I have a vertical NFT with an 18" or more separation. Lettuce & basil are very easy to grow in the system. Other possibilities are Chinese celery & oregano, I tried water chestnuts in mine for awhile & they did OK. Mint also does very well in NFT, but the roots have oils which might affect the taste of other crops. Strawberries can also be grown in NFT. Tomatoes squash, & peppers are too big for my system  both their height & root ball. I had problems during the summer with NFT & heat, so I had to hybridize the system  NFT & wick. If it were me, I would go to a hydro dealer & follow their suggestions. The more long-term the crop, the more likely nutrient deficiencies will occur with soil based nutrients. Furthermore, squash & beans are not as easy to grow & nutrient management is more important. There are some tomato & pepper growers on forum  you might do a search of their posts & find some helpful suggestions.

The author/creator of HydroBuddy replied to my question... figured I would share the results here on GardenWeb... so that it would be available for anyone learning to use HydroBuddy v1.5. ******** SCFalconry, Thanks for writing and donating. YouâÂÂre doing things properly, you should add 10mL of A and 10mL of B for every liter of solution. This means that with 2L (2000mL) of A and 2L (2000mL) of B you can prepare 200L (204L final volume). Do not concern yourself with the mismatch between the programâÂÂs predicted EC and your EC measurement, the program uses an empirical approximation based on limiting molar conductivities, it might be way off depending on the salts used, their concentrations and final pH. I hope this helps you out :o) Best Regards, Daniel **********

Several companies make hydro-organic nutrients; Botanicare, Fox Farms, Earth Juice. However, I do not think you have any luck finding an OMRI certified one. Perhaps you could get away with liquid worm castings and kelp? Although I am unsure if those are OMRI certified as well.

My wife wants me to grow lettuce outdoors. I am looking to use either perlite, or the raft system. I read on the UF site about using only water soluble 20-20-20 plus epsom salts to grow healthy plants. Is it true I can use simple and cheap nutrients versus the expensive hydroponics nutrients? Anyone have experience growing lettuce down here during the Florida winter? I was wondering if I should grow on my covered south facing patio so it only receives early morning direct sunlight. If not I will place in full sun, but it can get a bit hot during mid-day. I planned on growing grand rapids lettuce since I have the seeds, but I will change to whatever suits the Tampa winter climate the best. I would appreciate any advice.