With soilless agriculture, cucumber is produced in 26 days, lettuce in 30 days

In the district of Lapseki in Çanakkale, producer Hanife Kartal (38) has been cultivating lettuce and cucumbers using soilless hydroponic agriculture on a one-acre land for the past 2 years. She manages to produce lettuce in 26 days with soilless hydroponic agriculture, whereas it takes her 70 days with traditional soil-based agriculture. Additionally, she produces cucumbers in 30 days with soilless hydroponic agriculture, compared to 60 days with traditional farming. Producer Hanife Kartal has successfully shortened the growing period for lettuce and cucumbers using soilless hydroponic agriculture.
Having been engaged in agriculture for 10 years in Lapseki, Hanife Kartal started applying her experiences in soilless farming to lettuce and cucumber cultivation. She began lettuce production using soilless hydroponic agriculture on one acre of land 2 years ago in response to demand, and later expanded to cucumber production. While conducting research on cultivating different products using soilless hydroponic agriculture, she enrolled in the Organic Agriculture program at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (ÇOMÜ) Lapseki Vocational School to enhance her knowledge in this field. Her entrepreneurial spirit has served as an example to other female farmers in the region.
Producer Hanife Kartal, who cultivates lettuce and cucumbers using soilless agriculture on one acre of land, manages to produce lettuce in 26 days compared to 70 days with traditional farming, and cucumbers in 30 days compared to 60 days.
Expressing her experience of 10 years in agriculture, Hanife Kartal, who practices soilless farming, stated, ‘Due to increasing costs, I conducted research and came across soilless farming. I researched the advantages of soilless farming and found out that it offers many benefits, such as high yield per unit area, obtaining healthy and quality products. I have been involved in soilless farming for about two years now. Soilless farming is much more advantageous compared to soil-based farming. The use of pesticides is minimal, and water conservation is particularly significant. Water is essential, especially due to global warming. This system provides a 90% water saving. I am studying Organic Agriculture at ÇOMÜ Lapseki Vocational School. After starting this business, I thought about how to further develop myself and decided to take exams. I got accepted into this program based on the advice of my professors and I am enhancing my work with better knowledge. We initially started with lettuce and later continued cucumber production due to increased demand. We are working on approximately one acre of land. We started in open fields initially. To extend our production to 12 months, we continue in semi-open, semi-closed areas. Our system operates with six months open and six months closed. In cucumber cultivation, we achieve a monthly yield of about 1.5-2 tons. We harvest lettuce every 30 days. Cucumbers develop very quickly compared to soil; we started harvesting on the 26th day. In the soil, this could take 60-70 days. Similarly, while lettuce harvesting could take between 45 and 60 days in soil, we harvest in 30 days. We obtain abundant, high-quality, and healthy products per unit area. As a female farmer, I have had an impact on my surroundings. I receive positive feedback and recommend it to everyone. They should definitely believe in themselves because belief is half the success. They should never lose their hopes and beliefs’.