How To Make a DIY Hydroponic Garden

I used to think hydroponics was borderline magical, some sort of complex science that was out of my reach. Turns out it's mostly just PVC, a pump and some water. Building a hydroponic garden actually is faster and easier than preparing a soil garden bed. Plus, it produces faster-growing vegetables with a fraction of the

Introduction

I used to think hydroponics was borderline magical, some sort of complex science that was out of my reach. Turns out it's mostly just PVC, a pump and some water. Building a hydroponic garden actually is faster and easier than preparing a soil garden bed. Plus, it produces faster-growing vegetables with a fraction of the water.

My partner Steve and I undertook this project together. We decided to make a system compact enough to rest on a table in a small house or apartment, but still large enough for nightly salads.

As a bonus, its small size makes it possible to move it outdoors for the summer and inside for the winter. You could also keep it inside year-round, but it doesn't feel logical to pay electric bills for grow lights when there's plenty of energy coming from that huge, flaming ball of hydrogen up in the sky.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • (1) 1 ft. length of 1-in. PVC sched 40 pipe
  • (1) 10-piece package 3-in. net cups for hydroponics
  • (1) 10.2 oz. clear aquarium silicone sealant
  • (1) 27-gallon tough storage bin with lid (should not be solid color: not translucent)
  • (1) 4 oz. Gorilla Clear PVC Primaglue
  • (1) 4-in. square PVC fence post - 6 ft. long
  • (1) 50-piece package black plastic slotted mesh net plant cups for hydroponics
  • (1) Boshart 1-in. insert x 1-in. D MPT Polypropylene 90-degree elbow
  • (1) Boshart 1/2-in. insert x 1/2-in. D MPT Polypropylene 90-degree elbow
  • (1) Kedsum 660 gph submersible ultra-quiet water pump with 6-ft. lift height
  • (1) Lifeguard aquatics 1/2-in. double-threaded bulkhead
  • (1) Package Totalpond vinyl tubing: 1/2-in. diameter
  • (1) Plant nutrients
  • (1) PVC tube fitting: sched 40
  • (1) Sealproof 1-in.-diameter corrugated pond tubing: 20 ft. length
  • (1) Sheet of 120-grit sandpaper
  • (1) Sheet of 28 small plugs: 1.5-in. Rockwool starter plugs for hydroponics
  • (2) Charlotte pipe 1-in. sched 40 male adapter MPT x S pressure
  • (3) Lifeguard aquatics 1-in. double-threaded bulkheads
  • (4) 4-in. white vinyl pyramid-style fence post caps
  • 90-degree elbow: 1-in. barbed x NPT male

close up of plants growing in a hydroponic gardenKaruna Eberl for Family Handyman

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