I’m new to gardening and decided to start my journey with hydroponics. I’m currently trying to grow iceberg lettuce, and this is my second attempt.
On my first try, I replanted the roots too early and gave them nutrient solution. Within a couple of days, everything died.
For my second attempt, I started on August 28. I placed the seeds in sponges and kept them in black containers with an airtight lid. The stems grew quickly, but even after 7–8 days in darkness, they still hadn’t sprouted their first leaves.
Yesterday, I decided to move them outdoors under shade with a plastic cover. When I checked today, all the seedlings that were standing upright had fallen over (as you can see in the picture).
Can someone with more experience tell me what I’m doing wrong and how I should fix this? Any expert advice would be really appreciated!
by Mrdeepuae
8 Comments
I think you must have misunderstood something. Lettuce needs plenty of light to sprout. 20h of decently intense light is around optimal
I’m not sure that sponge would be the best medium for the seedlings to sprout.
Keep in mind, what’s sprouting is their root. You’re hoping that those sprout down and push that pod up and the first leaf to develop and come out of that little pod. So you need that sponge to stay moist so the seedling has a constant source of moisture and you don’t really need them to be in darkness. Just keep them out of direct sunlight and high heat. You’ve also got a lot on small sponge pieces. This isn’t a problem now, but they’ll compete with each other as they establish and you’ll have to cull some of them.
Looks like pieces of pineapple.
Seedlings need lots of light right away. But not hot sun that will dry them.
Start new seeds. Those are leggy and not going to get better
I’ve been having germination problems recently too. I’m growing leafy greens. What I’m trying now (if it helps ya):
Soaked rockwool cubes in 5.5 pH water overnight. Allow cubes to drain for an hour before plugging 2 seeds per cube. I lined a plastic container with clay pellets to allow the cubes to drain and not sit in standing water. Cubes go on top of the clay pellets. Cover and keep inside near a window. Temp about 65F, keep humidity high but allow for some air exchange. Once they sprout and I see root coming out the bottom of the cube, then I’ll transfer to hydro system.
Light problem. Even for the photo
Looks very dark
note to self – do not use cheese cubes as a grow media for lettuce
**Alright, we’ve got our work cut out for us—but you’re not alone.**
Start with our [Seed Germination Guide](https://ugf.onl/blogs/guides/seedstarting). It walks you through the fundamentals—from sprout to seedling—and covers common pitfalls that trip up new hydroponic growers. While you’re there, explore the rest of our guides. They’re designed to help you troubleshoot and build confidence step by step.
That said, getting seeds to germinate reliably takes more than a quick Reddit reply. If you’re ready to dig deeper, head to the **Contact** menu on our site and reach out however works best for you. We’re here to help you get things growing.