Fresh Winter Salads with Small Scale Indoor Hydro – Epi-3402
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Today we discuss using hydroponics to produce fresh greens and herbs all winter long with small scale indoor systems. In this episode we explain how anyone can build such a system for 100-200 dollar that will pay for itself 2x or more in a single season.
Join Me Today to Discuss…
- Why hydroponics, why not aquaponics or soil based systems
- Incredibly efficient for indoor growing
- Aquaponics is far more complex and more difficult to do indoors
- Hydro done right is incredibly cheap and ideal for growing greens and starting plants
- Far less likely to experience clogs – hence overflows – aka water disasters
- If you don’t have enough nutrient you just add more, no fish to kill
- Why start with an indoor system
- Grow in winter
- Easy to tend to even in bad weather
- Measure your access to food in steps
- Almost zero pest or disease concerns
- If you can build it inside you can take it outside when the weather is right
- The three basic systems to consider indoors
- Pure Kratky – no pumps at all
- Pump Driven – using a pump that moves water and a reservoir
- Air Pump Enabled – uses an air pump to keep O2 high in the system
- Kratky Advantages
- Nothing to break
- Uses zero energy beyond lights
- Works very well
- Can run on a timer and not use energy 24/7
- Can use a float valve controlled reservoir
- Kratky Disadvantages
- Requires top ups on longer grows
- Requires a deep (higher capacity) grow tub
- Ends up with significant waste fluid that can be heavy (messy) to dispose of in indoor systems
- A quick mention about circulating pump systems (we won’t really cover these much today)
- Airpump Driven Advantages
- Really super charges growth
- Less prone to leaks, etc
- Less expensive then a water pump (initial cost and energy cost)
- Does not require a reservoir but can use one at same level as the system
- Can and likely should use some “Kratky elements”
- Can run on a timer and not use energy 24/7
- Airpump Driven Disadvantages
- Includes an additional though small energy requirement
- Additional expense (pump/s, tubing, airstones)
- Requires manual topping like Kratky unless you have a resiviour
- Pump Driven Advantages
- Top up the reservoir and the entire system is seen too
- Can and likely should use “Kratky elements”
- Water can be “pumped out” for fluid changes
- Is highly automated
- Pump Driven Disadvantages
- Requires energy, additional expense and an additional point of failure
- More likely to experience leaks or over flows
- Requires grow beds to be sufficiently elevated above a reservoir
- Requires pipe, fittings, bulkheads and penetrations (additional expenses)
- Functions of a Hydro System for Lifestyle Resiliency
- Fresh food on demand
- Start plants for spring and fall gardens
- Can later be scaled to literally any size
- What I recommend for growing in a small indoor system during winter months
- 1-2 varieties of leaf lettuce
- A variety of Romaine lettuce
- Arugula
- Spinach (use my germination trick)
- Basil
- Swiss Chard
- Chives or Green Onion
- A system of only 24 grow spaces can do 2 plants of everything here
- Such a system will easily provide a few salads to a family of four every week
- Why I have recommend MasterBlend as your fertilizer
- You can store many years worth for about 2.5 cents to the gallon for fluid
- I have stopped doing any meter readings and use the 2,2,1 formula with 100% positive results
- It is absolutely all you need for the leaf crops covered here
- It will do a great job on starting “fruiting plants” to be set out even at the greens 2,2,1 ratio
- One word of advice store is an air tight environment, seriously
- Why I now say you should really consider General Hydroponics Fertilizer
- Thoughts on containers
- Kratky jars, jugs, etc.
- Rubbermaid style tubs
- Building your own boxes with rubber liners
- Thoughts on indoor greenhouses and why they make sense
- Something anyone can do, for under 100 dollars up to a few 100 that pays for itself quickly
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Resources for today’s show…
- Find Me on Nostr
- Article Explaining the GrowNostr Initiative
- Join the Members Brigade
- TspAz.com
- TSPC on Discord
- TSPC Group on Telegram (group chat)
- TSPC Telegram Channel (just messages from me)
- Jack on MeWe
- Join Me on Odysee
- All My Recommend Bitcoin Tools and Resources
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Sponsors of the Day
- JM Bullion
- Bulk Ammo
- Adjustable Grow Light Rope Hangers – Item of the Day
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Links for Hydroponics Specific Product Recomendations
- Video I did on Hydroponic Environmental FUD Bullshit
- Eheim Air Pumps (short on supply at the moment but the best of the best)
- Tetra Whisper Air Pumps (not as good as Eheim but in supply, very quite and quite decent)
- The Type of Air Stones I Recommend
- What I mean by a Bus Tub – (there are many options some have lids, this is just to show you what I mean, they are heavy and food grade)
- My Favorite Simple Timer
- Greater Goods Digital Pocket Scale
- Barrina LED Grow Lights 2 Foot White 8 Pack for 60 Bucks
- General Hydroponics Rapid Rooter Grow Plugs
- Masterblend Hydroponic Fertilizer
- General Hydroponics Fertilizer in Liquid Form
- Active Aqua Submersible Pump
- Lifegard Aquatics Threaded Bulkheads – Price is currently inflated
- Banjo Bulk Head Fittings
- 4 Tier Mini Greenhouse
- Small Walk In Greenhouse (only 60 bucks)
- CZ Garden Net Pot Cups
- JB Weld Water Weld Epoxy
- Value Pump I Would Consider (I can’t be sure a 1/2″ M-F PVC fitting will work with it though)
- Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids Food Storage Container, 2.5 Gallon
- Heavy Clear Shower Curtain Liner
- Lightweight Clear Shower Curtain Liner
- Vivosun System a Listener is Using
Video Version of this Podcast
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A couple hacks to add…
Greenhouse: The 5 tier models can offer 2 usable “tall” shelves for growing while leaving space for storage or a water tank. Counting up from the bottom, don’t install shelves #3 and #5. This leaves #1 for storage or a tank, #2 and #4 for growing with extra headroom. Hack: You can use the spare wire shelves to mount the Barrina-style lights to form an array.
Note: The type specifying “PE Cover” are far more durable than the clear plastic covers. I’ve had mine outdoors, on the shady north side of my house for >7yrs, and they are just now breaking down. I’d be lucky to get through 2 seasons with the clear plastic.
Nutrients: I have to plug Urban Farm fertilizer concentrates again, and for greens I recommend their all-purpose vegetable blend vs Texas Tomato Food to which can cause greens to bolt/flower prematurely. Urban Farm seem to have ramped up production, so sourcing is less of an issue these days. It’s great stuff, more “natural”, and very well rounded in that it includes more micro-nutrients, minerals, humic acid, lots of calcium, and even some mycorrhizae that’s missing from the full synthetics. All that while remaining a simple 1-part product. Hack: The high calcium content can cause it to crystalize and settle to the bottom. Add 1oz wood vinegar per gallon of concentrate and it’s far less prone to crystallization.
Yet another simple growing method, this time hybrid hydro+soil: Use large-ish net pots as mini wicking beds or “wicking pots”. 4” pots are my sweet spot between the number of plants per shelf and stability vs smaller pots. Use regular potting mix or other wicking grow media and add whatever you want, biochar, rock dust, minerals, mycos, a little compost, etc. Put the pots in a tray (ordinary 1020 trays work well) with anywhere between ¼” to 1” of water. Lower is generally better, but you can go up to the 1” range if you’re manually watering and need an extended time between waterings. Refill by pouring water in the tray, not the top of the pots. The grow media will wick up moister and the slots in the pots will allow it to breath vs going anaerobic. The slots also do a decent job of air-pruning the upper roots, making extraction easier if you decide to transplant elsewhere.
Pros: A bit more “natural” especially if you use regular fertilizer instead of hydro, just know hydro nutrients will outperform regular fertilizer because of their higher bioavailability. Net pots are very durable and reusable. Can be used to grow out plants for transplant. Water held in the grow media can save your butt if the tray goes dry. Plants perform well with the consistent air/moisture ratio, and air roots never drown from top watering. Roots air-prune rather than spiral like they do in regular pots. You can go days between manual refilling. Wicking pots also work great for rooting cuttings.
Cons: Fine grow media will leak out of the net pot and into the tray. This is a potential problem if you’re using a pump, but just fine if you’re manually watering. You can use courser material for the bottom layer to mitigate this. If plants get too tall, they can become top heavy and tip over. You can use larger pots for better stability if you’re ok with fewer plants per shelf.
FYI the link for lights is pointing to low power 10W Barrinas. The Barrina/Kihung grow lights are 24W. Right now (11/18/2023) the 6pk of Barrina are $10ea after coupon and 8pk of Kihung are $8.75ea after coupon.