Thank you Peter. Growing Kratky(ish) Kale at the moment and setting up a shelf system for perpetual lettuce under fluorescent light so it's god seeing how others are doing it. Thanks for sharing :)
You can add more nut water as the lettuce uses it you just don't want to fill it all the way back up. I just make a liquid part A and part B and add my nut's to a gallon of water at a time to keep the tub say 3/4's full. You still need the air gap for the roots but you can add as you go. I think you need a lot more light to get really thick lettuce I have mine about 10 inches above the plants. I start a new tub about every 5 or 6 weeks to keep a constant flow of awesome lettuce flowing. We also grow tomatoes and peppers in the winter in doors. Thanks for sharing your video well done.
For plants that grow long term, it's good to do water changes. But for lettuce, you can figure a gallon per head. As long as your reservoir meets that minimum for the number of heads, you can just grow it to completion and harvest. If you wanted to extend the growing period you could. On refills, just be careful not to fill much over what was already there or you can drown the plants.
Great video. Thank you for going into such detail...most don't do that. One question, how much light do they need and how soon do you start them on it? Light from the start or wait until they sprout? More detail please!?!?
Thanks for watching and commenting. I start the light right away just so I know it's on when they sprout. You could leave it off until they first emerge though. My default light schedule for most things is 18/6, but 16/8 would be fine. If you know what ppfd they are getting, and knowing the DLI ( Daily Light Integral) for lettuce is 15-18, you could dial the time lights need to be on. Recommended ppfd is 270 to 300. So if they are getting 300 PPFD, to match a DLI of say 17, you would need to keep the lights on for 16 hours a day.
Thanks for watching. I have more information on my website. There's also a video showing how to pre-mix concentrate. www.pepperinfo.com/hydroponics/hydroponic-supplies-nutrients/
Do you think it is more efficient to go from seed to harvest with Kratky, or to start your seeds in a propagator with lights/dome etc then move it into a Kratky when roots are coming out of the growing medium? I am experimenting with both ways at this time but have not arrived at a definitive conclusion. One of my concerns about seeding in the Kratky is that the little seeds can get waterlogged if the plug is wicking the water. My understanding is that the main advantage of Kratky is in situations where you are growing plants that already have the root structure to start drinking down the water. The idea behind that is that a space of humid air is formed as the roots drink. This allows for "air pruning" and secondary root formation as the upper roots now seek the water. This is really the entire point behind Kratky but is not available if there are no roots yet . I realize that Kratky also grew from seed but I don't know if it's the most efficient way.
Sorry for the delay getting back to you. I have tried both. It seems to take a little longer starting from seed, but all the ones I've tried have done fine. Once the roots start growing, they take off. You might want to bounce this off of Matt Garver as well. He's done a lot more than I have with this method and has helped me a lot. ruclips.net/channel/UCUznk-cggnf5NrnneXBykfQ
Thanks for the video... My onky observation is that you really need much more light... Yes lettuce is very forgiving and yes you can still eat it but at 6 weeks your heads should be 1.5 to 2 pounds, very full and absolutely packed to the whole top of that tote. I'm not knocking what you're doing.. Just saying fir anyone watching... Get a better light... For a tote of that size or slightly bigger You really need 100 to 150 watts of high efficiency LEDs or probably 240watts or more of HO florescent grow light. Led strip lights, evenly spread over the growing surface have been proven to be the most efficient for crops like lettuce. These can be placed very close to the plants for maximum yield. Good effort!! Keep up the hobby
@@pepperdactyl thanks Peter, I too grow using kratky and other methods. I have come to really appreciate the new quantum LEDs specifically the Lm301h chips. They are very efficient and provide excellent quality of light. For lettuce I like the 3500K or 4000k models in strips. They work amazingly well and cut my previous T5 electricity cost in half... Maybe a bit less. For more light intensive plants I like the quantum QB288 models... They provide a LOT OF LIGHT and penetrate the canopy well... So the whole plant gets light. Not to mention, they are way easier on the eyes than the purple lights. Thanks for the video. Please continue making more. I'd love to see your progression
Thanks for watching. Honestly, I don't know if there are any health concerns using non-BPA free plastics. Since the solution is kept at room temperature, there should be less chance of anything leaching out. And if it did, I don't know if it would stay in the plant tissues or not. It is something to think about. If you find any information suggesting there is an issue, please let me know.
@@pepperdactyl Hey :) Seems like there DEFINTILY IS a problem with this. I too planned to do plain PVC hydroponics... Just to find out that basically all the plastics seem to leach "just a little bit of plastic" into the water and the plants DO soak them up and actually also carrie these chemicals all through the Plant. So there´s safer plastics and not safe at all plastics (PVC!!)... But even if these safer plastics just leak a tiny bit of plastic... and one would eat these plants for months or even years- there´s no way you would notice, and step by step one accumulates more toxins, life gets worse and no one knows why :P i decided for single-glass jars... since they seem to be safest option
Amazing! coupla questions, of course. 1. Having just stumbled on this Kratky method, can I just confirm that the reason you don't require some sort of water aeration is that as the water level drops the roots out of the water gain oxygen from the air? 2. Would there be a mosquito problem with that large amount of still water? cheers from Queensland, the Land Downunder.
Hi, thanks for watching! Yes, you are correct, the roots hanging above the solution do air exchange. For the second question, possibly yes. B.A. Kratky uses a fiberglass mesh screen for some of his containers. He has a RUclips channel now, and posted this video on mosquito control not too long ago, ruclips.net/video/6teoqf6MQrM/видео.html.
Great video! I’m new to researching this method. I noticed you’re using something different than the rock wool. Is there a reason you chose this over the other?
For these I just used t-8 shop lights, set very close, like a inch or so away. Any kind of grow light should work fine. The height would depend on the intensity of the light. For lettuce, I would shoot for around 200 ppfd.
Thanks for watching! It certainly wouldn't hurt. I haven't had any problems yet growing in containers not rated as food grade, but I make sure nothing toxic was inside them prior.
You can't go wrong with that. Just follow their mixing guidelines based on the type of hydroponics you are using. For non-circulating/Kratky type grows, 1 tsp/gal works great.
Thanks for watching! I started them with 7 gallons/26.5 liters and harvested when they had used about half. I think I could have kept them going for a little while longer.
Thanks for watching! It was a 2" x 1/2" thick neoprene collar. The hole size was 1 7/8". I plugged it up to help prevent evaporation. I drilled that hole a while back for another project that I didn't finish. The neoprene collars do work great for running cords/tubes out of a system, for refill access, or for holding up small sprouts or cuttings in net pots. I didn't really need it for the Kratky lettuce setup. I have grown lettuce in an aerated nutrient solution and that does work great. With Kratky method you don't need one. As the roots draw down the nutrient solution, the roots hanging above the water in the moist air layer perform gas exchange for the plant. The roots suspended in the solution do all the feeding. Ideally with Kratky you'd want enough solution to carry the plant to maturity and harvest, which makes it fill and forget.
Great job! I missed what type of mini black basket looking thingy you used to put the growth sponges in..... also where did you get them? I am considering to do this myself 😊
Thank you for watching! I have a post on my website that lists all the materials needed and where to find them. www.pepperinfo.com/how-to-grow-lettuce-using-the-kratky-method/
I think the clay balls help anchor the plant a bit more. Coco Coir bark chunks would work great too. I suppose you could use the neoprene collars if you have them though.
Thanks for watching! 1. You can either pick a little here and there as it grows, or harvest the whole thing at once (or both). For these I did two mini harvests, picking the leaves that were about the size of my hand each time. Then when it grew out more I harvested the entire plants. I did not know this at the time, but you can cut the whole plant off at the base, leave it in there and will grow back. 2. Re nutrient water, ideally you want enough in there to start that will take the plant to maturity. According to B.A. Kratky, one gallon per plant is a good estimate for lettuce. If it does get low, you can fill back, just don't fill too much or you will drown the air roots that have developed.
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Thank you for showing the whole side view of the top with the cups and all. Gives me a better idea of what I'm doing.
Thanks for watching! I'm glad it was helpful.
Thanks Peter, for sharing .
Thank you Peter. Growing Kratky(ish) Kale at the moment and setting up a shelf system for perpetual lettuce under fluorescent light so it's god seeing how others are doing it. Thanks for sharing :)
You can add more nut water as the lettuce uses it you just don't want to fill it all the way back up. I just make a liquid part A and part B and add my nut's to a gallon of water at a time to keep the tub say 3/4's full. You still need the air gap for the roots but you can add as you go. I think you need a lot more light to get really thick lettuce I have mine about 10 inches above the plants. I start a new tub about every 5 or 6 weeks to keep a constant flow of awesome lettuce flowing. We also grow tomatoes and peppers in the winter in doors. Thanks for sharing your video well done.
Thanks for the info!
Wow...the roots are gorgeous.
Thanks!
Do you change the water or not?
For plants that grow long term, it's good to do water changes. But for lettuce, you can figure a gallon per head. As long as your reservoir meets that minimum for the number of heads, you can just grow it to completion and harvest. If you wanted to extend the growing period you could. On refills, just be careful not to fill much over what was already there or you can drown the plants.
@@pepperdactylhey tahnks. Im curious how many milliliters are there in that gallon?
Informative and well explained video.
Thanks and good luck.
Thanks!
Great video. Thank you for going into such detail...most don't do that. One question, how much light do they need and how soon do you start them on it? Light from the start or wait until they sprout? More detail please!?!?
Thanks for watching and commenting. I start the light right away just so I know it's on when they sprout. You could leave it off until they first emerge though. My default light schedule for most things is 18/6, but 16/8 would be fine. If you know what ppfd they are getting, and knowing the DLI ( Daily Light Integral) for lettuce is 15-18, you could dial the time lights need to be on. Recommended ppfd is 270 to 300. So if they are getting 300 PPFD, to match a DLI of say 17, you would need to keep the lights on for 16 hours a day.
Nice vid. Think I will have to try this out side once the weather gets better.
Thanks! I think this method would work great for growing herbs too. The next round I might try growing some basil and oregano.
Thanks for posting, very informative - I might give this a shot! Any other guides (particularly with regard to the nutrients) would be great.
Thanks for watching. I have more information on my website. There's also a video showing how to pre-mix concentrate. www.pepperinfo.com/hydroponics/hydroponic-supplies-nutrients/
I like that ppm tool, hadn't seen one.
Do you think it is more efficient to go from seed to harvest with Kratky, or to start your seeds in a propagator with lights/dome etc then move it into a Kratky when roots are coming out of the growing medium? I am experimenting with both ways at this time but have not arrived at a definitive conclusion. One of my concerns about seeding in the Kratky is that the little seeds can get waterlogged if the plug is wicking the water. My understanding is that the main advantage of Kratky is in situations where you are growing plants that already have the root structure to start drinking down the water. The idea behind that is that a space of humid air is formed as the roots drink. This allows for "air pruning" and secondary root formation as the upper roots now seek the water. This is really the entire point behind Kratky but is not available if there are no roots yet . I realize that Kratky also grew from seed but I don't know if it's the most efficient way.
Sorry for the delay getting back to you. I have tried both. It seems to take a little longer starting from seed, but all the ones I've tried have done fine. Once the roots start growing, they take off. You might want to bounce this off of Matt Garver as well. He's done a lot more than I have with this method and has helped me a lot. ruclips.net/channel/UCUznk-cggnf5NrnneXBykfQ
Great job. Nice video. Thanks :) I want to try to this method.
Thanks for watching! The Kratky method works very well and is about the easiest way to grow hydroponically.
1.6 grams master blend
1.6 grams calcium nitrate
0.8 grams magnesium sulfate in 1 gallon(3.78L) or for 3 gallon?
Those were for 1 gal. I don’t remember what the ppm ended up being. Maybe around 300ish.
What's the light schedule for the plants thx for this video
It's been a while since that video, but I believe it was 18 on, 6 off, that's pretty much what I use for everything.
Thanks for the video...
My onky observation is that you really need much more light... Yes lettuce is very forgiving and yes you can still eat it but at 6 weeks your heads should be 1.5 to 2 pounds, very full and absolutely packed to the whole top of that tote.
I'm not knocking what you're doing.. Just saying fir anyone watching... Get a better light...
For a tote of that size or slightly bigger
You really need 100 to 150 watts of high efficiency LEDs or probably 240watts or more of HO florescent grow light.
Led strip lights, evenly spread over the growing surface have been proven to be the most efficient for crops like lettuce. These can be placed very close to the plants for maximum yield.
Good effort!! Keep up the hobby
Thanks for your input. I appreciate it! You made some good points.
@@pepperdactyl thanks Peter, I too grow using kratky and other methods. I have come to really appreciate the new quantum LEDs specifically the Lm301h chips. They are very efficient and provide excellent quality of light. For lettuce I like the 3500K or 4000k models in strips. They work amazingly well and cut my previous T5 electricity cost in half... Maybe a bit less. For more light intensive plants I like the quantum QB288 models... They provide a LOT OF LIGHT and penetrate the canopy well... So the whole plant gets light. Not to mention, they are way easier on the eyes than the purple lights.
Thanks for the video. Please continue making more. I'd love to see your progression
Thanks for the video. My only question is, are there any concerns using non BPA free plastics as the main water holding bin?
Thanks for watching. Honestly, I don't know if there are any health concerns using non-BPA free plastics. Since the solution is kept at room temperature, there should be less chance of anything leaching out. And if it did, I don't know if it would stay in the plant tissues or not. It is something to think about. If you find any information suggesting there is an issue, please let me know.
@@pepperdactyl Hey :) Seems like there DEFINTILY IS a problem with this. I too planned to do plain PVC hydroponics... Just to find out that basically all the plastics seem to leach "just a little bit of plastic" into the water and the plants DO soak them up and actually also carrie these chemicals all through the Plant. So there´s safer plastics and not safe at all plastics (PVC!!)... But even if these safer plastics just leak a tiny bit of plastic... and one would eat these plants for months or even years- there´s no way you would notice, and step by step one accumulates more toxins, life gets worse and no one knows why :P i decided for single-glass jars... since they seem to be safest option
I like the idea of using a starter plug for the seeds from the very start. Do they ever cause you problems? Also, what are they made of?
+Old Planty I've not had any problems with them at all. I think they are peat based but not 100% sure.
Amazing! coupla questions, of course.
1. Having just stumbled on this Kratky method, can I just confirm that the reason you don't require some sort of water aeration is that as the water level drops the roots out of the water gain oxygen from the air?
2. Would there be a mosquito problem with that large amount of still water?
cheers from Queensland, the Land Downunder.
Hi, thanks for watching! Yes, you are correct, the roots hanging above the solution do air exchange. For the second question, possibly yes. B.A. Kratky uses a fiberglass mesh screen for some of his containers. He has a RUclips channel now, and posted this video on mosquito control not too long ago, ruclips.net/video/6teoqf6MQrM/видео.html.
Great video! I’m new to researching this method. I noticed you’re using something different than the rock wool. Is there a reason you chose this over the other?
Rockwool works fine, just what I had at time of the video. Thanks for watching!
What kind of grow light did you use? And how far should the light be from the plant?
For these I just used t-8 shop lights, set very close, like a inch or so away. Any kind of grow light should work fine. The height would depend on the intensity of the light. For lettuce, I would shoot for around 200 ppfd.
Peter Stanley thank you.
How long it takes from planting to harvesting
All things considered, it could be as early as three weeks to get the first edible leaf. A full harvest could take 45 to 85 days.
@@pepperdactyl thank you. others are so confusing when they said 4 to 6 wks
Whats the range of ppm
It’s been a while since I did that, but I think it was 200-300.
Is it ok to use this method on a covered porch? Will that be enough sunlight or does it have to be direct sunlight?
Last year I grew several peppers under a covered porch using the Kratky method and they did great. My porch is mostly southern facing.
Peter, nice job on the video. Have you tried using this method growing chili ?
Thanks! And yes, it works extremely well for growing chilis.
Great video ! Do you use the same fertilizer for peppers and tomatoes ?
Yes, I use the same ferts. Sometimes I change the ferts I'm using, but I'll use the same one on all the plants I'm growing.
Does it need to be food grade plastic bin?
Thanks for watching! It certainly wouldn't hurt. I haven't had any problems yet growing in containers not rated as food grade, but I make sure nothing toxic was inside them prior.
hi
what is the best Nutrients for Hydroponic system?
thanks
If starting out, I recommend Dyna-Gro 7-9-5. It's an all-purpose liquid concentrate, very good and easy to use.
thanks
i will try
You can't go wrong with that. Just follow their mixing guidelines based on the type of hydroponics you are using. For non-circulating/Kratky type grows, 1 tsp/gal works great.
Hi Peter, thanks for sharing. How many liters of nutrients from seedling to harvest for all these plants?
Thanks for watching! I started them with 7 gallons/26.5 liters and harvested when they had used about half. I think I could have kept them going for a little while longer.
Thanks. I will try it
good job
Thank you!
Nice video but I missed what you used to plug up your refill hole and is that necessary? Also have you done this with using a air stone?
Thanks for watching! It was a 2" x 1/2" thick neoprene collar. The hole size was 1 7/8". I plugged it up to help prevent evaporation. I drilled that hole a while back for another project that I didn't finish. The neoprene collars do work great for running cords/tubes out of a system, for refill access, or for holding up small sprouts or cuttings in net pots. I didn't really need it for the Kratky lettuce setup. I have grown lettuce in an aerated nutrient solution and that does work great. With Kratky method you don't need one. As the roots draw down the nutrient solution, the roots hanging above the water in the moist air layer perform gas exchange for the plant. The roots suspended in the solution do all the feeding. Ideally with Kratky you'd want enough solution to carry the plant to maturity and harvest, which makes it fill and forget.
i did mine the same way but the leaves are pretty lame not as crunchy like they do from the store but taste awesome
Thanks for watching!
How many liters are there in that one gallon?
There are 3.78541 liters in one gallon.
How long does it take to get a response from you using your contact us from your web page?
Sorry for the delay, I sent you a reply.
@@pepperdactyl Thank you very much for the detailed response.
Great job! I missed what type of mini black basket looking thingy you used to put the growth sponges in..... also where did you get them? I am considering to do this myself 😊
Do you mind posting a list of what we need and how much? That would be great!
Thank you for watching! I have a post on my website that lists all the materials needed and where to find them. www.pepperinfo.com/how-to-grow-lettuce-using-the-kratky-method/
Peter Stanley Thank you! Which nutrient brand at the store would you recommend besides making it like you did in your past videos? :)
Also, why would you use clay balls instead of neoprene collars around the growth sponge? ;)
I think the clay balls help anchor the plant a bit more. Coco Coir bark chunks would work great too. I suppose you could use the neoprene collars if you have them though.
el tiempo fue seis semanas y de cuanto peso salieron
I have 2” net cup instead of 3”. Is that too small for this setup?
A 2" net cup should work fine. The AeroGarden baskets are even smaller than that and they do great.
Thanks again!
2 questions : 1 how do I know when the lettuce is ready to pick and 2 do I have to keep adding water or no
Thanks for watching! 1. You can either pick a little here and there as it grows, or harvest the whole thing at once (or both). For these I did two mini harvests, picking the leaves that were about the size of my hand each time. Then when it grew out more I harvested the entire plants. I did not know this at the time, but you can cut the whole plant off at the base, leave it in there and will grow back. 2. Re nutrient water, ideally you want enough in there to start that will take the plant to maturity. According to B.A. Kratky, one gallon per plant is a good estimate for lettuce. If it does get low, you can fill back, just don't fill too much or you will drown the air roots that have developed.
Peter Stanley thanks for the reply
@@pepperdactyl when you say got off the base, are you not leaving any leaves behind? Will it grow back without them?
Whats your starting EC?
It's about 1.1.
How to build a Hydroponics reservoir, not seed to harvest.