Hydroponic nutrient chart for vegetables — free printable PDF, by crop and stage
Lettuce isn't tomato — EC and ratios shift by crop and growth stage.
⬇ Download the free printable PDF chartOne page · EC, ppm (500 & 700) & pH for 12 crop stages · no sign-up
Want it interactive? The hydroponic nutrient calculator converts EC↔ppm, decodes fertilizer labels, and looks up any crop's target — free.
There's no single "hydroponic nutrient strength." Leafy greens want a lean, nitrogen-forward solution; fruiting crops want a richer mix with more potassium as they set fruit. The chart below covers nine common crops by growth stage. Unlike most nutrient charts online, every row here traces to published university controlled-environment research — Cornell CEA, Penn State Extension, and UF/IFAS — not a brand feed schedule.
Hydroponic nutrient chart: EC, ppm and pH by crop and stage
Target ranges for each crop and growth stage. ppm is shown on both the 500 scale (ppm = EC × 500, common on Hanna/Bluelab) and the 700 scale (ppm = EC × 700, common on Truncheon/HM Digital); match the column to your meter, or see ppm vs EC explained. EC is the source value — the two ppm columns are just conversions.
| Crop & stage | EC (mS/cm) | ppm (500) | ppm (700) | pH | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lettuce — seedling | 0.8–1.2 | 400–600 | 560–840 | 5.6–6.0 | Cornell CEA |
| Lettuce — mature head | 1.4–1.8 | 700–900 | 980–1260 | 5.6–6.0 | Cornell CEA |
| Leafy greens — kale, chard, spinach, arugula | 1.2–1.8 | 600–900 | 840–1260 | 5.8–6.2 | Penn State |
| Basil | 1.4–1.8 | 700–900 | 980–1260 | 5.5–6.0 | Penn State |
| Leafy herbs — cilantro, parsley, mint, chives | 1.4–1.8 | 700–900 | 980–1260 | 5.5–6.0 | Penn State |
| Strawberry | 1.2–1.8 | 600–900 | 840–1260 | 5.8–6.2 | UF/IFAS |
| Microgreens — all cultivars | 1.0–1.8 | 500–900 | 700–1260 | 5.8–6.2 | Produce Grower |
| Pepper — bell & chili | 1.8–2.4 | 900–1200 | 1260–1680 | 5.8–6.2 | Cornell CEA |
| Cucumber | 1.8–2.4 | 900–1200 | 1260–1680 | 5.8–6.2 | UF/IFAS |
| Tomato — seedling | 1.2–1.6 | 600–800 | 840–1120 | 5.8–6.2 | Penn State |
| Tomato — vegetative | 1.8–2.2 | 900–1100 | 1260–1540 | 5.8–6.2 | UF/IFAS |
| Tomato — fruit set | 2.2–2.8 | 1100–1400 | 1540–1960 | 5.8–6.2 | UF/IFAS |
Lettuce, tomato, and the herbs are full per-element recipes (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe) in the published sources; cucumber, pepper, strawberry, leafy greens, and microgreens are broad guidance — solid EC/pH starting points, but the per-stage element tables are coarser, so watch the plant and adjust. Most hydroponic vegetables and herbs take up nutrients best at a solution pH of about 5.5–6.5.
This is a PPM chart too. The two ppm columns above are the same data most growers search for as a "hydroponics ppm chart." Reading in ppm: lettuce runs ~400–900 ppm (500 scale), leafy greens and herbs ~600–900, and fruiting crops 900–1400. For hydroponic tomatoes, Cornell/Penn State/UF-IFAS put fruit set at ~1100–1400 ppm (500 scale) — the top of the range. Always confirm which scale your meter uses; the same solution reads ~40% higher on the 700 scale.
Printable hydroponic nutrient chart (PDF download)
Download the free one-page PDF: hydroponic-nutrient-chart.pdf. Every crop, stage, EC, ppm (both 500 and 700 scales), and pH is on a single sheet — print it to tape by the reservoir or keep it on your phone. Same source-cited data, offline, with no email wall or sign-up. Prefer to print from here? Your browser's Print → Save as PDF works too.
ppm for hydroponic tomatoes
Tomatoes are the most-asked crop, and their target climbs through the season: about 600–800 ppm (500 scale) as seedlings, 900–1100 vegetative, and 1100–1400 at fruit set — EC of roughly 1.2 to 2.8 mS/cm. See the full hydroponic tomato ppm & EC schedule by stage for the stage-by-stage breakdown and why pushing EC too high invites blossom-end rot.
Mixing to these targets with MasterBlend or General Hydroponics
The chart gives you the target; a brand feed chart gives you a dose. To turn the two into the right amount of nutrient — MasterBlend 4-18-38, Jack's, or the General Hydroponics Flora series — see MasterBlend & General Hydroponics mixing ratios per gallon, and remember to subtract your source-water ppm before dosing.
Targets shift by stage
Within a crop, the solution changes as the plant develops:
- Seedling / early: run EC at the low end — young roots are sensitive and high salts cause tip burn.
- Vegetative: nitrogen-forward to drive leaf and stem growth; raise EC toward the crop's normal range.
- Flowering / fruiting: for fruiting crops, shift toward more potassium (and relatively less nitrogen) to support fruit set and quality, often at the top of the EC range.
Watch EC drift, not just the starting number. If reservoir EC climbs over a few days, plants are drinking water faster than nutrients — dilute with plain water. If it falls, they're taking up salts faster than water. The trend tells you more than any single reading.
FAQ
What EC should lettuce be in hydroponics?
Seedlings want a low 0.8–1.2 mS/cm (400–600 ppm on the 500 scale); a mature head takes 1.4–1.8 mS/cm (700–900 ppm). Run the low end early so the salts don't burn young root tips. (Cornell CEA.)
What is the ppm range for hydroponic tomatoes?
It climbs through the season: about 1.2–1.6 mS/cm as seedlings, 1.8–2.2 vegetative, then 2.2–2.8 at fruit set (roughly 1100–1400 ppm on the 500 scale), shifting toward more potassium as the plant sets fruit. (Penn State / UF/IFAS.)
What's the difference between the 500 and 700 ppm scale?
Same EC reading, two conversions. The 500 scale is EC × 500 (Hanna, Bluelab); the 700 scale is EC × 700 (Truncheon, HM Digital). The same solution shows a bigger number on the 700 scale, so check which your meter uses before chasing a ppm target.
What pH is best for hydroponic nutrients?
About 5.5–6.5 for most vegetables and herbs, where the most nutrients stay available to the roots.
Is there a printable or PDF version of this chart?
Yes — download the free one-page PDF chart. Every EC, ppm (both scales) and pH range fits on a single cited sheet to keep by the reservoir, offline, with no sign-up.
Gear this guide uses
Hitting these per-crop EC and pH targets means measuring the solution and feeding it the right nutrients.
- Read every target in the chart with an EC and pH meter.
- Feed the crop with hydroponic nutrients like MasterBlend or General Hydroponics.
- Hold pH in the 5.5–6.5 band with pH up and pH down.
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Sources
Starting-point ranges for vegetable and herb growing — adjust to your cultivar, climate, and system, and verify with your own measurements.