How to Make a Homemade Hydroponic Garden

Hydroponic gardening is the cultivation of plants without the use of soil. The roots of hydroponically-grown plants grow in a nutrient-rich liquid solution. The gardener maintains a constant level of plant food in the solution, and provides the plants with a balanced range of nutrients and minerals. Pumps circulate or aerate the nutrient-rich hydroponic growing solution and infuse it with oxygen. The plants draw sustenance from the oxygenated solution, which also serves to maintain healthy root systems.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 10-gallon plastic tub with lid (24-by-16-by-9 inch) Felt-tipped pen Razor blade 1/2-inch thread-to-barb plastic garden hose adapter 1/2-inch plastic garden hose valve and connector Hydroponic nutrient concentrate for all-purpose growing Aquarium air pump Clear, plastic 1/4-inch hose Airstone 5 pieces of 2-by-2-by6 inch Rockwool insulation

1. Secure the lid on the plastic tub. Draw five 2-by-2 inch squares on the plastic lid using a black, felt-tip pen. Draw one square in each corner of the lid, 2 inches from each edge of the lid. Draw one square in the middle of the plastic lid, as well.

2. Use a razor blade to make clean, precise cuts along the outlined squares. Cut a square, 1/4-inch hole in the plastic lid in one of the corners. It doesn't matter which corner.

3. Remove the lid from the plastic box and flip the rectangular box on end with one of the short sides facing up. Cut a round hole in the plastic box 2 inches from the bottom of the box, in the middle of the box's short side; make the hole 1/2 inch in diameter. Push through a 1/2-inch thread-to-barb plastic adapter with the threaded end on the outside of the plastic box. Screw on a plastic, 1/2-inch garden hose shut-off valve, making sure the valve is closed once it's attached.

4. Mix the hydroponic nutrient solution concentrate according to the product directions. Make enough solution to fill the plastic box to within 3 inches of the top rim. Run 1/4-inch clear aquarium tubing through the 1/4 inch hole in the plastic lid. Place the fitting on the airstone inside the end of the plastic tubing, and place the airstone in the growing solution. Attach the other end of the 1/4-inch plastic tubing from the airstone to the aquarium pump. Turn the pump on to aerate the water.

5. Grow plant seeds in 2-by-2-by-6 inch blocks of Rockwool as a rooting medium to support the plant's roots. Saturate the Rockwool by dipping it in the solution inside the plastic box. Plant the seeds in the saturated Rockwool by spreading the compressed layers of the Rockwool just wide enough to sprinkle the seeds in-between them at a depth of about 1/2 inch.

6. Keep the air pump on at all times with a full reservoir of nutrient-rich solution. The plants will draw what water and nutrients they needs from the Rockwool, which will wick it up from the reservoir in the plastic box.

Tips & Warnings

• Hydroponic nutrient concentrates come in many blends, so be sure to pick a product that is designed for general or all-purpose, year-round use.

References

• Grow Box & Hydroponic Systems at Dealzer.com