A few years back, home daycare provider Anita Schaefer bought an “Aerogarden” with a Farm to ECE Grant. These indoor, hydroponic gardens are a great way to start seeds and grow things like herbs indoors, but they can be pricey. A colleague wondered aloud if there was a way to make a bigger, cheaper version at home. With that initiative in mind, Anita set out to break down the components of the aerogarden and create her own version. Using accessible supplies like pool noodles and fish tank bubblers, Anita created a scaled-up DIY hydroponic system great for growing plants indoors with little ones.
Recommended supplies: Clear plastic totes, fish tank aerator (or two), wire cubby rack, grow lights, pool noodle, scissors, Aero
garden basket/growing medium refill kit, hydroponic plant nutrients, seeds (herbs, tomatoes and peppers do well).
Steps:
1. CREATE THE TANK: Place one to two fish tank aerators in the bottom of a clear plastic tote. Anita recommends a wide, shallow tote, like the kind that would go under the bed. Fill with a few inches of water.
2. SET UP THE GROW STATION: Attach grow lights to a wire cubby rack (or similar wire shelving/storage item.)
3. MAKE YOUR PLANTING CUPS: Cut a pool noodle into rings, about 1.5 inches thick. Place Aerogarden refill cups (containing a growing medium) into the middle ring.
4. PLANT SEEDS: Plant seeds in the growing medium and top with clear plastic lids (included in the kit). You should put 3-4 seeds in each cup. Place the noodles/cups in the water.
5. PUT IT ALL TOGETHER: Add nutrients to the water (follow instructions on bottle for quantity) and place the bins under the grow lights.
6. THIN OUT THE STARTS: As the plants start to grow their second pair of leaves, you will need to cut down the seedlings to leave just one in each cup.
7. GROW TIME: Grow plants as big as you can in the setup, or consider transplanting outdoors once they are ready.
Ways to use:
WHO WILL WIN THE RACE? Start the same seeds in the DIY hydroponic set up and in cups of soil at the same time. Have the kids keep track of which plants grow faster. Anita says that the hydroponic plants typically grow faster, bigger and stronger than those in cups of soil.
ROOTS VS STEMS: This set up makes it extremely easy to lift growing plants out of the water and view their roots. How do the lengths of stems and roots compare in different plants?
CLONING: When cutting back extra seedlings, there’s no need to throw them away! Place the cut plants into noddle rings/cups WITHOUT the soil medium, so the bottom of the stem is dangling in the water. Watch new roots grow!
You can also cut off stems from bigger plants to propagate in the water solution. See how many “clones” you can make from one tomato plant!