Crops that grow fast using hydroponics farming (2024)

FAQs

What are the fastest growing hydroponic crops? ›

Leafy greens, including lettuce, spinach, kale, and Swiss chard, are excellent choices for hydroponics due to their rapid growth rates and high nutritional value.

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. You can grow hydroponically all year long. Hydroponics uses less water than traditional soil-based systems. Hydroponic growing allows for faster growth and higher yields than traditional soil-based growing systems.

In fact, pretty much the only plants that don't adapt well to hydroponic gardening are ones that need a lot of space to sprawl, climb, or grow (like vines and trees) and root crops (think potatoes, carrots, onions).

Leafy greens like lettuce are the most profitable crops to grow in hydroponic systems because they have some of the lowest operation costs.

Limitations of hydroponics

Higher start-up costs compared to soil growing systems. Diseases, when present, can spread easily. Requires some basic skills and knowledge to maintain.

One reason hydroponic farming is profitable is because it yields more crops than traditional farming methods. By providing plants with precise amounts of water, nutrients, and light, hydroponics creates an optimized environment for their growth.

Previous research has shown that hydroponic crops grow 30-50% faster than conventional ones [32]. As an example, the open agriculture yield for a tomato crop is on average 5-12 tons per acre, while for hydroponic cultivation yield, it can reach 180-200 tons per acre [33, 34] .

How Long Does It Take Lettuce to Grow Hydroponically? One reason hydroponic lettuce is such a popular option is that most varieties grow quickly and can be harvested more than once. For most varieties, you can have fresh, healthy leaves ready to harvest within six to eight weeks.

Is growing hydroponics worth it? ›

There are many benefits to indoor hydroponic gardens. Growing your produce is not only healthier, it's cost-effective, efficient, and convenient. Using less water than traditional farming, it's environmentally friendly and a good solution for environments with water shortages.

The best crops for hydroponics include leafy greens, herbs, tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce, and cannabis. These plants require minimal space, have similar nutrient requirements, and offer high yields.

Lettuce and other greens, like spinach and kale, may just be the most common vegetable grown in hydroponics. Why? They grow fast in a hydroponic system and are incredibly easy to care for.

Radishes are one of the fastest crops you can grow—it takes the vegetable about six weeks to grow from seed to harvest. On Martha's farm in New York, April is the standard month to plant radishes, as they can handle cold but not heavy frost. You can plant them in any zone, and they mature very quickly.