Started near the beginning of August some of the plants we grew in the AeroGarden Deluxe are now grandparents already, and have been removed from the grow holes, which I liken to prime downtown real estate, and moved to the suburbs, that is, to the side of the planter where they can share its bright grow lamps.
I had to turn the lamps off to take this photo, but here are a few plants, including those just rooted at the bottom left, which are, from left to right, green and red amaranth.
These are square juice bottles cut down to nest, with holes poked in the bottom of the smaller inside bottle, which holds the Hydroton grow rocks, the plants, and in some cases the original sponge and or grow plug from the AG Master Gardener Kit.
Here is a close-up of the cut off juice bottles, with the smaller inside container elevated so you can see it better. When lifted up as shown, the liquid nutrient solution begins to drain. I lift the small container out to let it completely drain once or twice a day to allow air to get to the roots and to help circulate the liquid:
If the sponge and/or grow tube was left on the base of the plant,
I bury it completely with the
smaller diameter grow rocks to help prevent algae from forming on top of it.
Algae is to some extent an indication that the solution is healthy, but it should not be allowed to build up. Pouring the solution over the rocks a couple times a day is not mandatory for easy to grow plants such as the basil shown here, but it makes the plant extremely happy and discourages algae growth.
I use clear or translucent bottles to cut down because I like to be able to see the water level and also the density of the roots. Pictured is the 15.2 ounce size of Naked Juice Company's Blueberry Pomegranate Juice bottle, nested inside a bottle from one of our favorite treats, their 32 oz Green Machine. I prefer the square bottles, which fit closer together, because I want to be able to put as many of them near the AeroGarden's grow lamps as possible. Fiji water bottles (which are also square and available in two sizes also work well, as do the Glaceau Smart Water Bottles, although they are round. Really, any container will do. Decorative glass containers look nicer, of course, and can be fitted with clear or even opaque plastic inserts for more attractive planters.
In a future post, I will discuss patterns for easy to make fabric covers for the outer containers which will make them more attractive while cutting down on the amount of light that shines in on the solution--without hampering visibility.
In this photo, the smaller container is still elevated a bit so you can see it better:
First we have to drink the juice:
Yes, that is a spice rack holding this home-made hydroponic planter up where it can get the most benefit from the AG's grow lamps.
The holes in the bottom of the inner container can be drilled with a dremel too, punched through with the small tip of a soldering iron, or even an awl, but I have learned that it works best to concentrate the holes closer to the center of the bottom than near the edge, so that when the bottle is drained, the liquid solution will drains straight down into the larger container and not splash.
An even simpler method that works with really easy to grow houseplants is illustrated here: A Plant in Liquid Nutrient Solution.
