Hydroponic growing leads to tastier vegetables

Growing vegetables hydroponically leads to a more expensive, but tastier veggie, cumberlink.com reports.

Tomatoes are the king crop in hydroponics because of the demand for them in early spring and late fall when field tomatoes aren't available. The challenge is to sell them at $2.99 per pound when field tomatoes are going for 99 cents, says Mark Toigo, 42, who has run hydroponic greenhouses for the last 15 years, among other duties, at the family-owned Toigo Orchards in Southampton Township, Cumberland County. Hydroponic grower Barb Rose, 52, co-owner of Beck-n-Rose of North Middleton Township, agrees with Toigo. She also developed a niche market in the last three years --- a few chefs at "better restaurants who care what tomatoes look and taste like," Rose says. She counts among her customers Fetter Brookside Market south of Carlisle, Mountain Lakes west of Carlisle, Oak Grove Farms of Mechanicsburg and the Butcher Shop in Chambersburg. For next season, all Beck-n-Rose produce is committed to current customers, says Rose, a former marketing manager for a start-up software company that sold last year for $40 million. "You do need to be a manager and a marketer" to be profitable, Toigo says, raising his voice above the half-dozen four-foot-wide fans that ventilate his 90- by 130-foot greenhouse off South Mountain Estates Road. He steps over piles of vines on the concrete greenhouse floor, the result of cropping the tops off tomato plants that have the last of the crop ripening on the vines. He will plant new tomato vines again in January for harvest beginning in April. Although growers would like to produce tomatoes through the winter, year-round tomato production isn't feasible this far north. They say it doesn't have the flavor of food grown in soil," says Brubeck, who sells mostly to restaurants and to some grocery stores in Cumberland, Dauphin and Lebanon counties.

Original source:
http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2005/08/07/business/busi01.txt

Indian family makes a breakthrough in hydroponics

by Mike Adams

Hydroponics, the practice of growing plants in water instead of soil, received a giant lift from a New Delhi family that created a purely organic nutrient mix that has sustained tomatoes and Arjun.

Original source:
http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?storyflag=y&leftnm=lmnu5&leftindx=5&lselect=2&chklogin=N&autono=202585

Details

An Indian hobbyist has created a purely organic nutrient mixture for growing plants in water. Although it is still an evolving science, hydroponic agriculture (growing plants in water solution rather than soil) is spreading fast the world over. The nutritional requirement of the plants in this system of soilless farming is met by the nutrient mixtures, called hydroponics fertiliser mixtures, added to the water in which the plant roots are kept submerged. These mixtures are made of chemical plant nutrients. A breakthrough has now been achieved by an Indian hydroponics hobbyist in creating a purely organic nutrient mixture for growing plants in water. This wholly chemical-free plant growth solution has been tested successfully for growing several plants, including common vegetables like tomato and arbi and some high value medicinal plants like Brahmi, Arjun and Cineraria. Indeed, a good deal of research is underway in this system of soilless farming in the US and Europe but not much headway has been made anywhere in organic hydroponics. Of course, some hydroponics enthusiasts abroad have been experimenting with various kinds of organic manures and mixtures of plants, but successful and commercially viable organic hydroponics models are still not available. His daughter, Shweta Singh, a Delhi University botany student, has been assisting him in discovering and further improving the biofertiliser mixture for growing plants in ordinary water. “I will work on it for a couple of years more before thinking of launching commercial production of this bio-fertiliser for hydroponics. However, if some government organisation, such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), comes forward, I am willing to cooperate with it in promoting organic hydroponics in India,” he says. He believes that nearly 200 commercially important plants can be grown by hydroponics technique.

Source: Article taken from Natural News, only for information purpose

Hydroponics Basics – A Guide to Your First Hydroponic System

By Justyn Hornor

Hydroponic gardening is so much easier than you’d think! My goal here is to make the process of hydroponics as easy as possible — too many people are scared of trying it. They’re intimidated, or they don’t know how much it will cost, possibly. And while I recognize that the basic set-up I describe below isn’t ideal, it’s easy and you can get all the supplies at your favourite super-store.

That’s right! You don’t have to find a specialty store or use special equipment to pull off a fully-functional hydroponic garden. Of course, I hope that by trying a simple system first, you’ll then get excited and run out to a local hydroponics supplier to build a more sophisticated system, using the latest techniques and supplies.

Basic Hydroponic Garden Supplies

The first thing to do is get your supplies. I found everything I needed for this system at Walmart for about $40. I have enough supplies with this purchase to feed my plant for about two years. Yes, you heard me right – a full two years. Let’s break each item down and explain its use.

1. Large yellow bucket – this is the outside container of our system. It holds the water/food for the plant.
2. Small green bucket – this is where the plant will sit. We’ll be punching a few small holes in it so the water can drain out.
3. Compact fluorescent light bulb – this will be the light source for the plant if it isn’t growing outdoors.
4. Lamp – to hold the light bulb.
5. Marbles – to support the roots – no soil necessary.
6. Miracle-Gro™ – the plant food.
7. Strawberry plant – the Quinalt variety is everbearing, so the fruit will grow year-round.

When you’re all done assembling the system, here’s what it will look like:

Before Picking Your Plants

The most important aspect of your hydroponic garden is the genetics of your plants. In this guide, I’m using a strawberry plant of the Quinalt variety. I chose this type of plant very specifically. The Quinalt variety is everbearing, meaning that it’s going to produce year-round for me. This variety is also resilient.

Take time to research which variety of plants you want to grow. Your local hydroponics store can be a huge resource in this area. They’re sure to know someone who grows what you are interested in, and might offer some wonderful tips for plant selection and care.

This point can’t be overstated: No matter how nice your system is, plants with better genetics for the environment in which you are raising them will always outperform those with less-ideal genetics. So don’t just grab the cheapest plant you can find. You may be missing out on huge long-term payoffs if you waste time on an underperforming variety of plant.

Step 1 – Preparing the Small Plant Holder

Grab the smaller plant holder in which your plant will grow. We’re going to punch a few holes in it, so the water can drain and to prevent the roots from getting too wet. I usually punch about four holes in the bottom and one every inch or so up the side of the pot.

Step 2 – Create Some Space at Bottom of Large Pot

In the bottom of the larger pot, place a layer or two of marbles. Be very careful that none of them get away! (We don’t want you losing your marbles, ha ha.) The goal here is to create about a half-inch to an inch of space between the base of the pot and where your smaller pot will sit. This allows some water to settle in the bottom.

Eventually, the roots will come through the bottom of the smaller pot and absorb more water and food as needed. This extra space on the bottom will allow the roots to grow into the bottom as much as they want.

Step 3 – Wash Off the Soil from the Plant

Handle your plant with care at this step. I use a bowl of room-temperature water to gently wash the soil off the roots. You don’t have to get them perfectly clean, but you should be able to see the bulk of the root system.

Try to handle the roots as little as possible. You don’t have to create a sterile environment or anything, just be gentle. I affectionately refer to my strawberries as “strawbabies.”

Step 4 – Preparing the Plant Pot

Now, put a layer of marbles in the bottom of the smaller plant pot. About a half-inch to an inch is fine. This gives your plant roots space for air, water, and growth.

Step 5 – Placing the Plant

This step will take both hands or a little help from someone else. With one hand, hold your plant with the roots hanging down. You’re basically suspending the plant over the place you want it to rest. Allow the bulk of the roots to set along the bottom, so that these roots can start to quickly “reach” lower for more water. Setting them too high can delay the blooming process, because the roots will have to grow farther. Too low and the roots will get “lazy”, and just settle into the bottom. (Yes, plants struggle with laziness, too.)

Now, start to gently fill the rest of the container up with marbles — as high as the base of the plant’s root system.

Step 6 – Placing the Plant Pot into the Holder

Place the smaller pot containing your plant into the larger pot. You may have to move some marbles around so that it sits steadily on the marbles. You can always stabilize the plant pot later with other materials if necessary.

Step 7 – Lighting the Plant (Optional)

You can just leave your plant in sunlight inside your house or outdoors. But if space is at a premium, or if you want to accelerate the growth of your plants, you can also set up a simple lighting system. Some people use a light sensor to have the light turn off during the day and back on at night.

I use a 28-watt CFL bulb which will cost me about $28 per year in electricity to stay lit year-round (at $.12/kilowatts/hour). Not too expensive at all. I mount my lamp directly above the plant and use a reflective lamp cover to provide as much light as possible.

Step 8 – Feeding and Watering Your Plant –

Actually, feeding and watering your plant is the same step. First, measure out the following:

1. Tablespoon of Miracle Gro
2. Tablespoon of salt (Epsom salt is best, if you have it)
3. Gallon of water

Mix it all together and pour directly and gently onto the roots until the water line in the larger pot is about an inch above the base of the smaller pot.

I use less than half a gallon of water each time. Remember to label and properly store any leftover plant food — Miracle-Gro turns the water blue and it might look dangerously like a beverage to a small child. You don’t want pets or humans drinking this.

Step 9 – Care and Maintenance of Your Plants –

The plants will tell you if something is wrong. Just get your ear really close to the tallest leaves and listen very, very carefully. (Kidding!) If the leaves start to turn colors, you’ve got a problem. Too much water or not enough water are the two usual suspects.

Another common problem is that the acidity of the water can get too high or too low. This is the PH balance of your water. The easiest way to fix this problem is to change the water completely once a week. You may have to add fresh water/food once a week to keep acidity levels at the right spot.

You can get PH-level test supplies at a hydroponics store, as well as any supplies/advice for maintaining the proper PH balance.

Step 10 – Taking Your Hydroponics System to the Next Level

GO VISIT YOUR HYDROPONICS STORE! The system described here is a VERY simple, “beginner” design. Once you get a taste for it, you’re going to want to see all the different options available!

The beauty of hydroponic gardening is that you can control each and every plant if you need to. You can test Miracle-Gro against another brand, and try different mixtures to see which grows your plants better. You can set one plant outdoors during the day while leaving another inside to see if it makes a difference. There are lots of experiments you can conduct, and it’s easy to test different ideas.

You can also upgrade as you go. This system is simple and relatively cheap. If you have most of these supplies sitting around, you may not have to buy a thing to get started. There are lots of different arrangements and ways to control your garden.

Have fun! Build your first hydroponics garden and see just how easy it is to grow fruits, veggies, and even bushes and dwarf fruit trees, right inside your house and with very little space.

And let us know how your system turns out if you recreate this one. We’d love to hear how you’re doing and how well it’s working!

Hydroponics Basics FAQ –

Why is no soil required?

Because plants don’t actually need soil to grow, for one. They just need nutrients which can be absorbed from water. Soil is just one very inefficient root-supporting material. Marbles aren’t ideal, but they’ll do the job. Rock-wool and clay beads are two other common root-supporting materials.

Can plants survive on only the light from a bulb?

If they have air, food, water and light – plants will grow anywhere. We use a specific kind of light with a temperature of 6500k or higher, which represents a measurement of the color of the light. Look for “Daylight” as opposed to “Soft Light” bulbs. The packaging should state that the temperature is 6500k; right in the ideal range.

Is Miracle-Gro all you really need?

Pretty much. However, you can get very sophisticated with the kinds and types of food you give your plants. Your local hydroponics store will have all kinds of awesome plant foods that you can use to create the perfect blend for your plants. But Miracle-Gro has you covered for now and is a great place to start.

Will any plant grow in a hydroponic garden?

Yes! Although some plants have different needs and you may have to tailor a hydroponics system to these specific needs. This is when getting involved with your local hydroponics store will be incredibly helpful.

How much will a plant in a hydroponic garden produce compared to a normal garden?

Generally speaking, a hydroponic garden will far out-perform a traditional garden for several reasons. The biggest advantage for plants in a hydroponic garden is that they are not competing for resources – their roots have direct access to the food. Also, the lack of soil means you can control the environment very carefully. And if you provide light 24/7, your plants will grow a lot faster than in nature.

Source: http://greenhomeauthority.com

Advantages and Disadvantages of Hydroponics

Hydroponics is a technology for growing plants in nutrient solutions (water containing fertilizers) with or without the use of an artificial medium (sand, gravel, vermiculite, rock wool, perlite, peat moss. coir, or sawdust) to provide mechanical support.
Advantages of Hydroponics

1. No soil is needed
2. The water stays in the system and can be reused- thus, lower water costs
3. It is possible to control the nutrition levels in their entirety- thus, lower nutrition costs
4. No nutrition pollution is released into the environment because of the controlled system
5. Stable and high yields
6. Pests and diseases are easier to get rid of than in soil because of the container’s mobility

Disadvantages of Hydroponics

1. The hydroponic conditions (presence of fertilizer and high humidity) create an environment that stimulates salmonella growth.
2. Another disadvantage is pathogens attacks including damp-off due to Verticillium wilt caused by the high moisture levels associated with hydroponics and overwatering of soil based plants.
3. Also, many hydroponic plants require different fertilizers and containment system.

Source: Oasis Agro Industries Pakistan

History of Hydroponics

Hydroponics basically means working water ("hydro" means "water" and "ponos" means "labor"). Many different civilizations have utilized hydroponic growing techniques throughout history. As noted in Hydroponic Food Production (Fifth Edition, Woodbridge Press, 1997, page 23) by Howard M. Resh: "The hanging gardens of Babylon, the floating gardens of the Aztecs of Mexico and those of the Chinese are examples of 'Hydroponic' culture. Egyptian hieroglyphic records dating back several hundred years B.C. describe the growing of plants in water." Hydroponics is hardly a new method of growing plants.

However, giant strides have been made over the years in this innovative area of agriculture. Throughout the last century, scientists and horticulturists experimented with different methods of hydroponics. One of the potential applications of hydroponics that drove research was for growing fresh produce in nonarable areas of the world. It is a simple fact that some people cannot grow in the soil in their area (if there is even any soil at all). This application of hydroponics was tested during World War II. Troops stationed on nonarable islands in the Pacific were supplied with fresh produce grown in locally established hydroponic systems. Later in the century, hydroponics was integrated into the space program.

As NASA considered the practicalities of locating a society on another plant or the Earth's moon, hydroponics easily fit into their sustainability plans. This research is ongoing. But by the 1970s, it wasn't just scientists and analysts who were involved in hydroponics. Traditional farmers and eager hobbyists began to be attracted to the virtues of hydroponic growing. A few of the positive aspects of hydroponics include:

• The ability to produce higher yields than traditional, soil-based agriculture
• Allowing food to be grown and consumed in areas of the world that cannot support crops in the soil
• Eliminating the need for massive pesticide use (considering most pests live in the soil), effectively making our air, water, soil, and food cleaner

Commercial growers are flocking to hydroponics like never before. The ideals surrounding these growing techniques touch on subjects that most people care about, such as helping end world hunger and making the world cleaner. In addition to the extensive research that is going on, everyday people from all over the world have been building (or purchasing) their own systems to grow great-tasting, fresh food for

their family and friends. Educators are realizing the amazing applications that hydroponics can have in

the classroom. And ambitious individuals are striving to make their dreams come true by making their

living in their backyard greenhouse, selling their produce to local markets and restaurants.

What is hydroponics?

Hydroponics is a technology for growing plants in nutrient solutions (water containing fertilizers) with or without the use of an artificial medium (sand, gravel, vermiculite, rockwool, perlite, peatmoss. coir, or sawdust) to provide mechanical support.

Liquid hydroponic systems have no other supporting medium for the plant roots: aggregate systems have a solid medium of support. Hydroponic systems are further categorized as open (i.e. once the nutrient solution is delivered to the plant roots, it is not reused) or closed (i.e. surplus solution is recovered, replenished, and recycled).

Hydroponic growing (as opposed to soil growing) allows you to control the nutrient levels for your plants directly. Because of the higher control over nutrients, hydroponically grown plants generally have a much higher yield than similar plants grown in soil.

Hydroponics growing

A plant gets its food source by turning Co2, light and water (or hydrogen) into carbohydrates through a process called photosynthesis. With hydroponics growing, plants are grown without soil so they must get their nutrients from the nutrient solutions added to water. The absence of soil in growing means that hydroponics systems must have some way of supporting the plants while still allowing the bare root system maximum exposure to the nutrient solution. Often a “growing medium” is used for support and to aid in moisture and nutrient retention in hydroponics growing. Because they lack media to store water and nutrients, water culture systems need a continuous flow of nutrients to prevent drying out the plant roots.

Plants need an energy source in order to grow. With hydroponics growing this energy may come from natural light, which has the full spectrum of color or through the use of different types of artificial lighting (grow lights), which can be selected for specific plant varieties and optimum plant growth characteristics.

Hydro-culture: A New Farming Technique

The word hydroponics has its derivation from the combining of two Greek words, hydro meaning water and ponosmeaning labor, i.e., working water. The word first appeared in a scientific magazine article (Science, Feb 178:1) published in 1937 and authored by W.F. Gericke, who had accepted this word as was suggested by Dr. W.A. Setchell at the University of California. Dr. Gericke began experimenting with hydroponic growing techniques in the late 1920s and then published one of the early books on soilless growing (Gericke, 1940). Later he suggested that the ability to produce crops hydroponically would no longer be “chained to the soil but certain commercial crops could be grown in larger quantities without soil in basins containing solutions of plant food.” What Dr. Gericke failed to foresee was that hydroponics would  in the future be essentially confined to its application in enclosed environments  for growing high cash value crops and would not find its way into the  production of a wide range of commercial crops in open environments.

The author went to three dictionaries and three encyclopedias to find how hydroponics is defined. Webster’s New World College Dictionary,Fourth Edition, 1999, defines hydroponics as “the science of growing or the production of plants in nutrient-rich solutions or moist inert material, instead of soil”; the Random House Webster’s College Dictionary,1999, as “the cultivation of plants by placing the roots in liquid nutrient solutions rather than in soils; soilless growth of plants”; and The Oxford English Dictionary,2nd Edition, 1989, as “the process of growing plants without soil, in beds of sand, gravel, or similar supporting material flooded with nutrient solutions.” In the Encyclopedia Americana,International Edition, 2000, hydroponics is defined as “the practice of growing plants in liquid nutrient cultures rather  than in soil,” in The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1997 as “the cultivation of plants in nutrient-enriched water with or without the mechanical support of an inert medium, such as sand or gravel,” and in The World Book Encyclopedia,1996 as “the science of growing plants without soil.”
The most common aspect of all these definitions is that hydroponics means growing plants without soil, with the sources of nutrients either a nutrient solution or nutrient-enriched water, and that an inert mechanical root support (sand or gravel) may or may not be used. It is interesting to note that in only two of the six definitions is hydroponics defined as a “science.” Searching for definitions of hydroponics in various books and articles, the following were found. Devries (2003) defines hydroponic plant culture as “one in which all nutrients are supplied to the plant through the irrigation water, with the growing substrate being soilless (mostly inorganic), and that the plant is grown to produce flowers or fruits that are harvested for sale.”

In addition, Devries (2003) states, “hydroponics used to be considered a system where there was no growing media at all, such as the nutrient film technique in vegetables. But today it’s accepted that a soilless growing medium is often used to support the plant root system physically and provide for a favorable buffer of solution around the root system.”

Resh (1995) defines hydroponics as “the science of growing plants without the use of soil, but by use of an inert medium, such as gravel, sand, peat, vermiculite, pumice, or sawdust, to which is added a nutrient solution containing all the essential elements needed by the plant for its normal growth and development.” Wignarjah (1995) defines hydroponics as “the technique of growing plants without soil, in a liquid culture.” In an American Vegetable Grower article entitled “Is hydroponics the answer?” (Anonymous, 1978), hydroponics was defined for the purpose of the article as “any method which uses a nutrient solution on vegetable plants, growing with or without artificial soil mediums.” Harris (1977) suggested that a modern definition of hydroponics would be “the science of growing plants in a medium, other than soil, using mixtures of the essential plant nutrient elements dissolved in water.” Jensen (1997) stated that hydroponics “is a technology for growing plants in nutrient solutions (water containing fertilizers) with or without the use of an artificial medium (sand, gravel, vermiculite, rockwool, perlite, peat moss, coir, or sawdust) to provide mechanical support.” Jensen (1997) defined the growing
of plants without media as “liquid hydroponics” and with media as “aggregate hydroponics.” Another defining aspect of hydroponics is how the nutrient solution system functions, whether as an “open” system in which the nutrient solution is discarded after passing through the root mass or medium, or as a “closed” system in which the nutrient solution, after passing through the root mass or medium, is recovered for reuse. Similarly related hydroponic terms are “aqua (water) culture,” “hydroculture,” “nutriculture,” “soilless culture,” “soilless agriculture,” “tank farming,” or “chemical culture.” A hydroponicist is defined as one who practices hydroponics, and hydroponicum defined as a building or garden in which hydroponics is practiced.
Source: Oasis Agro Industries Pakistan

Hydroponic Farming: Pakistan Future

Asad Manzoor*

Department of Agriculture & Agribusiness Management, University of Karachi

To defeat food shortages in the upcoming era, Pakistan can use hydroponic farming to overcome crises of food shortage. Hydroponics can be a revolutionary technology for Pakistan to guarantee suitable and sustainable supply of vegetable. It reduces 70 percent to 90 percent less water and reduce cultivated area than irrigated soil and land based agriculture farming and gardening. No water was lost in the ground or absorbed by weeds or lost in evaporation.
With the collaboration of government and private sector, a hydroponic pilot project can be started across the country. The establishment of state-of-the-art greenhouse facility can produce hydroponic tomatoes of all varieties including tangy, elegant, cherry and others. If the hydroponic technology is properly deployed, the country could be a huge power player in the market because nobody else in the region is using high-tech hydroponics.

A high tech hydroponic facility is more expensive to set up than soil farming but once it is set up, operating and maintenance costs were low and the very high and definite yields means that invested money would be recovered in one year.
The world leader’s countries in hydroponics utilize ‘cluster approach’ where land is allocated just for hydroponic farming practiced by different farmers. To develop a viable hydroponics industry, Pakistan urgently needs to improve its infrastructure facilities, such as availability of electricity and land. Greenhouses need a constant supply of power but the situation in Pakistan is not encouraging. By improving electricity facilities and establishing green house a fine chain of hydroponics farm can develop.
With more than 16 million populations, Pakistan needed to boost its agriculture performance, which was low and unpredictable compared to other major agriculture producers. If hydroponics is introduced properly, the country can triple the revenues earned on agriculture exports. The new technology also has a great potential to meet our food requirement.

*Contact: asad@gardener.com

Hydroponic: Lettuce garden in plastic bottles

I have no land to grow a garden, But I do have windows that get plenty of sunlight.  I wanted a compact, low maintenance way of quickly growing lettuce and other small, fast growing plants.
My goals were:
cheap: I'm not looking to spend much money on this project, so cheap is good, and free is better. After all, that's why we're doing it ourselves, right? I got pretty much all my materials from recycle bins at work or other household items. The few things you would have to buy cost less than $10, and provide enough material for many of these bottles.
It's easy: No expensive tools or equipment, no expertise, just scissors, and an "exacto knife" or other sharp pointed blade.
low maintenance. Once you set it up, it requires no watering, no fertilizing,
no electricity: There are no air or water pumps. The roots get oxygen by forming aerial roots above the surface of the water as the water level drops.

The materials are easy to find: anybody, anywhere can find the materials for this project. You can use almost any kind of plastic bottle with relatively smooth straight sides, from 24 oz up to 2 litre bottles and beyond. Water bottles, Soda bottles, fruit smoothie bottles, square bottles, round bottles, whatever. The growth media is made from easy to find products, for $5 you can buy enough to fill hundreds of these bottles. I've also been experimenting with using water from a fish tank as fertlizer, with good results so far.
It works: So far it's been working great. the plants are healthy and are growing quickly. The roots look healthy and are not rotting or showing signs of lack of oxygen. The leaves are nice and green and show no signs of nutrient deficiencies. A hydroponic system should work as well or better than a soil based system, otherwise, what's the point.
It's compact. the smaller bottles take up about 3 inches of a windowsill, and the larger (2 liter) bottles take up only 5 inches, so you can fit several in a window. You can also hang bottles to use the vertical space of the window. I'm still working on an easy way to hang them. When I get it right I'll post that part. too.

Step 1: Materials Needed

Materials needed
A plastic bottle: Any size larger than 23 oz. Large 2L bottles work very well, but smaller bottle work fine for small plants like lettuce. you're only growing these for about a month, so it doesn't need to be huge. Also, the sides must be fairly straight and smooth, especially near the "shoulder". Bottles with lots of grooves or ridges don't work well. I've used round bottles and square bottles, they both work fine. Bottles with slightly thicker and stiffer plastic work quite well.
A Shower Scrunchie: one of those plastic mesh shower sponge thingies. they consist of about 10 feet of mesh, which is actually a hollow tube of mesh folded and tied into a compact shape. One of these is enough mesh to make dozens of grow bottles.
Scissors: nothing fancy.
a knife: a very sharp utility knife or exacto knife with a sharp tip.
aluminum foil: To protect the roots from direct sunlight. I grew one plant for a few weeks without the foil, and it didn't seem to really harm the roots, but they did grow away from the sun, rather than growing straight down like the others. You are also likely to develop a problem with algae if the roots and liquid media is exposed to direct sunlight, and this will quickly consume the nutrients and foul the water. You could probably use something that looks nicer, if that's important to you.
(update: after a few more weeks, the plants without foil around the water reservoir did develop serious algae problems, and were noticeably smaller than the ones that were covered)
tape: regular clear office tape.
Seeds: I'm using lettuce, because it's fast growing, and has a shallow, fibrous root system. Bibb lettuce apparently works very well, although I'm using a red leaf lettuce. Try other things, and let me know how they work. larger plants would obviously require larger bottles. A packet of lettuce seeds contains hundreds of seeds, so you don't need to buy a lot, and share the extras.
Growth media: You could buy ready made hydroponic growth media, but it's expensive. You can easily make growth media from store bought fertilizer and epsom salts, with home made egg shell extract for calcium and micro-nutrients.  A small box of fertilizer costs about $3, and box of epsom salts is about 99 cents. You only use a tiny bit of each, so even the smallest box of fertilizer can make enough media for hundreds of grow bottles. Egg shells are basically free, assuming you eat eggs once in a while. A single egg shell dissolved in lemon juice will be enough micronutrients for several bottles.

Step 2: Start your Seeds

I started my seeds in plastic egg cartons filled with soilless seed starting mix. I transplanted them to the grow bottle when they had a few real leaves. You could probably just directly start the seeds in the completed grow bottle. This would be easier on the seedlings and would prevent transplant shock.
Don't want to spend money on seed starter mix? take a shovel, trowel, or your hands, and go outside. There's an awful lot of soil out there in the woods, and nobody's going to miss a few handfuls of it. This is slightly cheating if you're a real hydroponic purist, since technically hydroponics doesn't use soil, but I won't tell if you won't
To make the egg carton seed starter, just go buy some eggs, the fancy ones in the clear plastic carton. You'll use egg shells in your growth media, and eggs are tasty, so nothing goes to waste. The plastic carton has three folding sections; two "egg cup" sections that cradle the eggs, and one flat lid. 
Cut the flat lid off, and use it as a tray to hold water. Then poke some holes in each of the egg cups to let water drain out. use the other section of egg cups as a lid, to form a dozen tiny greenhouses. Water it once, plant the seeds, and leave them alone for a week.

Step 3: Cut the bottle

Cut the top off the bottle about half an inch below the "shoulder" of the bottle. The exact height will vary from bottle to bottle. As long as you cut at the level where the sides are straight, and not the part where the bottle narrows towards the neck, you should be fine.  Leave about half an inch of straight side on the "top" part of the bottle, so that it will grip the sides of the "bottom" when you flip it over.
Trace the line with a marker placed on an object of the correct height, such as a stack of books.
Carefully puncture the plastic with the blade and cut along the line. Go slowly, it's easy to cut a crooked line if you go too fast.
You may want to cut a pull tab on one side, so that you can easily remove the top.
Cut a dime sized air hole (or several) about an inch below the top. This provides air flow to the bottom root chamber. It also allows you to add or remove water once the system is set up. A turkey baster works well for adding water, and you can remove water by simply pouring it out this hole. You can cover the hole with tape for transportation to prevent spills.

Step 4: Cut the cap

Cut a hole in the cap, but leave the threads alone. Use a sharp exacto knife, and be extreeeeemly careful.
Place the cap upside down on a book, with one edge just a bit over the edge. hold it firmly in place and make sure no part of your hand is under the cap, just in case the knife pokes through too far.
Poke with the exacto knife down through the inside of the cap, at the edge. You'll notice that the blade will cut in one direction.
Keep poking the blade through, about a blade width away from the previous cut, so that the blade cuts back towards the previous slit.
I told you to be careful, so don't come crying to me if you cut yourself. You've been warned.

Step 5: Add the mesh to the cap

Take your mesh shower scrunchie and cut the string that holds it together so the whole thing can be unwound. Cut off a bit of the mesh, just a few inches, and stretch it over the mouth of the bottle. Then screw the cap on over that. Cut away the excess. You should end up with a funnel capped with mesh at the mouth. This will keep the plant and support media from falling into the water.

Step 6: Make the aerial root support basket

Your plant's roots need support, especially the roots that will be above water. Without support the aerial roots will clump together and won't absorb as much oxygen. Take the long tube of mesh and tie a knot in one end. pull the knot tight and cut off the excess. Cut off about 6 inches of mesh, so that you have a mesh bag with a knot at the bottom.

Step 7: Mark water level

Put the whole thing together to see how it all fits, and to figure out your water level.Place the mesh basket around the upside down funnel, so that the mesh hangs loosely, about an inch below the mouth of the funnel. Don't pull it up tight against the funnel, you want some space between the funnel and the root support mesh. Now press the funnel down into the base so that the mesh basket is held in place between the funnel and the base. If everything fits together well, mark the side of the bottle at the the level of the mouth of the funnel. The easiest way is to just pour some water in until the mouth of the funnel is just barely touching the water.

Step 8: Make hydroponic fertilizer growth media.

If you are making hydroponic growth media from fertlizer, here's the recipe I've used, with pretty good success so far.
in 1 L (32 oz) water, dissolve:
1/8 teaspoon bright blue name brand plant food which shall remain nameless.
1/16 teaspoon epsom salts. you can get this at any drug store. Get the plain kind without any aloe or mint or fragrance or other additives.
5 drops egg shell extract (see below)
(second update: I've updated the media recipe to half the strength of the previous recipe. I've been using the half strength recipe (shown above) for a few weeks, and the plants are now large, healthy, and are growing very quickly.)
For calcium and micronutrients we will use eggshell dissolved in lemon juice, which produces calcium citrate, and a bunch of other dissolved elements. This also helps buffer the pH, since growth \ media tends to get too basic (high pH). Egg shell contains calcium, magnesium, and all the other micronutrients needed by plants, in approximately the right proportions. How convenient!

Take an eggshell, leave the membrane intact, and let it dry. Then crush it as finely as you can, membrane and all. Then dissolve it in lemon juice using these measurements:
1/2 teaspoon of dried powdered eggshell
The juice of half a lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons).
Leave it overnight in a covered glass or jar to dissolve. It's ok if it's a bit gritty or some of it doesn't dissolve.
This is enough for 2 L of growth media, so only add half (about 1 tbsp) if you are making a 1 litre batch.
I'm still experimenting with using fish tank water, so I'll post another instructable if that works out. So far so good. In fact, the bottles with fish tank water seem to have more extensive root systems.
(update on fish water)
The fish water experiment had unusual results. the plants grown in fish tank water had very extensive roots, but significantly less leaf growth. I'll have to collect more data to see if this is just by chance or an actual effect of the growth media.

Step 9: Assemble the grow bottle

If you are transplanting from seedlings, gently scoop out your seedling with a bit of seed starter meda around the roots and place the root ball into the funnel, and gently press it down into the bottle cap. Remove excess soil if it won't fit. You should only have enough media to hold the stem upright, maybe an inch deep, just enough to fill the bottle cap.
pour a bit of water into the funnel and let it drain out though the mouth (into a bowl or something). This will flush out some of the particles that would otherwise cloud your water. It also helps to flush the roots down through the mesh.
If you are starting the seeds in the funnel, just fill the cap with about an inch of seed starter, soil, sand, or vermiculite and plant the seed. I know that technically starting seeds in dirt, or anything resembling dirt, is not pure hydroponics, but I don't really care. If you are a real hydroponic purist, start the seeds in vermiculite, peat, rock wool or whatever you prefer.
once your seeds or plants are in the funnel, fill the base with growth media up to the line you marked in step 7 and assemble the bottle.

Place the mesh root support bag around the upside down funnel, so that the mesh hangs loosely, about an inch below the mouth of the funnel. Don't pull it up tight against the funnel, you want some space between the funnel and the root support mesh. Now press the funnel down into the base so that the mesh basket is held in place between the funnel and the base.
Cover the area below the water level with foil to block some of the light. I just loosely wrap a skirt of foil and loosely tape it, so I can remove it to check the roots.

Step 10: Care and feeding

Once assembled, this system should require almost no care at all. You will not need to water or feed it. The shape of the funnel will keep the plants upright as they grow, but you might want to rotate the bottle so they don't lean towards the sun and get lopsided.
The water level should drop once the plant starts consuming water. This will expose the upper part of the roots, which is good. You want the roots to be able to breathe.  The air hole allows just enough air flow for the roots to breath, without letting them dry out. The exposed upper roots will not dry out, because the enclosed air space above the water is extremely humid. You should quickly see this area get fogged with condensation.
let the roots stay submerged until the roots extend through the mesh bag by a few inches. this will ensure that the aerial roots do not cling together.  If the water level doesn't drop fast enough, pour out a bit of water so that the upper part of the roots are above water. the roots should be about 1/3 exposed.

Step 11: Update

Update:
OK, so it's been about a few weeks since I posted this project, and it's gone fairly well. When I posted, the plants were relatively young, only about a 10 days old, with three or four leaves. They are now quite large, and I've actually picked and eaten some tasty lettuce.
Here's what I've learned.

• Algae is the enemy: If light shines on your growth media, it will quickly be overgrown with algae. This will not necessarily kill the plant, but it will quickly deplete the nutrients in the media and slow the growth of your plant. It also looks gross to have a bottle of green goo in your window. So wrap the bottle tightly in foil, top to bottom, including the funnel. You could also probably sterilize the media by microwaving it and allowing it to cool. That will kill most bacteria and algae.
• Watch your water levels and roots: When the plants get large, they start to consume large amounts of water. In a mature lettuce plant, they can suck up half an inch of water per day. You will need to top off the water level every few days, (I use a turkey baster) or the roots will be left high and dry, and the plant will quickly wilt and die. If you see a plant looking droopy, check to see if the roots are still touching the water. When topping off media, just add water, no need to add new fertilizer unless the leaves are looking yellow, and in that case it's probably best to completely change the media.
• Half strength media works fine. The media recipe I included is a bit too strong. I've been using a half strength recipe and it's worked well. So for a litre/quart of media that would be 1/8tsp fertilizer, and a tiny pinch of epsom salts (a few crystals), and a drop or two of eggshell extract. I'm going to revise the recipe in the original instructable.

Hydroponics for Home Gardeners

By: J. Raymond Kessler Jr., Extension Specialist, Associate Professor; J. David Williams, Department Head and former Extension Specialist; and Robyn Howe, Undergraduate Student, all in Horticulture, Auburn University

For centuries, civilizations throughout the world have experimented with soilless gardening, from the ancient Babylonians to the Aztec Indians. Marco Polo spoke of China’s magnificent floating gardens, and there is documentation that the Egyptians practiced primitive hydroponics. It was not until the 1930s, however, that this “new” form of gardening began to receive notice due to the notable experimentation of Dr. W.E. Gericke of the University of California. Gericke, often called the “father of modern hydroponics,” coined the term hydroponics, which literally means “working with water.” Since that time, many developments have been made, and hydroponic gardening continues to grow and thrive in popularity and usage.

Hydroponics is, simply put, growing plants without soil. The discovery was made years ago that it was not the actual soil that plants need to grow is the mineral nutrients held by soil particles or those unleashed through the action of bacteria and worms. The nutrients slowly dissolve in the surrounding soil-water solution, and the roots then absorb the nutrients from the soil-water. All plants have the same basic needs whether they are grown in soil or not. When the plant’s nutritional needs are met, soil is no longer necessary. In fact, the soil may harbor pathogens and other organisms that could harm the plant. In hydroponics, all the nutrients are supplied in a water solution that passes over the roots or floods around them at regular intervals. Plants often grow faster in a hydroponic system because nutrients are immediately available and therefore can be assimilated faster.

When experimenting with hydroponics, as with all other gardening techniques, it is important that the gardener know the basic physiology of the plant that is, how the plant works. Plants use their roots to draw in water and minerals that are trans-ported upward into the leaves. They also take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide in respiration.

The leaves absorb energy during the day from sun-light and take up carbon dioxide from the air. The water from the roots, the carbon dioxide, and the light energy combine to form carbohydrates such as sugar. The plant then releases oxygen back into the atmosphere. These actions, aided by the nutrients gleaned from absorbed minerals, complete the process of photosynthesis, providing the energy and raw materials for growth. At night, the process reverses in the leaves. Carbohydrates break down, releasing the energy needed to create new leaves, stems, and roots, and carbon dioxide is released.

Plants, much like human beings and animals, re-quire water, air, food, light, and warmth in order to perform these essential physiological processes and, as a result, to grow and reproduce. The basic hydroponic system should fill the needs of the plant’s roots just as the earth would by providing support, oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange (via the substrate), and water and nutrients (via the nutrient solution). Adequate light and warmth complete the minimal requirements for successful hydroponic plant growth.

Substrate

In order to serve as a suitable replacement for soil, the substrate must be capable of supporting the root system and holding moisture and nutrients. It should be inert, free of insects and diseases, and not easily broken down. Also, the substrate should allow adequate aeration of the roots and have good drainage qualities. Plants need sufficient access to oxygen in the air in order to grow and take up water and nutrients. Poor drainage can lead to de-creased growth, stunting, wilting, and discoloration of the leaves and, in the worst cases, “drowning.”

Several commonly used substrates are coarse sand (ask for washed river sand), gravel, perlite, coarse vermiculite, and rock wool. Perlite and coarse vermiculite are good choices because they are sterile, uniform, and readily available in garden centers. Sand and gravel also work well but should be washed thoroughly before planting to remove lime or other impurities.

Water

Mature plants process a surprisingly large amount of water. For instance, a fully grown to mato plant may use up to 2⁄3gallon of water a day. An inadequate water supply is the most limiting factor to plant growth. Water deficiencies can cause the plant to spend all its available energy on developing an extensive root system, the result being a small, stunted shoot. For this reason, it is important that the media be flooded, and subsequently drained, one to three times daily or as often as necessary to keep the roots moist.

Light

The amount of light required varies from plant to plant. Most fruiting plants such as corn, tomatoes, and peppers need 8 to 10 hours of sunlight a day. If these plants are grown indoors, an artificial light must be used to provide high light intensity without causing the temperature to rise above acceptable levels. This situation may be difficult to achieve. On the other hand, many ornamental and foliage plants require less sunlight than fruiting plants do and therefore perform very well indoors. One common error in applying hydroponics is trying to grow plants in reduced light when full sun is required.

Temperature

Warm-season plants perform best when the temperature is between 70 and 80 degrees F during the day and 60 to 70 degrees F at night. Cool-season plants generally require temperatures approximately 10 degrees lower than those suitable for warm-season plants. Above or below this range, plant growth will slow dramatically. Therefore, it is important that these temperatures be maintained whenever possible.

Nutrients

The key ingredient in the recipe for successful hydroponic gardening is the nutrient solution. In traditional soil-based gardening, the plant receives fertilizer from the slow breakdown of organic materials and the release of mineral nutrients in the soil. Hydroponic systems provide readily available, water-soluble minerals directly to the roots in a complete and balanced solution, thus eliminating the need for soil.

There are sixteen elements needed for plant growth. Plants extract several of these elements, such as oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen, from water and air. The rest of the elements must be supplied through the nutrient solution.

The primary macronutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). The secondary macro-nutrients are calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S). These distinctions are made based on how much of each nutrient plants need. Micronutrients, or trace elements, such as iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), boron (B), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and chlorine (Cl) are used in very small amounts by plants, hence the name micronutrients. Micronutrients are sometimes present as impurities in the water and in the solid substrate.

Nitrogen

Nitrogen is central to the development of new leaves and stems as well as to overall growth and performance. An overabundance of nitrogen causes soft, weak growth and possible delay of fruit and flower production. Symptoms of nitrogen deficiency are yellowing leaves and weak, spindly growth.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is used by the plant in photosynthesis and in the production of flowers and seeds. It also encourages strong root growth. When phosphorus levels are low, the older leaves begin to turn deep green and develop brown or purple dis-coloration. Other symptoms may be stunted growth and chlorosis, or yellowing, of the lower leaves.

Potassium

Potassium is necessary during all stages of growth, particularly during fruit development. It is involved in the manufacture of sugars, starches, and chlorophyll. Potassium helps the plant make good use of air and water by regulating stomatal openings in the leaves and also helps build strong roots. Deficiency symptoms are mottling and yellowing of older leaves, generally along the margins, and flower and fruit drop.

Calcium

Calcium is used by the plant in the manufacture and growth of cells. It also acts as a buffer for excess nutrients in soil. Calcium deficiency is recognizable by the curling and stunting of young leaves and dieback of the shoot tip. Too much calcium can stunt the growth of a young plant.

Magnesium

Magnesium is fundamental in the absorption of light energy and is central to the structure of the chlorophyll molecule. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include curled leaf margins, yellowing of older leaves (veins remain green), and, eventually, bright green coloration of the growing tips.

Nutrient Solutions

The elements needed for successful hydroponic growth are widely available in premixed form from gardening catalogs, garden centers, fertilizer companies, and hydroponic supply companies. Most hydroponics amateurs will rely on these commercially available mixes rather than preparing their own solutions at home.

However, for those enthusiasts who are willing to mix their own, the extra time and effort may offer more precise nutrient combinations for specific plants, as well as provide an opportunity for experimentation. Many nutrient solution recipes have been developed, some for general use and others for specific plants, and no one recipe is better for all plants than another. Hydroponic nutrient solutions contain several water-soluble, nutritive salts that can be purchased at fertilizer companies, green-house supply companies, and chemical companies.

The primary and secondary macronutrient salts are usually mixed in a large volume of water at a concentration ready to use on plants. The micronutrients are mixed as separate concentrated solutions that are then added in a measured amount to the macronutrient solution.

To make your own solution, mix 10 gallons of macronutrient solution according to the recipe in either Table 1 or Table 2. Nutrient solution No. 1 is more appropriate for slow-growing plants and plants growing under low light intensity, such as foliage plants. Nutrient solution No. 2 is more appropriate for rapidly growing plants and plants under high light intensity, especially vegetables. Next, mix the following two micronutrient solutions, and add each to the macronutrient solution.

• Mix 7.6 grams (11⁄4level teaspoons) of boric acid (H3BO4) and 0.6 grams (1⁄10teaspoon) of manganese chloride (MnCl2• 4H2O) in 1 quart of water.

Use 1⁄2cup of this solution for 10 gallons of macro-nutrient solution.

• Mix 3 grams (1⁄2level teaspoon) of chelated iron (NaFe EDTA) in 1 quart of water. Use 1 3⁄5cup of this solution for 10 gallons of macronutrient solution.

After mixing the nutrient solutions together, check the pH. (Meters for measuring pH can be purchased from garden and hydroponic supply companies.) Most plants grow well in a slightly acidic solution with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. If the solution is too alkaline (pH greater than 7.0), add a few drops of white vinegar per gallon, stir, and recheck the pH. If the solution is to acidic, add a small amount of baking soda per gallon to increase the pH. Continue rechecking and making adjustments until the desired pH level is reached.

The nutrient solution can be reused for 10 to 14 days when applied one to three times a day. At the end of this period, flood the substrate with clean water and drain it several times to wash out any accumulated materials. Mix and add a new solution.

Simple Hydroponic Systems

The simplest hydroponic system for beginners is a non recycling system consisting of a well-drained container filled with an acceptable A larger-scale version of the recycling method involves using a container that has a hose and an outlet an inch or two from its base. The container must be raised off the floor and tilted so that the nutrient solution drains through the outlet into a receptacle. These simple hand-fed methods work best with small-scale systems. For larger systems, a submersible pump can be used to pump the solution back into the container from the receptacle substrate. The nutrient solution is mixed, and then it is applied one to three times daily, using a simple watering can. The excess solution drains away and is lost.

A more economical technique is the recycling method, which involves collecting and reusing excess solution. The simplest version of this technique involves placing a large dish under the plant container to catch the solution and then pouring the solution back over the plant at regular intervals.

In addition to the systems that require a substrate, there are non aggregate methods such as water culture and aeroponics. In water culture, the plant’s roots are kept submerged in the nutrient solution. The plants are supported by a grid of wire, rope, or string or by coarse screening. This method, however, introduces aeration problems and re-quires an aquarium pump to bubble oxygen into the nutrient solution.

One simple version of water culture for a single plant consists of using a pint- to quart-sized glass or plastic bottle or jar that has a stopper or lid with two holes in it. The stem of a young plant is passed through one hole so that the plant is held above the nutrient solution and the roots are in the nutrient solution. The plant’s stem is surrounded with cotton for support. The nutrient solution is aerated by an aquarium pump. The plastic tube from the pump is passed through the second hole in the lid and into the nutrient solution. The container is covered with aluminum foil to keep light off the root system.

In aeroponics, the plant’s roots are suspended in air and are regularly misted with a fine spray of nutrient solution. Misting must occur often enough to cover the roots with a constant film of nutrient solution at all times. The misting chamber must be kept dark so algae does not grow and compete with the roots. This method requires more mechanical and electrical sophistication than the previous methods do. The methods that use a substrate are generally less expensive, are easier to transplant from, and have fewer difficulties than the water or aeroponics methods do.

Getting Started

It is important that the beginner keep in mind that hydroponics is not the perfect solution to all gardening woes. There are pros and cons to both traditional soil-based gardening and hydroponics. One major disadvantage of hydroponics is the commitment of time and energy necessary for success. Soilless gardening is much more exacting than traditional gardening and may overwhelm the novice gardener if too complex a system is implemented.

Begin with a small project such as an herb garden to get a feel for hydroponics, and, as your knowledge and comfort increase, move on to a more elaborate system.

^{Source: Alabama Cooperative Extension System}