops you want to grow will ultimately help you choose which system to get, but not all crops are the same. Some crops are far easier to grow than others, so if you are a beginner, we suggest you start with those.
To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of 11 easiest hydroponic crops that you and your family can enjoy growing and eating.
1. Microgreens
If you want to start with a crop that will produce food in a matter of weeks, microgreens are the way to go. It really doesn’t get simpler than microgreens. These scrumptious beauties will give you food in as little as 16 days.
Pro tip: Microgreens are quite small so plant a lot of seeds/seedlings to maximize your growing space.
Microgreens can thrive in any system, but it's more efficient to grow them in our Homie 28 – Home Hydroponic Growing System, or Wally 32 – Fixed Wall Hydroponic Gardening System due to their small space requirement.
2. Lettuce
Lettuce is low maintenance, and grows quickly. Some lettuce varieties are more heat tolerant than others, but this crop is very forgiving in terms of temperatures and nutrient solution mixes.
You can either buy your seedlings at your local nursery or start your own seeds. Getting seedlings is the easiest and fastest route. The growth cycle is usually between 5-8 weeks depending on the variety.
Lettuce is another crop that can grow well in all of our hydroponic systems.
3. Kale
Kale is another very low maintenance crop that produces high yields in hydroponic systems. Most Kale varieties prefer cooler temperatures but you can find some that can withstand temperatures up to 28 degrees celsius.
If you get seedlings from a local nursery, you can start harvesting baby Kale as soon as 30 days, and mature crops in 10-12 weeks.
Kale plants can get quite large, especially if you plan to use the cut-and-come-again harvesting technique. It’s best to grow them in our Tobato 5 – Dutch Bucket Hydroponic Growing System or the Airponic Fruit - Hydroponic Tower Garden System. These larger setups will better support bigger plants and root structure.
4. Pak choi
Pak choi is extremely hearty and grows very quickly. It can withstand light frost and can also be grown in much warmer temperatures. After you transplant your seedlings to the hydroponic system, you will have delicious Pak choi heads in 6-8 weeks.
Pak Choi grows quickly and doesn’t need a lot of room. It will flourish in all of our hydroponic systems.
5. Swiss Chard
We absolutely love growing Swiss chard in our hydroponic systems here at the office. These large colorful vegetables are equally delicious and nutritious. And to top it off, they are so easy to grow.
Swiss chard is a great “cut and come again” vegetable. This means you can harvest the larger leaves and let the smaller ones grow out.
Grow Swiss Chard in our Tobato 5 – Dutch Bucket Hydroponic Growing System and Airponic Fruit - Hydroponic Tower Garden System to give it enough space to spread out its large leaves.
6. Basil
Basil is a rigorous hardy herb that grows very well in hydroponic systems. Basil can survive a variety of conditions and requires very little maintenance.
Your basil plant will have edible leaves in 3 weeks and soon be towering with more than enough leaves for your entire family in a few weeks after.
The Tobato 5 – Dutch Bucket Hydroponic Growing System is the best option to grow Basil. It has enough room for its sprawling roots and top space for the plant.
7. Chives
Chives are relatively simple to grow and can be harvested multiple times, so you don’t need to keep replanting. The great thing about chives is you can grow a whole lot in a small space, making it one of the perfect crops for hydroponics. It doesn't have deep roots so it’s perfect for our Wally 32 Fixed Wall Hydroponic Gardening System.
8. Spinach
Spinach can be ready in 6-10 weeks after planting, making it one of the fastest growing crops that you can plug into your hydroponic system. It does prefer warmer conditions which makes it grow faster, but it also grows fairly well in cooler conditions.
Spinach can grow in partial shade, but it thrives in full sun. You can grow Spinach successfully in any of the hydroponic systems we offer.
9. Amaranth (Callaloo)
Leafy green Callaloo can be grown in hydroponic systems like the Tobato 5 Dutch Bucket Hydroponic Growing System that have a lot of space for the roots to spread out. This plant is very hardy and will give you multiple crops for many months.
Amaranth prefers full sun, but will also grow in partial shade.
10. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the crops that take the longest to produce in hydroponics systems, but they are well worth the wait. The easiest types to grow are the shorter, faster producing determinate varieties.
Tomatoes thrive in full sunlight and warm weather. They need lots of space for their deep sprawling roots. That makes the Tobato 5 – Dutch Bucket Hydroponic Growing System the best growing option.
11. Watercress
This superfood is often overlooked, but that shouldn’t be the case. If given enough space, watercress will provide you and your family, nutrient packed cuttings for salads, smoothies, sandwiches and more for many many months.
Watercress is a running plant so it will need plenty of root space. You can plant it in one pot of the Airponic Fruit Hydroponic Tower Garden System and then spread the roots to neighboring pots.
