Hydroponics

The Hydroponics Wick System Demystified

The hydroponics wick system is a simple, mostly hands off type of hydroponics gardening system. It is simply a pot with some wicks hanging out of it into a reservoir. The reservoir is filled with a nutrient solution and wicked up into the pot to feed the roots of your plant.

A very easy way to get the hydroponics wick system up and running is to begin with two equally sized buckets, some fibrous nylon rope, soil and water. This is a very simple set up and many variations are available to you. These instructions will give you a basic understanding and you will be able to take them as a guide and modify them to your specific situation.

The two buckets are going to be stacked on top of one another when the project is finished. The top bucket should have three or four equally spaced holes placed in the bottom. The holes should only be large enough to fit the rope through them. The rope should be cut long enough to reach the bottom of the second bucket when they are stacked all the way to the top of the first bucket.

The following step is to string the rope through the holes in the bucket to the top of the bucket and hold them in place with the grow medium. Taking great care, transplant your plant into the grow medium. Make sure you are using the proper transplanting technique specific to the plant you are growing.

The final step is to set the bucket with the wicks hanging from it into the second bucket which is filled properly with water. The water level should be adjusted to allow the wicks to draw water into the roots while avoiding being immersed in the water.

If you overfill the bucket you can get a flood or you could have your plants soaking in water without adequate oxygen supply. If more than the wicks are in the water you might end up drowning your plant. Other problems could occur such as root rot.

This is a simplified version of the hydroponics wick system that can be easily modified to fit your specific situation. Some people like to use a grow medium that has no nutritional value and add nutrients to the reservoir to feed their plants. Others use a fertilized soil and plain water. Some experienced growers use a combination of fertilizers and nutrient solutions.

Each method works well it just depends on what you have to work with.

Space, experience, and supplies available are important parts of implementing this system. The basic idea is to use a wick to keep your plants fed and watered. Experimenting a little will give you an idea of what you need to do and what adjustments you will need to make. Be patient and keep notes of what you do so you can improve and enjoy a happy healthy garden.

Hydroponic Improvisation

Black Hydroponic 5 Gal Control Bucket $10.00

Hydrofarm MGSYS Hydroponic Megagarden System $140.45 An advanced ebb and flood design, this system is perfect for Hydrofarms 250 and 400 watt plant grow lights. Removable grow tray measures 23″ X 23″ square and holds fifteen 5″ plastic grow pots with fired clay pebble grow medium, both included. The Hydrofarm MegaGarden stands 10 inches tall and works well for growing lettuce, herbs, vegetables or orchids potted in bark or fired clay. System comes c…