Introduction
Growing hydroponically is an easy, low-maintenance way to grow your own food. Here are some of the best plants for beginners:
Lettuce
Lettuce is a great starter plant for beginners. It’s easy to grow and harvest, and it’s a good source of vitamins A and C. You can also eat lettuce in many different ways—raw, cooked or even juiced! Lettuce is best grown in soil but can also be grown hydroponically or aquaponically (with the help of fish!).
To grow lettuce:
- Soak the seeds overnight before planting them in your growing medium of choice. You can use potting soil mixed with perlite or vermiculite, which retain moisture well while allowing oxygen through to roots so they don’t rot; rockwool cubes soaked in water; or coconut coir fiber mats soaked in water before placing seeds on top of them. All you need are some containers like plastic cups!
- Place containers under fluorescent lights with enough light intensity (measured by lumens) that covers each container evenly every day for about 16 hours per day until leaves appear on seedlings after about 3 weeks – then reduce lighting intensity back down again until just leaves remain (about 4 weeks total time period).
Herbs
Herbs are also a great choice for beginners. In addition to being easy to grow, herbs are also easy to maintain, harvest, store and use. Many of them have health benefits as well.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a great choice for beginner hydroponic growers. They do well in all soil types, but they grow best when planted in rich, well-draining soil. Tomatoes will grow well indoors or outdoors, as long as you provide plenty of sunshine and water them regularly.
Tomatoes are easy to grow from seedlings or from transplants that you buy at your local nursery. The best time to plant tomatoes is between March and May (depending on where you live). Tomato plants that have been started indoors will need at least 6 weeks before they can be planted outside; however, tomato plants that have been started outdoors can be planted directly in their final location after the danger of frost has passed (usually around May).
The best way to start growing tomatoes is by transplanting seedlings into small pots filled with potting mix or planting them directly into a large container filled with potting mix made up of equal parts peat moss and perlite (or vermiculite), along with some composted manure mixed in for added nutrients/fertilizer value!
Peppers
Peppers are one of the easiest plants to grow in a hydroponic environment. They’re a great choice for beginners, because they’re hearty and produce lots of fruit. Peppers have been cultivated by humans for thousands of years, and their popularity is reflected in their wide range of appearances, flavors and uses.
Peppers are usually grown from seeds (which can be purchased at most garden stores), or start off as small seedlings that you can purchase online or at a nursery. You’ll need to transplant your pepper plant into an appropriate container once it reaches about 6 inches high; depending on what type of pepper you want to grow (bell peppers will require a larger pot than jalapeños), decide on either an 8-inch pot or a 10-inch pot with drainage holes in the bottom.
Peppers need plenty of light exposure so make sure your chosen location gets plenty of sun each day (at least 6 hours). Keep soil moist but not soggy; if necessary add more water during heavy rainstorms or humid days when temperatures rise above 80 degrees Farenheit (27 Celsius).
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are a great plant to grow hydroponically. They’re easy to grow and produce a lot of fruit. A cucumber will yield about 5-10 fresh cucumbers per vine, depending on the variety and your climate. Cucumbers are not only tasty, but also provide many health benefits:
- Vitamins A & C are both found in abundance in this watery fruit, which makes them an excellent way to get your daily dose of these important vitamins!
- Cucumbers are also rich in potassium, something that’s hard to come by if you’re trying to avoid processed foods like chips or fries (which usually have high sodium content).
If you’re just beginning your journey into hydroponics gardening and want something that’s easy-to-grow but still produces excellent results, then consider planting some cucumbers!
Strawberries
Strawberries are a great choice for beginners because they are easy to grow and produce fruit in a relatively short amount of time. They can be grown in a variety of containers, including soil or hydroponics.
In the ground, strawberries grow best in full sun areas that have well-drained soil with high organic matter content. Planting them in raised beds will also help improve drainage and increase overall yields.
Leafy greens
Leafy greens are perfect to grow indoors. They don’t require a lot of space and they grow quickly, meaning you can harvest them in a relatively short amount of time.
Leafy greens are an excellent addition to any meal, and it’s easy to see why: they’re rich in vitamins A, K, C and many B-complex vitamins.
The best part about leafy greens is that they’re also high in antioxidants which help fight off harmful free radicals found in the air that we breathe every day .
Melons
Melons are a great choice for beginner hydroponicists. They’re easy to grow, produce lots of fruit and they taste delicious! If you have limited space in your garden or simply don’t have room for a full-sized garden, growing melons in your home is an excellent option. This fruit is packed with vitamin C and potassium (source: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_17500.cfm) which means that it’s not just good for you; it makes you feel good too!
Melons can be grown indoors or outdoors depending on the variety you choose to plant in your garden or greenhouse (or wherever else you might want to grow them). It’s important that you choose the right variety based on how much sunlight each plant will receive throughout its life cycle so make sure that whatever type of melon farming technique(s) you employ will provide adequate lighting conditions if these plants require sunlight exposure at different stages during their growth cycle (some varieties require more than others).
Spinach
Spinach is an excellent crop for beginners because it’s fast growing and easy to grow. It can be grown indoors during winter or outdoors in spring, summer and fall. Spinach has been called the “world’s healthiest vegetable” due to its high nutritional value, which makes it a great choice for growing at home.
Growing spinach can be as simple as planting seeds in your garden soil or using a hydroponic system with nutrient-rich water instead of soil. Hydroponic systems have proven more successful than traditional gardening methods for growing vegetables because they provide growers with fewer problems such as pests, diseases and weeds that are common among outdoor growers in temperate climates like those found in North America.
Broccoli/Cabbage/Kale
Broccoli, cabbage and kale are all part of the same family. They are cool season vegetables that grow best in the spring and fall months. They can be difficult to grow, but once you have mastered them, they will provide a steady source of fresh greens throughout the year.
Broccoli is high in vitamin C, vitamin A and dietary fiber. It also contains calcium, potassium and iron as well as folate which helps with blood cell formation.
Cabbage is considered an excellent source of vitamin C but also contains vitamins K & B6 as well as folate (the latter two are essential for blood cell formation).
Here are a list of 10 of the best plants to grow hydro.
- Watercress
This is a very easy plant to grow as it requires little maintenance and will grow in any type of water. The leaves are great for salads, sandwiches or steamed as a vegetable.
This plant is also used medicinally to treat inflammation, ulcers, diarrhea and urinary tract infections. It’s also been found to help prevent cancer and heart diseases.
Conclusion
Hydroponics is a fun hobby that can be done from home. If you are interested in getting started with hydro, this list should give you some good ideas on what plants to try first.