Day 1 of my Foray into Hydroponics

So this is my first blog post on my journey into hydroponics.  My wife and I love fresh veggies.  We make amazing fresh salsa, fantastic chili, and enjoy having a fresh crisp salad.  Fresh fruit and vegetables are great for us, but if we don't have them in the house, we just wont eat them! Hence, a (hopefully) 12 month indoor garden.

We are starting small(ish): lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, spinach.  I spent a lot of time searching different tips and techniques online, and found some great help, as well as picking the brains of the local hydroponics shop owners.  For a great explanation of the different methods of hydroponics, and DETAILED instructions on how to make your own using hardware store equipment, check out this series on YouTube: Sure to Grow Videos. After watching these videos I felt ready to go!

I first visited a local hydroponics store and picked up a flat of Rockwool, the greenish stuff you see in the tray above.  Rockwool is just a soil substitute that is great for starting seeds and plant clones.  At the store I also purchased two black trays, and a plastic dome to go over them to keep in the humidity.  I broke off some chunks of the Rockwool then planted my seeds in the premade holes.  I also cut a piece of basil off an existing basil plant and planted that in the Rockwool(called cloning) just to see if it would work.

Next, I mixed in the growing nutrients I purchased from the hydroponics shop, and then tested the PH of the mixture.  I mixed 5ml of the growing nutrients with 1 gallon of water.  When I tested the PH, it was right around 6.5.  This may seem complicated, but the guy at the store told me how, and if I could do it....well.

 

I got a little lucky here.  I found a guy who was selling an older hydroponic light bank on the cheap.  The new banks are around $240, so I feel fortunate to have gotten the deal I did!  Once your nutrients are mixed with a gallon of water and the PH is tested and adjusted if needed, you simply pour the nutrient mixture over the tray off would-be seedlings and let them soak for a bit.  After a good soak, I poured off the excess water.

  

Once my tray was all set, I hung my light bank(that you will pay way too much for) in the basement just a few feet off the ground, then slid my seed planting tray underneath it.  Viola!  With some luck, I'll have some nice seedlings popping up in a week or so!