Learn how to create a hydroponics garden with mason jars and basic garden equipment! It’s easy to set up and maintain, and perfect for beginners.
You don’t need an expensive setup to get started with an indoor hydroponics garden–all you need are mason jars and basic equipment that you can find in your local garden center or on Amazon! Hydroponics mason jar gardens are great for starting indoor plants or growing herbs and lettuce. They’re also incredibly easy to start, maintain, and clean. I started mine using Gardyn pods, but you can easily start plants from seeds using soil blocks or Rockwool. This is the perfect project for aspiring gardeners and beginners in hydroponics!
Follow along with the tutorial video or check out some of my other garden projects here.
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Please read the whole post so you don’t miss any important information!
DIY Hydroponics with Mason Jars
Supplies
- Leca (clay pebbles): https://amzn.to/3Hy77ea
- Plant seeds or starts
- Lights and Stand: I shortened this stand to fit the space. This is the stand that I usually use to grow seedlings in the spring. https://amzn.to/3U3Jams
- Rockwool Cubes: https://amzn.to/48B9qJj
- 3″ net pots (the brown baskets): https://amzn.to/4b1n4XS
- Mason Jars, Wide Mouth: 12 quart/32 oz jars https://amzn.to/4bd1ekq
- Hydroponics plant food: please note that this is not the same brand that I’m using in the video. I’m trying to use up some stuff that I had. Regardless, you need to do a significant amount of math to figure out the amount needed for one mason jar. I’m currently using 1/16 tsp Gardyn veg+bloom which is difficult to measure out. It may be easier to get a gallon container of water and add the food into that. Mix. Then pour from that into the containers. https://amzn.to/3HnyxTZ
Tutorial
Step 1: Fill your wide mouth mason jars with water. It should just touch the bottom of the basket when placed in the lip of the mason jar.
Step 2: Insert the larger net pot/basket into the mason jar. It should be big enough to sit right on top.
Step 3: Add your seed pod or Rockwool and seeds. Use the leca or clay pebbles to raise the pod or Rockwool off the bottom of the basket and keep it centered.
Step 4: Add more water until the water level just touches the bottom of the pod or Rockwool. Make sure to get the seed pod or block wet, too! Pop the ring lid back on top of the mason jar and screw it on to secure the basket into place.
Step 5: Place the hydroponic mason jar somewhere warm until the plant sprouts.
Step 6: Once the plants have sprouted, add fertilizer that’s made specifically for hydroponics. This is super important for giving your plants the nutrients they will usually get from the ground!
Step 7: Clean the jar and swap out the water every week. Add more fertilizer every time you change the water! To clean, just unscrew the lid and remove the net basket from the jar. Dump out the old water and clean the jar with warm water and mild soap. Then add water and fertilizer, and replace the basket with the plant. Screw the ring lid on again to secure it in place.
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