Hey Steemians, I'm back again with another fun and easy gardening tutorial. If you haven't heard of hydroponics, you're in for a treat...

It saves ~90% of the water as compared to a soil garden and also prevents many of the pests and diseases that afflict soil gardens. I know, because I do both!

One of the problems with hydroponics though, is that it can be a little complex to set up. Pumps, pH, lights...it's a lot to take in.

So in this introductory how to, I am going to show you how to set up a system using the "Kratky Method." This is a method pioneered by a University of Hawaii researcher that uses no electricity, no water or air pumps, and requires no changing of your water.

Pretty neat, right?

The video tutorial is below. If you have any questions about this setup, please ask them in the comments. I am a hydroponics addict, so chances are if you run into a problem, it's one I've already run into before and can help you out :)

Materials needed to build your Kratky system

Here's everything you'll need to get started with the Kratky method:

• 5 gallon bucket
• 3" net pots
• 3" hole drill bit
• Some kind of growing media - buy a brick of coconut coir
• Hydroponic nutrients - I recommend General Hydroponics 3-part series
• pH testing kit - buy cheap pH testing strips
• PPM meter - buy a $10 meter on Amazon

A closer look at how the Kratky method actually works

In a more traditional hydroponic system, you have your plants in a net pot with a growing medium, and then you place that in a reservoir filled with nutrient solution, making sure the solution doesn't touch the net pot.

Then, to keep the air well oxygenated (plants need to breathe too), you insert an airstone in the nutrient reservoir and the bubbles it creates oxygenate your water.

Eventually, your plant's roots will grow down into the nutrient solution and be bathed in nutrient-rich, well-oxygenated water.

In the Kratky Method, you fill your reservoir with properly conditioned water from the beginning, making sure to cover the bottom 1/3 of the net pot with water.

But why?

Well, we're not using an air stone or water pump here. Your plant's roots need water at the start of their lives and this technique ensures they'll never dry out!

As your plant continues to grow, it uses water and the water level in your bucket will decline. Your plant's roots will grown down into the nutrient solution though, giving them access to all of the nutrients and water they need.

You might be wondering, "What about the oxygenation of the water?" This is where the Kratky Method is really genius. Because you are not refilling your nutrient reservoir, your plants will keep using up water and exposing more and more of their root systems to the air, which will ensure your plants get enough oxygen to survive and thrive!

Problems you might run into with the Kratky Method

Here are some flaws and considerations you should be aware of if you want to make sure you have a successful grow.

Best suited for growing leafy greens: The Kratky Method is a simple, hands-off method. It's not great at growing plants that require more nutrients and water later in life, like fruit-bearing plants.

Watch out for pests: Because you are not using an airstone to agitate the water, it will be still water. That can draw the attention of pests like mosquitoes. To prevent this, make sure your reservoir is protected from any type of bug or pest, while still allowing some airflow.

Get your water conditions right: You're not replacing or adjusting the water in your reservoir, so it's important to start with high quality water. That means water that is in the right pH range (more on that in a future gardening how-to). I would recommend starting with reverse osmosis or distilled water, adding your nutrients, and then adjusting pH from there.

Watch your pH levels: In a small reservoir, pH levels can fluctuate. Your plants will not be able to use the nutrients in the water if the pH is out of a certain range, so I would recommend testing once a day until you get the hang of keeping your pH in the right ranges.

Thanks For Reading!

I'm new to Steemit and appreciate any and all feedback on my writings! If you liked it, let me know what you liked! If you didn't, let me know how I can improve for next time!

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https://steemit.com/@halcyondaze

Thanks and happy pruning,
Kevin

Previous gardening how-to's

• https://steemit.com/gardening/@halcyondaze/how-to-prune-basil-so-it-grows-forever
• https://steemit.com/howto/@halcyondaze/how-to-remove-rust-from-tools-easily

Edit: Some have asked for more info. Here is the original paper written by Kratky himself: https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/hawaii/downloads/A_Suspended_Pot_Non-circulating_Hydroponic_method.pdf