Cheap and Easy Hydroponic Herb Garden

Hydroponics are:

- easier than you think

- clean

- space saving

- the only way to have fresh produce year round.

With this Small DWC (deep water culture) you can have fresh herbs year round, plus there are lots of other things you can grow in it too.

Tools Needed

1 - Cordless Drill

2 - 1/4" drill bit

3 - Utility Knife

4 - Dark Spray Paint

5 - 2" Hole Saw (Optional)

Materials Needed

1 - Small Plastic Tote

2 - Nutrients

3 - Black Airline Tubing (about 3')

4 - 2" Net Pots (Qty 6)

5 - 1 Lrg Cup of Hydroton

6 - 1" Rockwool Cubes (Qty 6)

7 - 5-10 gal Air Pump

8 - Air Stone

9 - Air pump Check Valve

Starting Your Seeds

Select You favorite Seeds, and start them in pre soaked Rockwool cubes.

- Soak Your Rockwool in 5.5 ph water for 1-24hrs

- Place Cubes in seed starter dome

- Add seeds

- Place In a warm Spot, like on top of fridge

- I usually wait for the plants to get their second set of leaves before moving them to the hydroponic system

Cut Holes in Lid

- Layout Holes in lid ( I used the 2" holes saw to make a template out of cardboard)

- Carefully cut holes with utility knife or holes saw

Paint

Paint outside of the container, and lid with a couple coats of dark paint to keep the light out.

Hole for Tubing

Drill a 1/4" hole in the side of the container near the top for the airline tubing.

Attach Airstone, Add Water, and Nutrients

- Cut 2 lengths of tubing (tubing that goes into the container has to be black otherwise you could get algae growth from light entering through clear tubing)

- 1st length place through hole in container, attach one end to the airstone (inside container), and the other to the check valve (pay attention to flow on valve).

- 2nd length attach one end to check valve, and other to the air pump

- Add ph balanced water according to your plants/nutrients, measure water so you know how to mix the nutrients (about 1/2" to almost touching the bottom of the net pots when lid is on)

- Mix nutrients according manufacturer, I usually go 1/2 strength for the first cycle with new plants

- Change Water every 2-3 weeks