Lettuce in Hydroponics Lettuce (and most other leafy greens) should be your first plant to try with a hydroponic system. These plants have a shallow root system that matches their short above-ground height. That means there's no need to tie stakes or set guides for the plant.

Hydroponics is a type of horticulture and a subset of hydroculture which involves growing plants, usually crops or medicinal plants, without soil, by using water-based mineral nutrient solutions in an artificial environment.