Hydroponic Growth Rates & Yields: Real Data for Every Plant
Table of Contents
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How fast do plants grow in hydroponics? How much will you actually harvest? Here's real data from thousands of hydroponic grows to answer these questions.
Herb Growth Rates & Yields
Basil (Sweet Basil)
Growth Timeline
Seed to Germination
5-7 days
First Harvestable Leaves
21-28 days
Peak Production Reached
6-8 weeks
Productive Lifespan
8-12 weeks
Yield Data
Per Plant (Single Harvest)
20-35g fresh
Per Plant (8-week cycle)
120-210g cumulative
Per Square Foot
600-1000g
Annual (2-3 cycles/year)
1.2-2.1kg per sq ft
Retail Value (per plant)
$60-105
Mint (Peppermint/Spearmint)
Growth Timeline
Seed to Germination
7-10 days
First Harvest Ready
14-21 days
Peak Production
4-6 weeks
Productive Lifespan
6 months+ (perennial)
Yield Data
Per Plant Weekly (after 4 weeks)
50-100g
Per Plant (6 months)
1200-2400g cumulative
Per Square Foot (6 months)
2400-4800g
Annual Yield
4.8-9.6kg per sq ft
Retail Value
$500+ per plant/year
Cilantro
Growth & Yield Summary
Time to First Harvest
28-35 days
Per Plant Yield
25-40g
Per Square Foot
500-800g
Annual
1.5-2.4kg per sq ft
Leafy Green Yields
Lettuce (Butterhead & Leaf)
Growth Timeline
Seed to Germination
4-6 days
Seedling Stage
7-14 days
Vegetative Growth
14-21 days
Ready for Harvest
28-35 days
Yield Data
Per Plant (Whole Head)
200-300g
Per Square Foot
1600-2400g per cycle
Cycles per Year
10-12 (continuous production)
Annual per Square Foot
16-28kg
Continuous Picking Yield
40-60% increase (partial harvests)
🌿 Lettuce Advantage: Lettuce is the highest-yield per square foot crop. 16-28kg annually is 8-10x higher than soil gardens. This is why commercial lettuce farms use hydroponics exclusively.
Spinach
Growth & Yield Summary
Time to Harvest
32-42 days
Per Plant Yield
180-280g
Per Square Foot
1400-2200g per cycle
Annual
14-26kg per sq ft
Arugula
Growth & Yield Summary
Time to Harvest
21-28 days (fastest greens)
Per Plant Yield
40-60g
Per Square Foot
1200-1800g per cycle
Annual
14-21kg per sq ft
Fruiting Plant Yields
Cherry Tomatoes
Growth Timeline
Seed to Germination
5-7 days
Vegetative Growth
6-8 weeks
First Flowers
6-8 weeks
First Ripe Fruit
14-18 weeks
Production Window
12-16 weeks (from ripening)
Yield Data
Per Plant (Single Harvest)
40-60 tomatoes
Per Plant Weight
600-1200g
Per Plant Lifetime
150-200 tomatoes (5-6 months)
Per Square Foot (2 plants)
2400-4800g
Annual (4 cycles/year)
9.6-19.2kg per sq ft
Bell Peppers
Growth Timeline
Seed to Germination
8-12 days (slow)
Vegetative Growth
8-10 weeks
First Flowers
8-10 weeks
First Ripe Fruit
16-20 weeks
Production Window
16-24 weeks (long harvest)
Yield Data
Per Plant (Full Season)
15-30 peppers
Per Pepper Weight
100-150g
Per Plant Total Weight
1500-4500g
Per Square Foot (2 plants)
3000-9000g
Annual (2-3 cycles/year)
6-27kg per sq ft
Hydroponics vs Soil: Growth Speed Comparison
| Plant | Hydroponic Time | Soil Time | Speed Increase | Yield Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | 21-28 days | 28-35 days | 20-25% | 40-50% |
| Lettuce | 28-35 days | 40-50 days | 25-30% | 50-100% |
| Spinach | 32-42 days | 45-60 days | 25-35% | 40-60% |
| Tomatoes | 14-18 weeks | 18-24 weeks | 20-30% | 30-50% |
| Peppers | 16-20 weeks | 20-26 weeks | 15-25% | 25-40% |
💡 Key Finding
Hydroponics grows plants 25-35% faster and produces 30-50% higher yields than soil. This is consistent across all plant types. The difference is most dramatic with greens (lettuce: 50-100% more yield).
Yield by System Type
| System Type | Plant Type | Per Sq Ft (Annual) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| DWC | Basil/Herbs | 1.2-2.1kg | Limited scale, high quality |
| NFT | Lettuce/Greens | 22-28kg | Highest lettuce yield |
| Ebb & Flow | Mixed (Herbs + Greens) | 12-18kg | Balanced, forgiving |
| Drip | Tomatoes/Peppers | 9.6-19.2kg | Best for fruiting |
| Aeroponics | Herbs/Greens | 20-32kg | Highest yields, complex |
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Annual Production Calculations
Example: 4x4 ft Lettuce System (16 sq ft)
Setup: NFT System (16 plants on single channel)
Cycle Time: 35 days per harvest
Cycles per Year: 10 complete cycles
Per Cycle Yield: 16 plants × 250g = 4kg
Annual Total: 4kg × 10 cycles = 40kg fresh lettuce per year
Retail Value: $2-4/lb = $176-352/year
System Cost: ~$300-500, pays for itself in 2-3 months
Cycle Time: 35 days per harvest
Cycles per Year: 10 complete cycles
Per Cycle Yield: 16 plants × 250g = 4kg
Annual Total: 4kg × 10 cycles = 40kg fresh lettuce per year
Retail Value: $2-4/lb = $176-352/year
System Cost: ~$300-500, pays for itself in 2-3 months
Example: 2x2 ft Mixed Herb System (4 sq ft)
Setup: 8 Basil + 2 Mint plants (Ebb & Flow)
Basil Production: 8 plants × 180g/8-week cycle = 1.44kg per cycle
Basil Cycles/Year: 4.5 cycles = 6.5kg/year
Mint Production: 2 plants × 2400g/6-month = 4.8kg per 6 months
Mint Annual: 9.6kg/year
Total Herbs: 16.1kg fresh herbs per year
Retail Value: $300-500/year
System Cost: ~$400, pays for itself in 10-16 months
Basil Production: 8 plants × 180g/8-week cycle = 1.44kg per cycle
Basil Cycles/Year: 4.5 cycles = 6.5kg/year
Mint Production: 2 plants × 2400g/6-month = 4.8kg per 6 months
Mint Annual: 9.6kg/year
Total Herbs: 16.1kg fresh herbs per year
Retail Value: $300-500/year
System Cost: ~$400, pays for itself in 10-16 months
Example: 4x8 ft Tomato/Pepper System (32 sq ft)
Setup: 4 tomato + 4 pepper plants (Drip)
Tomatoes: 4 plants × 1.5kg per 5-month cycle = 6kg × 2 cycles/year = 12kg/year
Peppers: 4 plants × 3kg per 6-month cycle = 12kg × 1.5 cycles/year = 18kg/year
Total Fruit: 30kg fresh tomatoes + peppers/year
Retail Value: $60-120/year (lower-cost produce)
System Cost: ~$1,200, pays for itself in 10-20 months
Tomatoes: 4 plants × 1.5kg per 5-month cycle = 6kg × 2 cycles/year = 12kg/year
Peppers: 4 plants × 3kg per 6-month cycle = 12kg × 1.5 cycles/year = 18kg/year
Total Fruit: 30kg fresh tomatoes + peppers/year
Retail Value: $60-120/year (lower-cost produce)
System Cost: ~$1,200, pays for itself in 10-20 months
Factors Affecting Hydroponic Yields
Factors That Increase Yield (15-40% improvement)
- Light Intensity: Each 100 μmol/m²/s increase adds 10-15% yield
- Light Duration: 16-18 hour photoperiod beats 12-14 hours by 20-30%
- Temperature Optimization: Keeping 70-75°F (vs 60-80°F range) = 15-25% boost
- CO2 Enrichment: Boosting to 800-1000ppm (vs 400ppm) adds 25-40%
- Nutrient Optimization: Perfect pH + EC timing = 20-30% improvement
- Air Circulation: Fans reduce humidity, prevent disease, add 10-15%
- Continuous vs Batch: Staggered plantings (rolling harvest) maintain 50-70% production
Factors That Decrease Yield (10-50% loss)
- Low Light: Below 200 μmol/m²/s reduces yield by 30-50%
- Temperature Stress: Below 60°F or above 85°F = 20-40% loss
- Nutrient Deficiency: Wrong pH or low EC reduces yield 15-35%
- Poor Pollination (Fruiting): No hand-pollination = 30-50% fruit drop
- Root Issues: Root rot or algae cuts yield by 40-70%
- Power Failures: Daily loss means 10-15% annual reduction risk
- Overcrowding: Too many plants in small space = 20-30% yield loss
📊 Yield Optimization Rule
Lighting and temperature matter most. Get these two right and you'll achieve 80%+ of maximum yields. Get them wrong and you'll only reach 40-50% of potential.
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