Raised bedsand in-ground gardens arent the only way to grow your own food.
DIY hydroponics is a great way to grow vegetables, herbs, and evenflowers no matter where you live.
Hydroponics allows you to grow indoors, in a small or large space.
That means you might grow all year round in a climate-controlled environment.
You wont have the pest pressure conventional gardeners deal with every growing season.
There wont be any weeds to pull or soil to till, either.
DIY hydroponics doesnt require a lot of experience, just some inventiveness and creativity.
Hydroponics is extremely flexible.
In a hydroponics system, the plants are fed an oxygenated nutrient solution.
This key in of feeding is more efficient and effective for the plants.
It allows them to absorb nutrients more easily.
Therefore, they tend to be healthier and more productive.
Creating your own system is much more affordable.
And, since you built it yourself, youll know exactly how everything works.
In general, hydroponic plants mature 25 percent faster than plants grown in soil.
They also yield 30% more.
Thats because the plants dont have to search for nutrients by growing extensive root systems.
Many of these concepts can be incorporated into homemade hydroponics systems.
Choose the right location.
Consider the location of your hydroponics system carefully.
It will be difficult to move once its filled with water and plants.
Greenhouses,patios,decks, basements, spare bedrooms, and even large walk-in closets can all work.
Larger systems can also be constructed in garages, storage units, or even warehouses.
The ground must be level to allow nutrient solution to be distributed evenly to the plants.
Indoor systems require grow lights and good ventilation.
Outdoor systems require careful observation of water levels.
Either way, you should have access to water and electricity nearby.
Assemble your hydroponic system.
You will find a variety of easy hydroponics setups below.
Choose one that will work well in the location youve chosen.
Be sure it will accommodate the number of plants and types of plants you want to grow.
If you want to grow tall or vining plants, youll need sometype of trellisorfencefor them to climb on.
Go ahead and install it now, before you add water and plants to your system.
Add water and nutrients to your system.
Mix your nutrient solution according to the manufacturers instructions.
Fill the reservoir with the solution to the appropriate level.
Turn on the pump if you have one and initiate the system for at least 30 minutes.
Now, turn the pump off.
Check carefully for any leaks or other issues and address them before you begin adding plants.
Add your growing medium and plants.
Be sure the plant cup is touching your nutrient solution so the roots can reach it.
you could also plant seeds directly in your cups if desired.
Turn the system on.
Now turn on the pump.
Observe the system carefully over the next hour or so to ensure that there arent any issues.
Monitor your system daily.
Continue to check water levels and add nutrients as needed every morning and evening.
You should also monitor your plants daily.
You will need to stay on top of trellising and staking because the plants will grow very fast.
Check for signs of pests and disease each day and address them as they come up.
You should also check the pH and adjust as needed about once per week.
The Kratky Method
The Kratky method is incredibly easy to set up and maintain.
Its a passive system, which means there are no pumps to worry about.
Its a great option for beginners because its so simple.
You want the pot to rest inside the hole but not fall through.
A five-gallon bucket will accommodate one large plant, such as a tomato.
Fill the bucket with your solution and add your plants.
All you have to do now is monitor your plants, nutrient levels, and pH regularly.
Over time, the nutrition solution evaporates, allowing the roots to have access to oxygen.
The only time youll need to add solution is if the roots can no longer reach it.
Perlite and coco coir are great choices.
The holes should be about 12 in diameter.
Add your growing media to the bucket and add your plant.
The solution will be absorbed by the media until it reaches the plants roots.
Thats all there is to it!
To maintain your system, add pH balanced nutrient solution to the reservoir as needed.
If the weather is windy or hot, you will need to add solution more frequently.
Its easiest to mix your solution as you need it.
Automated Bucket Hydroponics Setup
If you prefer, you might turn your simple bucket setup into an automated system.
You will need a separate reservoir for your nutrient solution.
It can be anything from another bucket to a large water tank.
The larger your system, the larger your water tank will need to be.
Fill your water tank with nutrient solution, test the pH, and adjust as needed.
The drip line should drip nutrient solution at the base of each plant.
Connect the pump to a timer and plug it in.
Set the timer to come on for one minute, twice a day.
Watch your system closely, especially for the first week or so, and adjust the timer as needed.
Tabletop Hydroponics Setup
Heres a cheap and easy hydroponics setup thats perfect for a tabletop or desk.
Its ideal for something like an herb or lettuce plant.
Be sure to set up the system in a sunny window or add a grow light.
You will need:
Start by cutting a hole in the lid of your container for your net pot.
Be sure it fits snuggly but can still reach the nutrient solution.
Add a small hole in the side of the lid for the tubing.
Insert the tubing, attach the stone, and put the lid on.
Fill the bucket with nutrient solution.
Add your net pot, growing medium, and plant.
Turn on the pump and youre done!
To maintain your system, monitor the level of your nutrient solution and add more as needed.
You dont need any special tools or experience either.
This setup works well for small plants, such as herbs and lettuces.
Add your plant and growing medium and youre done!
Aquarium Hydroponics Raft
This system is great for beginners or a cool project for the kids.
This system can grow small plants like lettuces, spinach, herbs, or even a few bush beans.
You will need a fish tank for this project.
The larger your fish tank is, the more plants it can hold.
To set up the system, cut your foam raft to size and add holes for your net pots.
Fill the aquarium with nutrient solution.
Set your net pots in the holes, add growing medium and plants.
PVC Hydroponic System
This PVC Hydroponic System does require a little work to build.
But its not difficult as long as you have some basic power tool experience.
Its a self-contained system that works very well outdoors on a patio.
First, you will need to build a wooden A-frame stand to hold 4-inch PVC pipes.
Add a water reservoir, pump with a timer, and tubing to keep your system topped off.
You will also need an overflow pipe to take the extra solution back to the reservoir.
Fill the system with nutrient solution, add your net cups, growing medium, and plants.
To maintain, simply add more nutrient solution to your reservoir as needed.
If you use smaller bins, youll be able to move them around if needed.
You will need to cut holes in the lid of your bin to fit your net cups.
Heres how to build your own Hydroponic Grow Box.
The plants will get the natural light from outside and youll have a beautiful and fascinating display.
The system uses recycled soda bottles to hold the plants.
The bottles are hung vertically in the window using chains.
A system of tubing connected to a submersible pump moves nutrient solution from the reservoir to the plants.
And, an overflow tube takes excess solution back to the reservoir.
Get all the details for building your own Hydroponic Window Farm here.
10.Hydroponic Rain Tower Garden
Heres another easy DIY Vertical Hydroponics Plan thats easy to build.
It is created using a hollow vinyl fence post set inside a five-gallon bucket.
A submersible pump placed inside the bucket is used to pump nutrient solution to the top of the tower.
The solution will trickle down the inside of the tower and back into the bucket.
Heres how to make your own Rain Tower Garden.
DIY Dutch Bucket Hydroponics System
Dutch Bucket Systems are extremely versatile.
You will need two five-gallon buckets for each Dutch Bucket you want to make.
Here are step by step instructions for building your ownDutch Bucket System.
The solution is pumped up to the plants through drip line tubing.
It trickles down through the growing media, back into the reservoir.
As the water trickles down, it draws much-needed oxygen to the roots of your plants.
This system could easily be adapted to suit a variety of locations, both indoors and out.
It would also accommodate a wide variety of large and small plants.
Monitoring this system closely is key because the drip tubing can clog easily.
Your plants wouldnt get watered, and that could become catastrophic very quickly on a hot day.
Here are the step by step instruction for building aDrip Hydroponics System.
This system waters the plants from the bottom up.
After the container is flooded, the solution drains back down into the reservoir.
The pots are placed on a center pole and watered with drip tubing.
The tricky part of this system is regulating the water flow to the plants on the lower levels.
Learn how to build your own Stackable Hydroponics Tower here.
The pipes are installed in a zig-zag pattern on a wooden frame.
A submersible pump placed inside the reservoir pumps water to the top and feeds the system.
Holes are drilled in the PVC to accommodate net pots or cups.
Heres everything you should probably know to build your ownZig Zag Hydroponics system.
The system requires a stand with rain gutters placed on steps.
A drip line powered by a submersible pump delivers the solution to the closed end of each gutter.
it’s possible for you to see the plans for aVertical Gutter Gardenright here.
This system is easy to construct.
Holes are cut into the top of the box to accommodate net pots or cups.
The tote is filled with solution and a simple bubbler attached to an air hose oxygenates the nutrient solution.
Depending on the size of your tote and plants, each box can accommodate two to eight plants.
Wrapping Things Up
Hydroponics is the future of food sustainability.
Its also eco-friendly because it requires less water usage and fewer pesticides.
We hope this roundup of DIY hydroponics plans gave you some great ideas.
Use them as inspiration to design your own system to suit your needs and growing space.
