Homemade Hydroponic Growing Systems
A hydroponic growing system is designed to grow plants without soil. The plants grow with their roots supported by a soil-free material such as vermiculite or rockwool, or they may grow with no support by floating in liquid. The plants produce a high yield of vegetables and grow hardy because they receive all of the nutrients that they need, right when they need them. You can make a hydroponic growing system at home using a few items that may be found at any garden center. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Self watering container
- Vermiculite
- Plants
- Large galvanized metal tub
- Aquarium air stone
- Aquarium tubing
- Aquarium pump
- Aquarium gravel
- Liquid nutrients
Instructions
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1
Remove the bottom, liquid-holding chamber from a commercially sold self-watering container.
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2
Fill the container with vermiculite.
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3
Hollow out a planting hole in the center of the vermiculite. Rinse soil away from the roots of the plant that you are planting.
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4
Place the root ball of the plant into the vermiculite.
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5
Fill a large tub, such as a watering trough or a wash tub, with liquid plant nutrients.
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6
Place an air stone from an aquarium into the bottom of the large tub. Run a hose from the air stone to an aquarium air pump outside of the stone.
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7
Fill the tub with loose gravel until the gravel is even with the top of the tub. Place the self-watering container directly onto the gravel bed.
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8
Fill the tub with liquid nutrients. Turn on the airstone to oxygenate the liquid nutrients. The liquid nutrients will wick up into the self-watering container from the gravel bed to water the plant inside of it.
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Tips & Warnings
Beginners who are not ready to mix their own hydroponic nutrients can buy pre-mixed nutrients from hydroponic supply stores.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Colourful containers image by Shirley Hirst from Fotolia.com
