Wednesday, January 14, 2009

The Nutrient Pond or Hydroponic Raft System

We call it the Nutrient Pond technique, but it is also called the Hydroponic Raft System. It's the method that Chuck and I employ in all our greenhouses to grow our Boston and Specialty Lettuce plants, as well as our Herbs and Pak Choi. Crisp Salad Greens is surging ahead, supplying our local area with healthy salad greens and vegetables. I discovered this great website which explains how to set up such a system either in your own home or in a greenhouse of whatever size. In these tough economic times, growing your own food is becoming more and more attractive! (We don't mind the competition, as long as you eat healthy!)
Grow hydroponic lettuce with the plans for the lettuce raft system
An Easily Expanded Concept For Commercial Production


Many commercial greenhouses use the hydroponic RAFT system to grow lettuces and other short-stature salad bowl crops and flowers. Be building the hydroponic lettuce raft system in How-To Hydroponics, you'll gain an understanding for the techology which could easily be applied to a much larger area if so desired. The picture at left shows a medium scale hydroponic lettuce raft system at Epcot Center in Orlando Fl.


The hydroponic lettuce raft system is easy to assemble from inexpensive, household parts. The Hydroponic raft system operates by floating plants above an Oxygen infused bath of nutrients into which the roots grow. The hydroponic raft system is suitable for short-stature plants such as lettuces, kitchen herbs and other small varieties.

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posted by silvio @ 4:32 PM   3 comments

3 Comments:

At 1:55 PM, Blogger IndoorHerbs said...

That raft technique is so simple and so powerful with the lettuce-like crops that there just really isn't any reason to mess with anything else.

I've seen some other good techniques but that was really just for places where acreage is at a premium. You can't beat the raft if you have space.

Put the right nutrients in that and you get gigantic plants so fast your head will spin.

 
At 12:33 AM, Blogger admin said...

question, can you use the raft system for growing larger plants like marijuana? (No worries, I have a medicinal license to use for a condition)

I am thinking that the roots being submerged the entire process cannot be a good thing, am I right?

 
At 12:49 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

What happens if your lettuce seeds disapeer in the waater. wHAT THE HELL DO YOU DO THEN

 

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