Monday, April 9, 2018

Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Growing Lettuce with a Hydroponics System

Hello and welcome to the Focused on Story Blog by J.Q. Rose.
One week of words down. I hope you're having fun and getting a kick out of some of the words I've chosen to share with you.
~hydroponics~
the cultivation of plants by placing the roots in liquid nutrient solutions rather than in soil; soil-less growth of plants, Dictionary.com

My husband and I were in the floral business for nearly twenty years, so I was familiar with the term, hydroponics. But in the spring of 2017, hydroponics became very real to me when Gardener Ted decided to try growing lettuce and a few other plants using hydroponics. He has grown lots of vegetable and annual plants as well as foliage plants, mums, glads, and Easter lilies in our commercial greenhouses, and he plants a vegetable garden which produces delicious food all summer for our family in Michigan and a small garden in winter in Florida for us. Yes, he gardens twelve months out of the year. A dream come true for him.
Lettuce and other plants growing in a hydroponic system
Photo by J.Q. Rose
He was ready to try something new, so he set out to build his hydroponic system and raise plants. Learning how to grow healthy plants in water is definitely not like raising plants in soil! Figuring out how to move the water through the growing pipes, adding nutrients to the water, and keeping the pH at the right point was a real learning curve. And of course, the weather conditions change everything--warm, cold, windy, humid, etc.affect the demands of the plants to keep healthy.
Delicious speckled lettuce grown using the hydroponics system
Photo by J.Q. Rose
He followed through on producing lots of lettuce grown hydroponically, but the garden lettuce seemed to grow faster. I liked the hydro lettuce because it was clean when he cut it, whereas the garden lettuce had sand and soil on the leaves. So this spring he is planning to make improvements to his system and experiment some more with hydroponics. I'll keep you updated as to his progress this year.

Are you a gardener? Do you have experience with hydroponic growing? 

Dangerous Sanctuary by J.Q. Rose
Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined
she would be caring for a flock that includes
a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.
Advice?? Thank you.

Click here for the MASTER LIST
of all participants who signed up
for the #AtoZchallenge 2018!


Sunday, April 8--I had fun visiting with Linda Hill on her blog, Linda's Book Bag, Staying in with J.Q. Rose. If you have time, I hope you'll hop on over as we enjoy  a pizza and discussion of my romantic suspense novel, Dangerous Sanctuary. Click here to visit this RNA Industry Award Winning Blog for Blog Star of the Year 217.



10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gardening yes, hydroponics no! In fact, didn't know of this method of cultivation by this or any other name. Looking at my soiled fingernails from this afternoon's horticultural endeavors I can't help but think that gardening with water rather than soil has its merits!


A-Z of My Friend Rosey!

Deborah Weber said...

I love flowers and have a small garden devoted to them, so reading that you were in the floral business for 20 years makes my heart happy. My brother is the one in the family with the natural green thumb, a penchant for vegetable growing, and a generous spirit, so we benefit from his talents and his excess.

I don't know anyone doing hydroponic gardening, but I like the idea of clean lettuce as well.

Su-sieee! Mac said...

I've heard of hydroponic gardening, but never curious enough to learn more because our region experiences drought a lot now. Otherwise, I think I'd give it a try.

Nilanjana Bose said...

I have the blackest fingers that a human could possibly have - so no tips on hydroponics. My mum had green fingers though...obviously not a hereditary trait...

All the very best for the rest of the challenge!

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Keith, You're a true gardener--soiled hands and nails. Great rewards coming for getting your hands dirty!

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Deborah, Maybe you could mention hydroponic gardening to your brother. He might want to try something different like my hubby did.

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Su-sleet--gotta be a story behind that name! Hydroponics recycles they water in the tubes and may use less water than watering the garden. Less evaporation. Thank you for stopping in.

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Nilanjana, Don't feel bad. There are people like my hubby who love to share the fruits of their labor with folks who can't grow anything!!

Juneta key said...

That is really cool.

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Juneta, really cool and tasty too!

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