How To Start Seeds In Hydroculture

I recently saw a sale on seeds in my local ace hardware store. The seed packets were expired, so I had my pick for 50 cents. I ended up getting Thyme (Thymus Vulgaris), Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Italian Flat Leaf Parsley (Petroselinum crispum), Dill (Anethum graveolens). The packets had an expiration date of December 2009. One year shouldn't be so bad...

I wanted to start all of these in hydroculture and grow them as if I was using soil. On top of that I thought it would be fun!!

DIY Soil Less Seedling Tray

This is my makeshift seedling tray. It's a plastic egg container with the bottom spray painted silver (I think black would be best, but I still had silver spray paint left over). I like this triple sided container because it's very versatile. Close the lid on one side and you have a dark environment, close it on the other side and you have a humidity dome.

Don't Throw It, Grow it!

Magic and wonder hide in unexpected places — a leftover piece of ginger, a wrinkled potato left too long in its bag, a humdrum kitchen spice rack. In Don't Throw It, Grow It! Deborah Peterson reveals the hidden possibilities in everyday foods.

Peterson, former president of the American Pit Gardening Society, shows how common kitchen staples — pits, nuts, beans, seeds, and tubers — can be coaxed into lush, vibrant houseplants that are as attractive as they are fascinating.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Hydroculture

By now we're all familiar with the famous slogan 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle'. Most of us have and are (and shame on you if you're not) recycling our products. That is... we sort our garbage accordingly and place it outside for the recycling truck to come pick it up. But how many of us are actively reducing and reusing our non-biodegradable products? With hydroculture, we can 'Reduce, Reuse and Recycle' and be more environmentally friendly with our gardening.

My Plant Wish List

Here a top twenty list of plants that I would like to grow using Hydroculture, (I'm growing some of these the traditional way, but I want to see how they do using hydroculture). I started this list with ten, but it just keeps growing.  If you have experience with any of these please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you!

Hydroponics & Hydroculture, What's The Difference?

Hydroculture is a hydroponic wick system. huh?

I know hydroponics can be confusing to the traditional gardener at first.  It was for me.  There are so many varieties and seems so high-tech with the air pumps and air stones, but it's really quite simple.

Hydroponics it is the art of gardening without soil.

Clay Pebbles, A Choking Hazard?

As I was re-potting my plant in Hydroton, I realized that I have strong emotional memories of clay pebbles. As a young kid I lived in Holland and my parents had all their indoor plants in this stuff. Including the containers that held various palms and ficus trees and that were placed on the floor. I actually can't recall ever seeing a plant potted in soil in my house, ever. Soil was for the garden. And whilst they were using the clay pebbles for their plants, I was using it to stave of boredom.

My Impulse Buy!

I Couldn't help myself, but I always wanted a Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea muscipula).  I haven't repotted her, although I think I might have to, she's growing some nasty green slime.  Here she is catching some rays before she needs to go into hibernation.

Why You Should Go Hydro...

I do not have a large backyard to get dirty in, so my opinion is a little biased, but for the apartment gardener or for those who have limited space, there are many reasons to go 'hydro'.

The Start Of My Project

Urban agriculture has become quite a trend in my Brooklyn neighborhood.  Within a 1-mile radius, I have over 3 well-established rooftop farms and everybody seems to be growing something on their roof, windowsills or hard-to-come-by gardens.

My neighbor is one of these and when I recently saw her flowering tomato plant, I must admit, I had a pang of jealousy. I've tried on several occasions to get plants to grow in my apartment, but they all withered and died.  I just assumed gardening wasn't for me.

The good thing about having neighbors that grow plants is that they are full of information and after picking her brain for a couple of minutes, I decided to give it another go.