I bought this hydroponic lettuce from big c and it had loads of fertilizer with it. Seems unsafe to me. What quality standards approve this? I would think this is not safe. Should I bring this back ? Just a wash okay?

That looks like perlite, not fertilizer. It won't hurt you.

Edited to add: It's used as a potting medium in hydroponics and often added to regular potting soil as well to prevent compaction.

That looks like perlite, not fertilizer. It won't hurt you.

Thanks but it has a chemical type smell. How can I check what it is exactly? Scratch test ?

That looks like perlite, not fertilizer. It won't hurt you.

Thanks but it has a chemical type smell. How can I check what it is exactly? Scratch test ?

Sorry. Just edited my first post to explain how it is used. It probably retains some odor from the stuff in the hydroponics solution. Any chemicals that may be on it are already in the plant so not anything to be particularly concerned about (or maybe it is but that's just how lettuce is produced here). The little green basket that the roots are in sits in a solution of water and fertilizer in a large trey, they aren't grown in soil. The only source of nutrients is what is added to the water.

That looks like perlite, not fertilizer. It won't hurt you.

Thanks but it has a chemical type smell. How can I check what it is exactly? Scratch test ?

Sorry. Just edited my first post to explain how it is used. It probably retains some odor from the stuff in the hydroponics solution. Any chemicals that may be on it are already in the plant so not anything to be particularly concerned about (or maybe it is but that's just how lettuce is produced here). The little green basket that the roots are in sits in a solution of water and fertilizer in a large trey, they aren't grown in soil. The only source of nutrients is what is added to the water.

Thanks for your info. Yes I guess because it's porous maybe it retained some of the fertilizer. It smells really strong of fertilizer though. I'm going to just dump it and go with the organic options. Thanks for your info!

Hello All, what differance does it matter what the roots smell like if the leafs

taste good? The plant is still alive(fresh), most likely no sprays, yes, why not

pay more for OG lettuce that started loosing freshness since it was harvested.

Just think if you could buy OG with the roots still attached, you could smell

the cowshit and it would like being on the farm.

They have fresh hydro greens here in Korat at a couple of stores, they cut the

plants from the roots when you buy, it's not prepackaged like what you got.

rice555 a happy hydro grower and eater of toms/chilies/eggs/tomatillos