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#74102 Jun 22nd, 2007 at 06:50 PM
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Amany Offline OP
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Is anyone growing plants with hydroponics? If so, please share your experiences and how you're doing it.

I'm thinking of experimenting with a few plants and possibly converting most, if not all, my plants to hydroponics. My plants are small and inexpensive enough for me to experiment with. I rarely regret it. The idea of not dealing with soil and soil pests is very appealing to me.


Amanda / Zone 6
Amany #74295 Jun 23rd, 2007 at 05:46 AM
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I'm sorry. I think I might mean hydroculture. I guess hydroponics involves certain equipment and can be expensive. Hydroculture seems to involve a container, some rocks, water and weak fertilizer. I'm still doing my research.


Amanda / Zone 6
Amany #75729 Jun 25th, 2007 at 06:52 AM
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I've done a slight 'form' of hydrophonics.When I take my fall cutting of brugmansia.some of the trunk cuts I'll stick in cooler with gravel from fish tank and an air line or the bubbler(I used the bubbler last yr)I used more gravel this last year& used the small lunchbox type cooler I used strofoam drink cups and placed holes in lower half(took screw with point and poked um)the gravel helped support the cups the holes allowed water to pass.The air hose or bubbler helps with oxygen in the water. for me.....It helps them root faster and they'll survive longer till potting up(potting up takes more room where as the hydro way gives me some room till January.)Now my BIL has done some hydrophonics growing.He converted a waterbed and the mattress that got hole in top.He slit the top so would lay over the sides makeing the frame basically waterproff and used the heater to control the temp.He used thin pieces of flat strofoam about 1/4-1/8 thick and poked holes.I switched to the bubbler cause he made bubblers useing 1/2 in PVC lines with those lil nozzle things that go in sprinkler lines for watering or misting plants.I guess I should check hows he's doing this year.I know he did buy a light set up.He used shop lights but changed the bulbs so are different bulbs for different spectruims of light.I know he was in FL last yr& my neice mentioned them going to some garden thing at disney where they grew alot of plants hydroponically.Useing PVC pillars and haveing misting thinggys inside& he went home and made a set up and filled it with Begonia cuttings(I only heard about it cause he went to my moms house and trimmed her begonia plants on her porch)I also think he did a 5 gallon bucket planter& know it was a bubbler set up.The oxygen levels were higher with the bubbler.He stays busy with the coffee shop,but I still chat with Jean his Ex.

Maybe check disney in FL and see if they post anything on their site.My neice endured 4 hours of his visting that one dept.I wish I still had those photos from when he started this craze.Only tropical waterbed planter I've ever seen.I do know he used Evelens foiliar feeding methods.something to do with build up useing the others.plus his christmas Cactis look much better than mine.He's born under the sign of water...go figure.


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njoynit #76294 Jun 25th, 2007 at 05:29 PM
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Amany Offline OP
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Thanks Njoyit.

Your BIL is the real deal!

I'd feel like the country mouse compared to him. I'm going to go about the simple / lazy way. I'm going to use the single container method with glass or plastic containers so I can see when the water goes down. Right now I'm sticking plants in water so they can form their water roots first. I'll set them up properly in a few weeks. I found a place that sells hydroton.

Today I took a trip to the dollar store and bought three inch high and three inch wide square candle holders for my smaller plants. I'm going to take a trip to Dollar General to look for some containers for my bigger plants. I was pleased to find out how easily sansevierias are converted. I love, love, love my sansevierias.

Thanks again. I will look at the website.



Amanda / Zone 6
Amany #76431 Jun 26th, 2007 at 03:52 AM
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BTW, here's a fantastic website that explains hydroculture. The creator even has pictures of her plants. Quite a few of them are succulents.

Water Roots

Last edited by Amany; Jun 26th, 2007 at 03:52 AM.

Amanda / Zone 6

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