Starting Out

In my hydroponic garden, I've picked a bunch of different plants like pak choy, lettuce, jalapeños, mustard lettuce, and green beans. I chose these vegatables because they work well in a hydroponic setup. Leafy things like pak choy and lettuce are good because they grow fast and don't need deep roots. Jalapeños are adaptable and can give lots of spicy peppers. Additionally, according to “Our Little Suburban Farmhouse”, mustard lettuce and green beans are good starters for a hydroponic garden because they are able to be contained enough to not spread out. These mix of plants I'm using is experimental to figure out the best ways to make this kind of gardening work for all sorts of plants.

However, before starting the seeds out in a hydroponic system I decided to start my plants in soil first to ensure they develop robust and resilient root systems. By allowing them to establish themselves in soil, the plants can grow stronger roots that can better withstand the transition to the hydroponic water farm. This approach also allows the plants to adapt gradually to the change in environment, increasing their chances of thriving in the nutrient-rich water solution of the hydroponic system.