Making hydroponics for a salad with your own hands

Hydroponics will allow you to get fresh vitamins from lettuce, dill, onions and other greens even in winter. Enterprising people can even turn this building into a source of permanent income.

What is hydroponics for?

Surely every summer resident remembers the cases when you need to till the soil all day in order to get the long-awaited harvest after a while. Growing lettuce hydroponically saves you the hassle of crawling through the beds. At the same time, you will not be deprived of the pleasure of watching the growth of the salad and will be able to consume fresh herbs almost all year round.

Hydroponics is a structure in which lettuce grows not in the ground, but in water. There are many types of such systems, from the simplest to the most complex. As a rule, simple variations are used at home, the creation of which does not require a significant investment of money, effort and time. At the same time, even such a device will have the following advantages over growing lettuce in soil:

1. Less labor intensity. The lack of soil allows you not to waste extra time on loosening, weeding and regular watering. You will not be annoyed by pests that inhabit the earth in large numbers.
2. Very small landing area. Plant roots will be able to grow without large containers, which are used for planting in the ground. This significantly saves room space.
3. More plentiful and more frequent harvests. Plants do not need to have a developed root system in order to receive all the nutrients. Namely, the formation of roots takes most of the time when growing lettuce in the ground.

Despite these undeniable benefits, hydroponically grown foods have a slightly different taste than conventionally grown foods. That is why many summer residents use the modern method of growing only in winter, when it is impossible to get a crop from the land.

Making hydroponics at home

The structure will consist of the following elements:

1. Dense plastic container.
2. Styrofoam sheet.
3. Specialized hydroponic pots (reminiscent of the miniature urns seen in the office). Disposable cups with all-over slots can be used instead.
4. Air aquarium compressor.

In addition to its direct function, the container must protect the solution from heat and sunlight, since under such conditions algae will multiply abundantly in it. For this task it is necessary to use a black (or dark colored) container made of dense plastic. The lid should also fit very tightly. In order to secure the plants, you can make holes for the pots in the lid itself, or use a foam sheet. The first option is much more convenient, but not suitable for those planning to reuse the container with a lid for other purposes.

The holes for the pots should be spaced at some distance so that the tops of the grown plants do not interfere with each other.

Preparation and supply of solution

While creating DIY hydroponics At home, you need to ensure that there is a sufficient amount of oxygen in the nutrient solution. An aquarium compressor with spray stones is ideal for this purpose. If the tank is small, 1 stone can be used. The number of nozzles should increase in proportion to the increase in the size of the container.

The oxygen will be supplied through a special hose, for which you need to make a hole exactly in the center of the lid. One end of the hose is connected to the compressor, the other to the spray stones, which must be evenly spread over the bottom of the container.

Tank filling

The first step is to fill half of the container with the solution. After that, you need to put on the lid and insert the pots into it. Then the solution is added to such a level that it reaches the bottom of each pot. This way the salad can get enough oxygen and useful minerals.

The final stage is turning on the compressor. If everything was done correctly, small bubbles should appear in the solution. If available, you can relax and wait for the harvest. If the water remains calm, you need to check the reliability of the hose attachment (both to the compressor and to the spray stones), as well as the performance of the compressor itself.

This hydroponics is ideal for growing lettuce and some other greenery. More capricious crops require a sophisticated grow box.