Hydroponics – The Easy Way – Indoor Gardening in an Apartment or Home
Hydroponics – The Easy Way – Indoor Gardening in an Apartment or Home
Grow lettuce or herbs in your apartment or home during the winter time with low startup costs, and high yield results!
0:00 Intro to our Hydroponic Gardening Method
1:13 Setting it all up
6:06 Day 20 of Growth, Pros and Cons
9:40 Summary of How To
11:21 Day 30 of Growth
HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
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HEAVY DUTY METAL STAND (However – I HIGHLY recommend getting a 4-5ft stand instead of a 3ft! More room for the lettuce to grow and not burn their tips once they reach the height to the LEDs) – https://amzn.to/3dqLvl6
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2x LIGHTS (2FT – try to get something that matches the width of your stand though so there aren’t spots without light. We ended up buying two sets and our plants are growing happily with that ) – https://amzn.to/3ExwCcG
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AUTOMATIC TIMER – https://amzn.to/3EwsVnl
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NETTING POTS – https://amzn.to/3GhWw4p
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RAPID ROOTER (to put your seeds inside so they don’t fall through the netting pots) – https://amzn.to/3GioFZ5
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CLAY PEBBLES – https://amzn.to/3Exiccg
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SEEDS (we used a variety of lettuce) – https://amzn.to/3drmENO
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3″ DRILL BIT (to make the holes on the tops of the container, remember to use dish soap to help the drilling process) – https://amzn.to/3rNsbXk
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FERTILIZER (I got mine from my Dad, but this looks like an excellent alternative) – https://amzn.to/3rJIR23
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PH Strips (PH of the fertilized water should be 5.5-6.5) – https://amzn.to/3Gn1LQx
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CONTAINERS (I used these two) –
https://www.containerstore.com/s/closet/shoe-storage/our-men’s-shoe-box/12d?productId=11000058
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https://www.containerstore.com/s/closet/shoe-storage/our-boot-box/12d?productId=10009590
This method of hydroponics is called the ‘Hydroponic Kratky Non-Circulating’ method, where no pumps or electricity other than your lights are needed. You can set it and forget it! It is the easiest dummy proof way to grow a little garden indoors where you won’t need to remember to water it or tend to it while it grows!
1. To set this up, you will need to get a plant stand (any heavy duty stand you can find that will support a few gallons of water) that will dimmensionally fit the containers of your choosing (make sure the containers are atleast 5″-9″ in height, you need space for the plants to have air inbetween the water and the roots). Ideally you should SPRAY PAINT any clear containers BLACK to prevent algea growth like we had (or buy dark containers)!!
2. Then you space out your holes using a 3″ drill bit and fit your netting pots inside. Fill the netting pots with the rapid rooter and clay pebbles (to hold it in place), and get your water + fertilizer ready in a 5 gallon bucket (something you can buy at home depot).
3. Check that the PH of the fertilized water is between 5.5-6.5. Then fill up your containers (while on your stand – they will be too heavy to move afterwards) up to where the water just touches the bottom part of the rapid rooter soil.
4. After that, set up your lights and plug them into your automatic timer for 12 hours a day on, 12 hours a day off. And then watch it grow!! In a week you will see roots touching the water surface. Then if all goes well, you should be ready to enjoy salads after week 4 🙂 Top off the fertilized water when it gets to under 1″ in height (probably 2 months later). Enjoy!!
Thank you Mike Adams for sharing how to do this method, and thank you Mom for finding it! Thank you Dad for helping to sponsor my video, and thank you Hubby for the idea to do this in the first place!
I hope that helps you guys get one step closer to being self sufficient! Let me know if you have any questions.
Shot on a Sony a7r iii
www.ninasveganrecipes.com
www.ninamariephoto.com
Try to avoid clear containers overall to eliminate the algae.
Algae wont affect the plants in itself but it will steal nutrients from the water that would go to your plants otherwise, so indirectly it will slow down the growth of your plants.
why do I want a salad now….
Wow, thank you for sharing your video, it was informative, I enjoyed it. 🙂
Great video, And it was nice to see grumpy cat.
I have my hydroponic garden outside. I live in Arizona where the temperatures are getting to be in the 100 degree mark, it’s to hot for them!
I love the simplicity of this setup, thank you!!!
Super cool Nina. I have just the room to do this!
This is so neat and easier than the more complicated builds. I’m getting the items now to try it out!
hi it is Alessia
You said that you ended up buying 2 sets of lights for your existing setup? So did you hang 2 lights on each shelf above your bins? I’m getting ready to place my order but I want to make sure I’ve got this right, lol thank you!!
Cool! Very good idea for who lives in apartment.
Thank you for the idea! I think it is so cool you had the courage to try this.
Bless your dad’s heart for coming through for you on the supplies.
I’m strictly an indoor-in-organic-soil guy and my father recoiled in horror when he saw what I have growing in my basement.
The price of veggies has my wife giving the nod to another grow light and a crack at hydroponics. Gonna grow something innocent for a change.
Planning to connect such a system to my large fish tank and grow some veggies and herbs to reduce the nitrates.
I love this! We are moving to a 1 bedroom apartment but without a balcony