How to Build a Vertical Hydroponic System

Hydroponic systems are capable of growing plants larger and faster than soil gardening systems, and they make a more efficient use of space. You can increase the efficiency of your space even further by installing a vertical hydroponic system, where one plant is grown hanging over another. Vertical hydroponic systems are ideal for the indoor gardener who has limited space to work in.

Things You'll Need

• 4 plastic flowerpots with overflow trays
• Drill
• 20 eyebolts with associated nuts
• 1 to 2 gallon plastic bucket
• Grease pencil
• 4 eyehooks
• 16 feet of flexible tubing just wide enough to fit into the cap of a soda bottle
• Knife
• 4 washer-style filters, sized to fit the tubing
• Silicon caulk
• Caulking gun
• 4 soda bottle caps
• 4 1-foot lengths of rope
• 16 2-foot lengths of rope
• Hydroponic growing medium
• String

Instructions

1. Drill four holes into each of the rims of the overflow trays, evenly spaced around the rims. Make the holes the same diameter as the eyebolts. Drill four more holes spaced around the rim of the bucket.

2. Insert the eyebolts into the holes that you drilled and secure them with the nuts. Hold the bucket against the ceiling and make a mark with the grease pencil on the ceiling next to each hole in the rim of the bucket. Screw one eyehook into the ceiling at each mark.

3. Drill four holes into the wall of the bucket, near the bottom. Make the holes the same diameter as the flexible tube. Make sure that each hole is underneath one of the eyebolts in the rim.

4. Cut 1 foot off of the flexible tubing. Mark this as "Segment A." Cut another segment to be 3 feet long, labeling it as "Segment B." Make a "Segment C" that is 5 feet long, and a "Segment D" that is 7 feet.

5. Insert the four lengths of tubing ½ inch into the holes in the bottom of the bucket. Fit the filters over the ends inside the bucket. Seal the joints between the tubes and the bucket with silicon caulk.

6. Drill two 1/8 inch holes in each of the bottle caps. Fit the free ends of the four tubes into the bottle caps, sealing them in place with the caulk.

7. Tie the 1-foot ropes to the eyehooks in the ceiling. Tie the eyebolts in the bucket to the other ends of these ropes. Tie four of the 2-foot ropes to the eyebolts in the bucket. Tie the other ends to the eyebolts in one of the trays. Continue in this fashion until all of the trays are hung up, one below the other.

8. Fill each of the pots with hydroponic growing medium. Place them on their trays. Place the end of Segment A into the top pot. Tie it to the rope next to it with string, so that it doesn't stand out too much. Put Segment B into the second pot from the top and affix it in the same manner. Segment C goes into the second pot from the bottom, and Segment D goes into the bottom pot. Your vertical hydroponic system is now ready to use.

Tips & Warnings

• Use braided rope or chain for a different look for your vertical hydroponic system. When you are ready to use it, pour your nutrient mixture into the bucket on top. It will slowly drip into the pots below, at precisely the rate they need. Change the solution every two weeks.

References

• Cal Poly Pomona: Do It Yourself Bucket Drip Irrigation; James S. Koga; March 22, 2010
• University of Alabama: Hydroponics for Home Gardeners; Kessler, Williams and Howe; 2006
• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Grow Your Own Vegetables Without Soil; James Stephans; 2009
• Veggie Gardener: Watering Tomatoes Using a 2-liter Soda Bottle

Resources

• University of Illinois: Hydroponic Systems