http://www.bin-store.com/blog

End of the summer is the perfect time for planting. Did you know that plastic containers for gardening have a wide range of uses? You can use them to create miniature greenhouses, self-watering planters similar to the EarthBox, or even to start a hydroponic garden. Let’s talk about how you can get into hydroponics the cheap and easy way!

For this project you will need a plastic bin for gardening. Your standard plastic tote with lid will do the trick nicely. I recommend you get one with a 10-gallon capacity. Stock up on 4” pond baskets or net cups. You will need some basic hydroponics supplies as well, including an air pump, a circular airstone with suction cups, a pH control kit, nutrients and hydroton. You will also need a saw and a power drill.

Get your plastic container for hydroponics with the lid still on, and plan where you will put the net cups. Cut holes in the lid where they will go so that they will fit, but not fall through. Save the leftover plastic. Next, drill a small hole above the future water line. Use this to feed the air hose in, and attach it to the airstone inside.

Next you need to adjust the water’s pH to around 5.5 to 6.5 (this is more efficient than leaving the water at a pH of 7 as it comes out of the hose), and then add your nutrients. You will use the supplies that you purchased at the hydroponics store to do this. Swirl everything around so it is nicely distributed. Now, one concern is that when you add weight to the net cups where the plants will grow, they will sink through the holes. You can prevent that by purchasing some kitchen sink strainer washers. Fit them around the lips of the cups, and they will not fall through.

Believe it or not, you are now done. You can add your hydroponics cubes and fill up the cups around them with hydroton to provide the necessary support. Be sure that the cube is sitting on top of a thin layer of the hydroton, and is not in direct contact with the base of the net cup. This will help to promote root growth and get those roots down into the water. As for the leftover plastic circles from earlier when you were creating the holes, you can use those as handy covers if you need them for whatever reason (for example, to keep light out). If you used a clear plastic tote, be sure you also take a moment to spray paint the bottom of the container to make it opaque.

Who would have thought you could get started on hydroponics so quickly and easily, not to mention cheaply? Hydroponics is a very fun hobby, and a great way to grow plants with incredible efficiency. Aside from a handful of specialized supplies, most of what you need is probably already sitting around the house. So go for it, and have fun!