20 Fast Growing Hydroponic Plants for Quick Harvest
No worries about late harvest when you plant these fast-growing hydroponic plants! These plants will be ready for harvest within a month.
Growing plants in a Hydroponic system is a profitable endeavor, whether it’s for commercial or personal purposes. For a quick harvest, it’s essential to grow plants that’ll mature and ready for harvest in a short period. We have listed the best fast-growing hydroponic plants that’ll provide quick and quality yield in no time.
Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes thrive hydroponically. Spinach, kale, lettuce, and swiss chards are leafy green vegetables that grow fast in hydroponic systems. The fast-growing herb in the hydroponic system includes cilantro, mint, basil. All these plants are ready for harvest in a month.
Hydroponic plants are those which are grown in water without soil. This system enhances plant growth, provides stronger yield, and the plants that are raised are of superior quality. As soil is absent in hydroponics, plant water does all the work for from providing nutrients to oxygen. Plants grown in hydroponics systems require less space, time, and water as compared to the usual soil-based system. When grown hydroponically, plants not only have more space, but this system also keeps them free from pests.
So without wasting any more time here is the list of fast-growing hydroponic plants that’ll be ready for harvest in no time!
1. Spinach
It’s no wonder; Spinach has made it to the top superfood and for a good reason. Packed on with nutrients like iron, zinc, manganese, and magnesium, spinach has innumerate health benefits. Spinach grown in the hydroponic system produce more yield with good quality and compared to soil-grown spinach. Spinach is one of the highest yielding vegetable crops and can be harvested after 15 to 20 days in a hydroponic system.
Spinach seeds and seedlings are sensitive to frost and will not grow below 10 degree Celsius. For optimum growth, the temperature should be kept around 25 to 30 degrees Celsius.
2. Lettuce
Lettuces are probably the most common vegetable grown in a hydroponic system. Its requirements are pretty basic and can be easily maintained. The high yields make it ideal for growing in controlled environments. The best part is that it grows rapidly in hydroponics and takes only 3 to 4 weeks to get the first edible harvest. There are many lettuce varieties you can grow hydroponically; among them, Butterhead lettuce is the most popular hydroponic lettuce cultivar.
Any kind of lettuce can be grown quickly in a hydroponic system. While harvesting, cut the outer leaves of the lettuce and leave the inner leaves intact; in this way, you can harvest it every day.
3. Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is a green leafy vegetable with high levels of vitamin K not seen in any other plant. You can quickly harvest Swiss chard after 35 days of planting the seed. Even after harvesting, it will continue to grow and provide more harvest. Swiss chard is extremely versatile and can survive in extreme temperatures. Plant them around 3-6 inches apart as it will produce more than one shoot from the seeds. It requires little maintenance but needs a lot of sunlight to prosper. You can also save its seeds up to 5 years for future planting.
4. Mustard green
Mustard green, commonly known as Indian mustard, leaf mustard, or Chinese mustard, is one of the most nutritious green leafy vegetables. Like spinach, mustard green also contains a large number of minerals and is a rich source of vitamins. The best part of growing it in a hydroponic system is that it will not have issues with flea beetles, cabbage worms, and clubroot. Green mustard, produced in a hydroponics system, can be harvested after 30-40 days.
5. Kale
Also, going by the name leag cabbage, kale is a member of the cabbage family. It’s one of the most nutritionally dense foods on earth, and its nutritional value further increases when we grow it hydroponically. Growing kale in a water system isn’t any different from any other plant, and that’s why it’s among the fastest-growing plants hydroponically. Some of the proven health benefits of kale are here!
6. Arugula
Another leafy green that grows faster in the hydroponic system than the soil. Arugula leaves are added to various culinary dishes for their tangy/peppery flavor. This fast-growing plant will be ready to harvest in as little as 30 days in hydroponic systems!
7. Watercress
It’s no wonder watercress is suited for hydroponic systems as it’s an aquatic plant. You’ll be surprised to know that watercress was the oldest known leafy vegetable consumed by humans. You can propagate it from seeds, cuttings which will develop a root system within few days in nutrient-rich water. Transplant the watercress plant to a hydroponic system once root develops.
8. Tomatoes
Although many of us consider tomato to be vegetable, it’s actually a fruit. It’s easy to grow in the hydroponic system, and you can even make a profit out of it. Tomatoes love to bask in the sun, so you’ll need to set up the hydroponic system in sunlight. You can buy grow light if providing sunlight isn’t an option. Tomatoes thrive well in slightly acidic soil with pH in the range of 5.5 to 6.5.
Also Read: Fruits That People Think are Vegetables But are Not
9. Cucumbers
Cucumbers are a summer delight when the temperatures go soaring; they are enough to beat the heat. This vining plant thrives in warm conditions, so make sure to provide plenty of sunlight. You can choose from several varieties that are different in size and characteristics such as seedless European, American slicers, or Lebanese cucumbers. You can directly start the cucumber seeds in the hydroponic medium of your choice (coconut coir, stone, mineral wool). Transplant the seedlings when they grow 3-4 mature leaves in hydroponic systems used for greenhouse crops.
10. Strawberries
This mouthwatering delight is economically the most viable berry fruit consumed. The sweet, aromatic, and juicy strawberry fruit is known and cultivated worldwide for its rich flavor. It’s well adapted to hydroponic growing and is commercially one of the most popular hydroponic plants. NFT systems are ideal for growing hydroponic strawberries commercially in farms and greenhouses. You can also grow hydroponic strawberries only for personal consumption and have a year-round harvest.
11. Blueberries
Blueberries are among the top fruits when it comes to antioxidants and vitamin contents. It performs well in hydroponics as it requires slightly acidic soil for optimum growth. In a hydroponic system, you can control the nutrients and pH, which is extremely important for the quality and development of blueberries.
12. Peppers
Peppers such as Bell pepper, Jalapeno, Chilli are very profitable when grown in a hydroponic system. Just like tomatoes, they are also fruits, not vegetables, and require a lot of sunlight and warmth to grow. It’ll take around 60-80 days for harvest to be ready, depending on the pepper you grow. Grow them from seeds or get the plant from the local garden center.
Also Read: Is Jalapeno a Fruit or Vegetable?
13. Beans
There are many bean types to choose from, which include lima beans, pole beans, pinto beans, and green beans. Pole beans have the vining varieties of beans, and that’ll require a support structure such as trellises. Seeds will germinate within a week, and you can expect a harvest in 40-55 days. Beans are highly profitable in the hydroponic system as the harvest is around 25 percent faster compared to soil. Deep-water culture and ebb-and-flow are some of the standard and easy hydroponic systems. Here is a detailed article on growing beans hydroponically.
14. Radishes
Whether in soil or hydroponics, it’s pretty easy to start this root vegetable from seeds. Radishes are a cool-season crop and do well in temperatures ranging from 50-70 degrees F. Sow the seeds in seeds in seedling trays and transplant them to the hydroponic system after 3-7 days when seedlings grow. In the hydroponic system, the edible radish root will grow on the surface of the medium in about 30-40 days. Here is a detailed article on growing radishes hydroponically!
15. Turnips
Another root vegetable that’s well suited for hydroponics and will grow fast. Plus, you won’t have to worry about the furry pests eating away your hard earnest harvest as bulb won’t be beneath the ground. The Ebb and flow system is easy and will support turnip from start to finish.
16. Spring Onion
Used mostly raw in salads, as a garnish, or cooked as Asian stir-fry dishes, spring onions has various culinary uses. Apart from that, spring onions are used in soup, noodle dishes, and in salsa to add flavor. It’s rich in vitamin K and C and also provides antioxidants which benefit the body by getting rid of toxins. You can harvest the plant every 3-4 weeks for dozen of shoots a single plant produces. Healthy and productive, what more do you need in a hydroponic plant!
17. Chives
Who said it’s only vegetables and fruits you can grow in the hydroponic system! You can also grow herbs such as chives hydroponically without much difficulty. You can grow chives from seeds, but growing it from seedling will make the whole process much easier and faster. Hydroponic Chives will be ready for harvest in 45-60 days. Once it’s mature, you can harvest as required from the top and allow the plant to regrow for further harvest. It requires a lot of sunlight, so make sure to locate it in a spot that receives 12-14 hours of daylight.
18. Cilantro
Also known as Coriander, Chinese parsley, or dhania, this herb is mainly used for garnishing dishes and adding flavors. It’s one of the most profitable plants you can grow hydroponically. So if you are someone interested in starting a hydroponic system for commercial benefits, it must be your go-to herb. Hydroponic cilantro is ready for harvest in 3-4 weeks only. So not only is it profitable, you can reap the profits in no time!
19. Mint
The first thing that comes to mind when we hear mint is the freshness that comes with it. Whether it is of mint tea or mint in salads, there is nothing that can go wrong with having fresh mint leaves at hand. Mint is one of the fastest-growing hydroponic plants. It may take time to grow from seeds as germination can be challenging, but once it reaches the young stage, it’ll grow very quickly.
To speed up the process, buy a mint plant from your local nursery and transplant it into your hydroponic system. Mint requires very minimal effort and only requires a fair amount of water to nurture.
20. Basil
This sweet, savory, or peppery woody herb is aromatic and used in various cuisines to impart flavor. Basil tops the list when it comes to the most grown herb in the hydroponic system. Just like chives, basil also requires ample sunlight to grow around 11-12 hours a day. Under lack of proper lighting, the harvest will be shunted and of low quality. The yield will increase with each subsequent harvest if you prune basil correctly. Check out this well-researched university article for details!
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