Growth and Harvest

Putting our little seedlings in for the first time was so satisfying! The first two weeks, our little seedlings didn’t seem to change much, but after that, they sprang to life. We ordered a variety of lettuces, cherry tomatoes, herbs, and leafy greens, and after about three weeks, many of them were ready for harvest. We simply plucked the larger leaves from the outside of the plants, leaving the smaller ones to continue growing. 

The first thing Josiah noticed was the incredible smell, which is lacking in store-bought lettuce. The taste was immensely yummier than store-bought plants that are highly devoid of nutrients by the time they reach the shelves; we’ve never had more flavorful lettuce or spicier arugula in our lives. The yield with each plant doing the cut-and-come-again method is far higher than what you’d buy at the grocery store. Seedlings are $3.99 each, but we’ve had success with purchasing seeds from the store and popping them right into the stand in a growing medium like Root Riot. Lettuce Grow has a very helpful Facebook group where the community shares great tips on growing from seeds and troubleshooting issues that may arise with some plants.

Maintenance 

Maintenance is super easy. Every Friday, I top up the water since there tends to be some evaporation; scoop in nutrients; test and adjust the PH and trim roots or leaves of any plants as needed. All in all it takes me 15 minutes or less per week. 

Deep cleaning the entire stand is a PROCESS. They encourage you to harvest the stand in full beforehand, but I simply pulled the plants out row by row, kept them in their grow cups, cleaned everything with soap and water and popped the plants them back in with no issue. I think we spent half the day deep cleaning the entire stand, but thankfully it only needs to be done every 3-6 months. Still far easier than weeding, repotting and dealing with dirt in traditional gardens!

Final Thoughts

The Lettuce Grow has easily become my favorite purchase of the year. It’s simple, looks amazing in our space, provides us with healthy, organic/non-gmo and pesticide-free produce and will hopefully save us money in the long run. While it is on the pricier side, to me it’s worth it as we don’t have space, tools, or time to mess with creating a DIY system. If you do, I applaud you and would love to see your creation! I believe the hype and think hydroponics may become the new kitchen staple in every home, keeping veggies fresh and connected to their life source. We feel good eating food we’ve grown ourselves, and knowing exactly what’s being put into our bodies with love and care.