By now you’ve heard (or maybe you’ve experienced firsthand) that cyclosporiasis — an illness caused by consuming food or water that has been contaminated with feces— is making its way around the country. Basically, the cyclospora parasite gets onto fresh produce via contaminated soil in the ground or via contaminated water that has been used for washing, and people who eat this produce can end up with explosive diarrhea that lasts for weeks. While most cases so far have been concentrated in Michigan, there have been thousands overall across the country. So far, health officials suspect lettuce as a possible culprit (though they’ve also said they can’t rule out other produce).
While this is ongoing, there a few things you can do to feel better: Try to shop at farmers’ markets (there’s more attention and care that goes into maintaining clean soil on those small farms than what you’ll find with industrialized agriculture, plus you’ll be certain of where your food comes from), wash your produce thoroughly (not a guaranteed way to get rid of cyclospora, but it can reduce its numbers and risk of illness), cook your produce to a temperature of at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit (the temperature that kills the bacteria), or grow your own lettuce.
When it comes to the last idea, we’re here to help. Obviously, if you have your own garden, you’re already set. But if not, consider an indoor-garden kit. Most use either a self-watering or hydroponic system to grow plants, and after years of using various models, writer Erin Schwartz recommends the latter. “In a hydroponic system, plants grow in a tank of water enriched with fertilizer. Your plants’ roots have more room to stretch out, and you have more flexibility with how and when to water and feed your crops,” they say.
Below, find Schwartz’s favorite model for growing lettuce, plus some other systems they endorse.
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AeroGarden, first recommended to us by George Pisegna, deputy director and chief of horticulture at the Horticultural Society of New York, has various kits that check a lot of boxes: They come in a range of counter-friendly sizes, contain a pump to circulate water, come with fertilizer, and (even at their smallest) produce a fair amount of lettuce and herbs. Depending on the model, a light or LED display will remind you when to refill water and replenish with the included plant food.
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This is an upgrade from the AeroGarden models for those interested in devoting a bit more time and space to growing. Schwartz used it to grow generations of basil, arugula, lettuce, tatsoi, and cabbage. “The Rise Gardens grows larger plants than my AeroGarden Sprout, and since the slots are more widely spaced, there’s less crowding and it’s easier to see how each plant is doing,” they say.
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If you have some outdoor space, or even an open sunny corner, you can use this self-watering raised-bed planter, which is a perennial Strategist favorite. You have to handle planting and fertilizing yourself, but it has a reservoir in the bottom that plants draw from when needed. A drainage tap provides an outlet for excess water. Or else go classic and get a window box and a nice watering can.
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