When you grow plants without soil it is called hydroponics. The plant is in rock wool, or perhaps clay pellets, which then go into a net pot, which allows the roots to grown through and into a container of water that has had nutrients added. There are a few different systems that can be used.
In the raft system, the roots feed directly from a water bath. It is good for growing lettuce, cabbage, and low-growing herbs.
Needed:
* Plastic container - 12" by 24"
* Styrofoam measuring 11 ¾" by 23 ¾"
* Quarter inch tubing
* Air stone
* A dozen 3" net pots with seedlings planted in a medium
* Small air pump to aerate the water
Cut four holes in each of three rows in your styrofoam and make sure they are 3" in diameter and even spaced from each other. The plastic container needs to be filled with fresh water that you have added nutrients to for feeding your seedlings.
After you place the air pump next to your container, connect your quarter inch tubing to the air stone and place it in the container. The other end of the tube connects to your air pump. The styrofoam is floated on the water in your container, with the net pots securely fitted into the holes you made. Then all you have to do is plug in the pump and change the water every three weeks.
The Dutch bucket system is better for taller plants, such as tomatoes.
Needed:
* Plastic bucket with lid- 5 gallon
* Half inch tubing
* Net pot with seedling planted in medium
* Small pump to aerate the water
* Timer
For this system, three holes will need to be cut into the plastic lid. One is for the pump cord and one is for the half inch tubing. The net pot will go into the third hole, which will need to be three inches in diameter.
Your pump goes into the bottom of the bucket, running the cord through the hole in the lid. Four to six inches of the tubing should stick out of the second hole. Only fill the bucket two thirds of the way up with water and nutrients, and then replace the lid. Fit your net pot into the three inch hole and arrange your tubing so that it will drip into the pot. You can secure that with a piece of wire.
* Set your timer to go three times a day for fifteen minute watering. Plug the pump into the timer and the timer into your electrical outlet.
Either system can be expanded to grow more vegetables. Several rafts of lettuce can be staggered so that you always have fresh produce. Three or four Dutch buckets can run simultaneously.
Author Resource:-
Whitney is an expert gardener and is a long time fan of nature greenhouses, for growing year round.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.greatfreearticles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites