Is the fear of cyclosporiasis — and it’s stomach churning “explosive diarrhea” — have you saying no to lettuce?
Are you craving a salad but still don’t want to take the risk, especially after the news Aug. 3 that two people have now died from the outbreak?
You’re right to be concerned. But there is an option you may not have considered.
➤ Florida cyclosporiasis cases surge to 254 in 39 counties
Grow your own lettuce. I have, and it’s not as hard as you might think.
The latest numbers of cyclosporiasis cases in Florida have jumped to 254 since May 1 in 39 of the state’s 67 counties, according to the most current information available from the Florida Department of Health.
The Centers for Disease Control reports 6,707 confirmed cases of the illness since May 1, with many more suspected.
Here’s how you can grow your own lettuce, and eat it, too.
Florida cases of cyclosporiasis, 2026
What is cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite cyclospora, sometimes called the “poop parasite” that causes “explosive diarrhea.”
Cyclospora foods to avoid
Eating fresh, imported produce increases your risk for cyclosporiasis, according to clevelandclinic.
➤ Poop parasite 101, including cyclospora symptoms, prevention
Cyclosporiasis outbreaks have been linked to fresh fruits and vegetables, and foods containingthem, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.
Fruits and vegetables most frequently related to cyclospora infections are:
Outbreaks have also been linked to:
Can I grow my own lettuce in Florida?
Yes, you can, but …
While lettuce can be grown outside in Florida, summer’s heat is not the time to try since it “bolts,” which just means it turns its energy into seeds, which turns the leaves bitter.
The best months to grow lettuce outdoors in Florida is October to March, according to the University of Florida’s Institute for Food and Agricultural Services.
Since we won’t see those cooler temperatures for a few more months, your best option is to grow lettuce inside.
Here’s what I do.
Here’s what you need to grow lettuce in your Florida home
The option I chose was to grow lettuce in water, known as hydroponics. To be honest, I didn’t want to deal with potting soil inside!
Since lettuce grows quickly — depending on the variety, lettuce can take anywhere from 30 to 90 days from seed to mouth — you don’t need anything fancy or elaborate.
In fact, University of Hawaii Dr. Brenard Kratky developed a process called the Kratky method.
You don’t need pumps and you don’t need to add water once you set it up, leading to it being described as “set it and forget it hydroponics.”
You do need four basic items, well, five if you include the seeds:
If you want to get “fancy,” you can also get a small aquarium air pump with an air stone to oxygenate the water. You don’t have to and it was years before I purchased an inexpensive air pump. Before then, on occasion, I would blow bubbles with a straw telling myself repeatedly “don’t suck, don’t suck.”
You can find food-grade 5-gallon buckets at many locations, including Tractor Supply and Home Depot.
What kinds of lettuce are good for hydroponic systems and where to buy them?
There is a wide variety of types of lettuce out there. Some of the best for hydroponics are romaine, butterhead and Salanova.
I’ve experimented with all of them and personally prefer romaine but do also grow Salanova. Grow what you like!
Seeds can be found at many locations, from Walmart to home-improvement stores, but you can also find them online. Some of my favorites are Johnny’s Seeds and Baker Creek Seeds.
Step-by-step guide to set up your hydroponic lettuce garden
Here’s a step-by-step guide to growing your own hydroponic lettuce:
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://tcpalm.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Worried about lettuce amid cyclospora outbreak? How I grow my own
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
