Choosing the Right Cultivars

One of the first things we figured out is that "lettuce" is not just lettuce. There are hundreds of cultivars, and the ones that thrive in a field don't always perform the same way in a hydroponic system. Germination rate, leaf structure, heat tolerance, days to harvest: all of it varies by variety, and all of it matters when you're growing in trays and flood tables.

We've been trialing cultivars since we started, keeping notes on what works and what doesn't. This isn't a definitive guide. It's what we've seen in our system, in our climate, with our setup.

What We Look For

When we evaluate a cultivar, we're looking at a handful of things. First is germination rate in coconut coir. Some varieties pop up in two or three days with near-perfect germination. Others are spotty, slow, or both. If a tray comes up 60% instead of 90%, that's lost space and lost time.

After that, we're watching how the plant handles the transition from indoor racks to the flood tables outside. Charleston heat is real, especially from May through September. A variety that looks great indoors but bolts within a week of being outside isn't going to work for us. Heat tolerance is one of the bigger filters.

Then there's days to harvest. We're working in a tight cycle. Varieties that go from seed to cut in 28 to 35 days are ideal. Anything slower than that starts backing up the rotation and reduces how much we can grow in a given period.

What's Working

Loose-leaf lettuces have been our strongest performers. They germinate quickly, grow fast, and handle the flood table cycle well. The leaf structure holds up after harvest, too, which matters for the restaurants we're growing for. Nobody wants greens that wilt two hours after delivery.

We've had good results with a few butterhead types as well. They take slightly longer to mature, but the texture and flavor are worth it for certain customers. Herbs like basil have also done well, though they're more sensitive to temperature swings and need closer attention on the nutrient side.

What Hasn't Worked (Yet)

Some varieties that look great on paper just don't perform in our conditions. We've tried a few romaine types that grew leggy and bitter in the heat. A couple of specialty greens had poor germination in coir, even after adjusting moisture levels and seed depth.

That doesn't mean those varieties are bad. It means they didn't work in our system, in our environment, at this stage. As we scale and move more production indoors with better climate control, some of those might come back into the rotation.

How We Trial

We run small test trays alongside our regular production. Same coir, same nutrient solution, same light schedule. The only variable is the seed. We track germination percentage, days to first true leaf, days to harvest size, and any issues like tip burn or bolting. It's not a lab, but it gives us enough data to make decisions.

We also pay attention to what our customers are asking for. If a chef wants a specific green, we'll trial it and see if we can make it work. That feedback loop is part of how the crop list evolves.

The Crop List Is Always Changing

We don't have a fixed menu of greens that we'll grow forever. The list shifts as we learn more, as seasons change, and as customer needs evolve. Right now we're focused on a core set of lettuces and herbs that we know we can grow consistently and deliver fresh. As the operation grows, so will the variety.