Choose Your First Kratky Plant
Lesson 2 of 14
Your first plant should forgive mistakes and finish fast. That way you see the whole cycle, from seed to harvest, before anything has time to go wrong.
Start with leaf lettuce
Lettuce is the crop the Kratky method was first developed and tested with (Kratky, 2009), and it is still the easiest place to start. It stays small, grows quickly and is usually harvested before the solution runs out, so you never need to top up.
Loose-leaf types are the most forgiving. You can pick outer leaves as the plant grows, and they do not need to form a tight head.
Herbs to try next
- Basil grows well in Kratky containers and loves warmth and bright light.
- Cilantro prefers cooler conditions and tends to flower (bolt) quickly in heat, so grow it in a cool room.
- Parsley, mint and chives also do well once you are comfortable with the basics.
What to save for later
- Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers drink far more water and need large containers and topping up. Lesson 13 covers them.
- Root crops such as potatoes and carrots are possible, but they are experiments rather than a first crop.
Choosing seeds
Any ordinary lettuce or herb seed works. Look at the "days to maturity" on the packet: shorter is better for a first crop. If you can, buy a mix of loose-leaf lettuces so you can see which ones you like.
Your task for this lesson
Pick one plant to grow first. Lettuce is our recommendation. You will grow just one container of it while you work through the course.
Related Articles
Sources
- Kratky, B.A. (2009). Three non-circulating hydroponic methods for growing lettuce. Acta Horticulturae 843: 65–72.