How to Start a Hydroponic Garden
Welcome to the world of Hydroponics! The word hydroponic involves growing plants in sand, gravel, or liquid. For this instruction, we are focusing on water. Hydroponics doesn’t use soil for plant growth; it cultivates plants with nutrients and water. The hydroponic system grows vegetables and plants quicker than outdoor gardening in the soil, and these systems can also be used year-round regardless of the weather. Plants that grow hydroponically mostly produce a higher yield and don’t require a lot of space. It uses less water compared to conventional gardening. The hydroponic system is also a good solution for urbanites and apartment dwellers who would not have access to soil-based gardening.
We will discuss three systems currently available for beginners to know HOW TO START A HYDROPONIC GARDEN; Wick, Water and Culture, and Flow and Ebb. The simplest plants for growth for beginners are greens such as spinach, chard, kale, and lettuce. Gardeners can also cultivate herbs such as parsley, basil mind, and oregano and fruit plants such as strawberries, hot peppers, and tomatoes.
Let’s get started!
WICK SYSTEM
Among the simplest growth system is the wick growth system, as no electrical apparatuses or complex parts are involved. The system is not ideal for water-based plants such as tomatoes and lettuce as they can use nutrient solutions quicker than the Wick System supply time. This system works great for herbs, peppers, and microgreens.
MATERIALS NEEDED
• Screwdriver or drill
• Basin or bucket as a water reservoir
• Water
• Optional grow light
• Hydroponic fertilizer (liquid or dry)
• Nylon or Cotton cord
• Growing Tray
• Seedlings
• Growing Medium
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Set Up Water Reservoir
Make a reservoir filled with water and vital nutrients. The reservoir also rests beneath the tray that holds the growing medium and plant.
2. Link Wicks To Growth Tray
Link one or two wicks through the holes in the bottom of the growing tray. You can use a screwdriver or drill when making holes in the growing tray. The wicks soak water from the reservoir and draw it up the wicks to the growth medium in the tray.
3. Place A Growing Tray
A growth medium, with a seedling, should be set above the water reservoir. You can use a growth medium that won’t drain fast and effectively utilize the wick’s capillary action, such as perlite,
vermiculite, and soil-less mixes.
4. Make a Lighting Fixture
You can skip this step if you are using natural light. Otherwise, you can set a lighting fixture above the growing tray. If you’re using incandescent light bulbs, you should set them to 24 inches
from the plants. The fluorescent and LED lights are not hot, so that you can keep them around 6-12 inches from the plants.
WATER CULTURE SYSTEM
The lettuce raft or water culture system is another growth system that is simple to set up. These plants get placed in a Styrofoam platform that floats atop the reservoir with nutrient-enhanced water. Unlike the Wick System, you must aerate the water with the raft system. The method is ideal for growing lettuce plants, but fewer plants grow well in this system. It isn’t ideal for long-lived plants such as tomatoes.
METRICS OF THE PROJECT
• Required working time: Around 45 minutes
• Total required time once completed: Add water-fertilizer solution as required
• Approximate cost of material; $50 ($100 with grow light)
MATERIALS NEEDED
• Rotary to X-Acto knife or drill (optional)
• Growth Light (optional)
• Pump and air stone
• Water
• Basin or bucket for reservoir
• Styrofoam sheet
• Hydroponic fertilizer (liquid or dry)
• Net pot seedlings
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Set Up Water Reservoir
Fill the reservoir container with nutrients and water. The container has to be opaque (not translucent or clear) and a minimum of 12 inches. A good example would be a 14-gallon Roughneck
tote.
2. Aerate Water
The pump and air stone are among the most inexpensive and common aeration systems for cultivation. An air stone, the bubbler present in house aquariums, gets placed in water and gets connected to an air pump outside the reservoir. The water pump also pushes air through the air stone, which blows tiny bubbles for oxygen distribution through the water.
3. Set Up the Growing Raft
Cut the floating Styrofoam raft to fit inside the top of your reservoir. Now cut holes for inserting net pots. Net pots are plastic containers with perforated bottoms with a growth medium (coconut coir, clay balls, and perlite) and seedlings. The plants’ roots also have to be linked with reservoir water.
4. Set Up the Light Fixture
If you use natural light, you can skip this step. Otherwise, you can set up a light fixture above the growing tray. If you’re using incandescent light bulbs, you should set them to 24 inches from the plants. The fluorescent and LED lights are not hot, so that you can keep them around 6-12 inches from the plants.
FLOW AND EBB SYSTEM
A flow and ebb system, also known as the drain and flood system, has a more complex design but is
quite versatile as well. This method works by flooding water in the growth medium with a solution of
water nutrients, and later it drains into the reservoir.
METRICS OF THE PROJECT
• Required working time: 1 hour
• Total required time once completed; Refresh water/nutrient solution each week
• Approximate cost of materials $75 ($125 with grown light)
MATERIALS NEEDED
• Grow Light (optional)
• Electronic timer
• Submersible pump
• Basin or bucket for reservoir
• Two tubes (One for filling and one for draining)
• Hydroponic fertilizer (liquid or dry)
• Water
• Net Pot seedlings
• Growing tray stands
INSTRUCTIONS
The reservoir gets placed directly below in flood tray stand with nutrients and water solution. The exact amount of water is helpful for around a week. It ensures you are renewing the nutrients each time you change the water.
1. Link A Submersible Timer and Pump
Having a submersible pump and a timer provides control in this system. It also allows you to customize the frequency and length of watering based on the needs of the plants.
2. Set Flood Tray
A flood tray or plant hydroponic tray is a shallow and large container on a tall stand. Plant the seedlings in pricked pots filled with growing medium, such as perlite. Pots in which the seedlings are
planted must be around twice the depth of the flood tray.
3. Set Up Lighting Fixture
a. If you use natural light, you can skip this step. Otherwise, you can set up a light fixture above the growing tray. If you’re using incandescent light bulbs, you should set them to 24 inches away from the plants. The fluorescent and LED lights are not hot so you can keep them around 6-12 inches from the plants.
b. Edible hydroponic plants need at least 14-16 hours of artificial light followed by 10-12 hours of darkness. You need to ensure putting the lighting system on a timer so the light can turn on and off simultaneously every day.