Growing Food Indoors – Easy Hydroponics for Beginners is a very timely post for those who want to have a little food security during these crazy, scary times. I searched all over the net for the easiest way to get started and finally found one site that gives super simple step-by-steps with pictures.
There are lots of videos on Youtube, but weeding through to get to the DIY basics on the cheap was a bit challenging.
I have lots of used k-cups to recycle into little net baskets for seedlings and Dollar General has cheap plastic cups I can turn into the net pots with the aid of the hot tip of a glue gun to make holes all over for roots to grow through. Instead of the stones, I’ll make sponge collars out of dish scrubber sponges for seedlings and young plants.
What You’ll Need
- Tote or bucket with lid (completely opaque so no light shines through)
- Foam sponges and/or a pool noodle
- Plastic cups and hot poker to make net pots
- Grow nutrients from any garden center (homemade using 14-14-14, Epsom Salts, Calcium Nitrate)
- Aerator pump with stone like used on a fish tank
- Drill with hole saw or a sharp utility knife
- Seeds or seedlings
- Grow light bulb if no available sunny windows
Not necessary to get started, but needed down the road
Then move them up to pool noodles cut into discs. Totes are cheap at DG, too. I’ll look at Dollar Tree for baskets that can be used as the plants grow bigger. Though baskets may not be necessary for the small plants. Heavy plants like tomatoes would definitely need them.
Order seeds on ebay if you live in an area where the garden centers have closed for the season. Here in North Florida, our small town local Ace has fall/winter vegetable flats still available.
This system below will be one of my first trials.
Zac has a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and an aerator pump with a stone. Replacement stones are cheap on ebay. And the pumps are too for that matter.
I know nothing about growing with hydroponics, but it’s worth giving a try for growing indoors through the cold winter months. We haven’t had time to build raised garden beds for me since I can’t walk and bend over tending plants on the ground. This will be a great way to have fresh lettuces, herbs, radishes, and maybe even a tomato plant or two utilizing a 5-gallon bucket for each plant. A tomato cage can be manipulated around the bucket to keep the plant growing upright.
If you decide to give growing a hydroponic garden a try, please share your pictures, videos, thoughts and considerations with me/us! I’m going to need all the tips I can get.
Happy growing and eating! 🥬🥗😊
Culinary Craftiness 