Recoil Offgrid – August-September 2019

048

ISSUE 32

OFFGRIDWEB.COM

solution. Clay pellets, gravel, rockwool, vermiculite, perlite,

sand, or packing peanuts are some commonly used grow-

ing media. I recently ordered 50 2-inch net pots and a bag

of clay pellets for just over $20.

Use a hole saw of the same diameter as your net pots to

make one to four holes in the lid of your bucket.

Next, add water and nutrient to make a solution for your

crop, but take care to leave an air gap between the water lev-

el and the bottom of the lid where your pots are placed.

The crop should have a short enough maturity that it’s

ready for harvest by the time the solution is 10 percent of its

starting level. Lettuce and bok choy, for instance, should do

well in 5-gallon containers. Longer-term vegetables should

be grown in larger containers, or a secondary tank can keep

levels topped off with the use of a float valve.

A Kratky system can also be quite portable, allowing grow-

ers to set their buckets into a garage if a late frost is forecast,

or to move them into and out of direct sunlight as needed.

Other Methods

Another growing method common in both commercial-

and home-scale hydroponic production is the nutrient film

technique (NFT). Here, a constant flow of nutrient solution

is circulated through a plastic-lined trough or enclosed

channel via a pump and reservoir. The plant roots remain

in the flow. The plants themselves may be supported via an

overhead trellising system, or they may be held in place by

net pots, rockwool, or other media. PVC pipe or guttering

1 to 2 gallons per plant only needs to be filled with nutrient

solution (water plus fertilizer) at transplanting time and no

additional effort is needed until harvest.”

With this method, plants are placed in a “net pot” and then

suspended above the nutrient solution. As the liquid is used

up, the roots reach further. The humid air between the water

and the pot provides for oxygen exchange in the roots. For

fast-maturing crops, the water and nutrients initially loaded

will be sufficient to carry the crop through to harvest.

The first step to employing non-circulating hydropon-

ics is to collect containers with lids — 5-gallon buckets and

storage totes are fine. Delis and bakeries often have used

plastic buckets they’re willing to part with.

Net pots and some type of sterile medium will be

needed to keep the plants upright and suspended in the

Net pots are

useful in several

different hydro-

ponic methods.

Compost

provides many

micronutrients

to gardens and

can contribute

to the richness

of homemade

hydroponic nutri-

ents, too.

Crops grown in

a suspended

pot, non-circu-

lating system

can be quite

portable.