Anybody played around with this,, I did way back when we had the green house, but like I said I played with it and didnt get much off the system. Might try it again, sheltering in place has me thinking about it,,soo any first hand experience in here?
Hydroponics
- Thread starter skeets
- Start date
BigG
Well-known member
Equipment
l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
I did it back in the nineties with plastic rain gutters hanging on a chain link fence. I hung the gutter with a slight pitch and put them zig zag so that one could drain from one to the next. Filled them with perlite and vermiculite mixed together. I then used a 5 gallon pail with a spout at the top to drip a mixture of water and Miracle Grow into the top gutter and another 5 gallon pail to collect it at the bottom. Add some more water/MG to the mix and pour it in the top bucket the next morning. Repeat.
The mixture of perlite and vermiculite retained enough moisture that I watered every day and on Friday night and again on Monday morning as I did this as part of my shop class. There was no one to tend to it over the weekend.
You just train your plants up the chain link.
At that time the hydro tubes or beds and pumps were very $$$$$$$ and so I did it with what I had to work with. This was in a city and the kids were astonished that you could grow your own food. They also told me the Publix the grocery store "Made their hamburgers" and "electricity comes from the wall". I learned a from those kids.
The mixture of perlite and vermiculite retained enough moisture that I watered every day and on Friday night and again on Monday morning as I did this as part of my shop class. There was no one to tend to it over the weekend.
You just train your plants up the chain link.
At that time the hydro tubes or beds and pumps were very $$$$$$$ and so I did it with what I had to work with. This was in a city and the kids were astonished that you could grow your own food. They also told me the Publix the grocery store "Made their hamburgers" and "electricity comes from the wall". I learned a from those kids.
I just heard about kratky hydroponics, started some lettuce & other greens the first of the year. This method does not require a pump, just check it once in a while and top off fluids.
I actually just finished a fresh salad. I also have a few peppers and tomatoes started for the garden.
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I actually just finished a fresh salad. I also have a few peppers and tomatoes started for the garden.
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We have been using the Kratky method for a couple years now.
Pros. Great production. Very little maintenance. Very low cost.
Cons: You can't really transplant them once they are past seedling. You can, but the results tend to be very poor.
I have a bunch of really hot peppers right now growing in 5gal buckets.
I have a tomatoe that I started in a 3" cup, the transplanted to a 6" cup for a 5 gal pail. I probably let it get too big, lost a few roots, it took about a week for it to come back.
I'm enjoying the lettuce, haven't figured out why the green onions are so slow. Currently I'm learning, got some mustard greens up, but have only sprouted 1 spinach. I've also been told by a couple people that I'm growing the wrong crop.
Try it Skeets, the most expensive part is the lights, 4 2' barrinia lights, $60.
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You used the Kratky for tomatoes whit no air pump? What I had built was several pieces of 3 inch pipe 8 foot long, used a hole saw and put I think 6 or seven hols for the pots to set in, mounted them on 2 4x4s and angled then down to the one below, and each pipe drained into the next. And then into a kids pool and then pumped back up to the highest pipe and drained back down to the pool. Strawberries grew OK ,and maybe I didnt have the mix right but nothing else seemed to like it.
I should have explained that better.
I have found transplanting small is fine regardless of direction.
.
Kratky to Kratky, good at about any size.
Kratky to Soil, not good bigger than seedlings
Soil to Kratky, good if you are careful and don't mind some soil in the water.
Skeets> Air injection will help with production but in general it isn't needed. The idea is as the water draws down in the container, the air space is increased.
With peppers being a few months, I add air in order to keep the water level maintained. Basically a little air pump into a stone (aquarium type stuff).
Good video,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWUirDxgavc
2:20 for the visual on the draw down.
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I am using Masterblend 4-18-38, it comes in 3 separate bags that you measure and mix up. This is what was recommended to me, I'm just a beginner.
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