Hydroponic gardening is an easy way to grow plants without having to worry about soil. It’s also a great option for people who don’t have the time or space to garden outside.
The idea behind hydroponics is simple: You grow plants in a controlled environment using water instead of soil. With hydroponics, you’ll be able to produce healthy greens and herbs indoors with very little effort!
Choose Your Space
Before you begin to build your system, it’s important to choose a location that is:
- Well-lit (preferably natural sunlight)
- Easy to access and clean
- Large enough to accommodate the size of your system. You should also consider how much height you’ll need for your grow lights, as well as how much room they’ll take up on the floor.
Clean and dry. Make sure that any area you choose has good air circulation so that mold doesn’t develop on surfaces or in boxes (which can be harmful for plants).
Also make sure any area chosen is safe from intruders this is especially important if you’re growing indoors!
Pick Your System
There are many different systems you can use to create your indoor hydroponic garden. The main thing you need to decide is what kind of system will work best for your space and needs. Here’s a list of the most common types of hydroponics, along with their pros and cons:
Deep Water Culture (DWC) – This type of system can be built using any container, but often uses buckets or barrels as the reservoir.
Plants are placed in rockwool cubes that sit on top of water in the reservoir. There may be a pump or powerhead at the bottom of the tank that recirculates water back up through the root zone, which keeps roots oxygenated while also helping prevent algae growth from stagnant water.
DWC systems require less monitoring than other types because they self-regulate pH levels; however, if there’s too much runoff during watering cycles it could cause root rot issues for plants due to nutrient build-up around them (especially true for succulent species).
Get To Know The Components
A hydroponic garden is a system that uses nutrient-rich water to feed plants, rather than soil. The most basic components of a hydroponic garden include:
Grow tent: A grow tent can be bought at your local gardening store or online. It helps you control light and heat and prevent pests from getting in your crop.
Grow light: A grow light provides the energy needed to grow plants indoors, much like the sun provides energy outdoors.
Most growers recommend using full spectrum LEDs as they produce less heat than other types of lights (like HID bulbs) which may cause damage to plant roots if temperatures get too high inside the container you’re growing them in!
Nutrient solution: Nutrient solutions contain just what it sounds like—nutrients! These are typically made up of water mixed with nutrients such as calcium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate (also known as baking soda).
You should check the manufacture’s instructions on how much solution you need for each gallon so that it stays balanced throughout its entire lifespan on earth (and beyond!).
Set Up Your Equipment
You’ll need to set up your equipment before you can start building your hydroponic garden. The first step is to assemble all of the parts, which can include:
- Water pump
- Timer
- Light system
Once you’ve got everything ready, plug in your water pump and turn it on. Then, plug in your timer and set it for 12 hours of light each day.
There are many varieties of timers available, so find one that works best with the type of lighting you choose (whether that be LED bulbs or fluorescent tubes).
Finally, fill up your reservoir with nutrient-rich water and place it next to where you plan on setting up your garden bed(s).
Sterilize And Prep The Containers
- Sterilize the containers by putting them into hot water for 10 minutes.
- Prep the containers by adding a thin layer of growing medium to the bottom of each one, then filling it up with water until they’re full.
- Prep your grow media (rockwool cubes or coco coir bricks) by cutting it into small pieces and placing it in a bucket or tub with warm water until you’re ready to use them.
Cover The Bottom Of Containers With Grow Media
To create a solid base for your plants to grow, you’ll need to cover the bottom of your containers with some kind of grow media.
The media should be about 1/2” deep, but no more than that. This will ensure that your roots are not sitting in water, which can lead to root rot and other problems.
You can use pebbles, gravel or expanded clay pellets as the base material for your hydroponic garden.
Coco coir is another popular option that’s biodegradable and easy on the environment. It comes in bricks and expands when soaked in water just make sure you add enough so it reaches 1/2” deep when completely expanded into place!
Other options include perlite or vermiculite (which have their own pros and cons).
Add Water And Nutrients
Add water and nutrients. Almost all containers used for hydroponic gardening are made of materials that allow water to pass through easily, like PVC or plastic.
The rooting medium absorbs some of the water as it passes through, but not all of it. So you need to make sure that your plants have enough water at all times by adding more if necessary.
Add nutrients as well—the right amount every day will keep your plants strong and healthy!
Choose Your Growing Medium
Choose a growing medium based on the type of plants you want to grow, as well as the size of the space you have available.
If you’re growing vegetables or herbs, coco coir is a great option because it provides excellent drainage and helps prevent root rot.
Hydroponic systems can be used for many different types of plants (including fruits, vegetables and herbs), but they’re perfect if you want to get started with indoor gardening with little effort required on your part.
Place Plants In Containers And Flood With Water.
Once you’ve picked out your plants and seeds, it’s time to get them into the containers.
The first step is to fill your pots with potting soil. You can purchase this at any garden store or hardware store.
Before you start filling the container with soil, make sure that it has drainage holes at the bottom so that water doesn’t pool in one spot and damage your roots.
Place the pots in a tray and add water until they are completely submerged but not floating!
Monitor Ph Levels
The pH of your water is an important indicator of how well your plants are absorbing nutrients.
Your nutrient solution should be slightly acidic (pH between 5 and 6), so if it’s too high or low, you’ll need to adjust it with the addition of pH down or up.
It’s also important to monitor the electrical conductivity (EC) of your water (measured in microSiemens per centimeter).
The EC measures how much electrical current can pass through a liquid higher amounts indicate more dissolved minerals and therefore less conductivity.
Ideally, this number should be between 1 and 2 milliSiemens per centimeter; anything above 3 mS/cm could indicate salt buildup from overfeeding fertilizer.
Ensure Proper Drainage
When you’re building your indoor hydroponic garden, you need to make sure that the water can flow out of the container.
The best way to do this is by using a tray at the bottom of your container. If you don’t have a tray, use rocks or pebbles as a layer in the bottom of your container instead.
Conclusion
This is a great way to grow your own food, and it’s not difficult to do. With the right amount of research and planning, you can build a hydroponic garden that will produce delicious fruits and vegetables for years to come.
Hi! My name is Hellen James, and I’m here to help you with your home-maintenance needs. Whether it’s building a better yard or just trying to fix a garden—I can show you how.
