AeroGarden - DIY

[GunMonkeyIntl]

A couple weeks ago, my wife got pretty excited about the Miracle Gro AeroGarden, and said that she wanted a couple of them for Christmas so she could keep us in lettuce, broccoli, and a couple other delicate greens throughout the year.

Then, she decided that they were probably too small, compared to their cost, to be economical, and decided against them.

I'll admit, I've only looked at them briefly, so I don't fully understand what makes them so special to fetch the price they're getting.

I'd like to surprise her for Christmas and build something similar for her. I'm betting that I can build something much more practical (larger) for the same or less money.

We've got a full basement that, other than food/provision storage, is mostly my man-cave, with a bar, guns/ammo, workspace etc. So, I've got plenty of space that I can build something for her without her discovering it before Christmas morning.

I'm sure that someone on here has built something similar - or at least looked into it. Can any of you point me to where I can find some plans/ideas on how to build a small/medium indoor grow system for my wife?

Thanks in advance.

[anniew]

Get a greenhouse or build one. If Eliot Coleman can grow greens all winter in New England, you can too. Get his books (at the library perhaps) and you'll understand.

[Skandi]

Ok it's not growing in water but how about a fish tank. I used to grow lettuces etc in a old fishtank, I replaced the lights with ones designed for aquatic plants, I made a raised platform for the dirt and kept water and the old heater under that to provide the warmth. you could hinge one side to make for easier access I will admit it was a bit fidly to deal with sometimes.

[po boy]

For what one would cost you can plant a decent size garden and cover if the temps get below mid 20's.

I've had greens to survive temps in the high teens with no cover and they produced until I mowed them down for the summer garden.

[BlackFeather]

Any kind of plant box with grow lights over the top, If you can't find grow lights, 2 florecent bulbs, one cool white one warm white if I remember right.

[SJSFarm]

A few years ago, I simply placed my containers next to the south facing patio door and, because I have cats who can be annoying, I placed a portable fence around it- like a pet fence or baby playpen. I picked up several aluminum windshield reflectors and attached them to the gate and on the floor. Add a light and you have a huge indoor garden.

I was harvesting strawberries in February! Tomatoes, peas and cucumbers in march!

[Rectifier]

If you want to do hydroponics, look into DWC "Deep water culture".
It's the easiest. All you need is a fish air pump, air stone and suitable water tank.

I once did some DWC growing with an old styrofoam beer cooler, a piece of foam insulation floating on top and old pots from the nursery.

Lighting is your most important factor, a HPS or MH lamp (think yard lamp, but not a mercury) will put you far ahead of "grow light" fluorescents in terms of growth per watt.

To do hydroponics you will need to be a little bit of a chemist. You need to monitor at a minimum pH and TDS. You can do a fair job growing in soil or potting type media if you want to avoid this.

[tlrnnp67]

Fish tank

Platform with holes drilled in it.

Net cups: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Rock wool: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Fish to provide fertilizer or water soluble hydroponic fertilizer:

YouTube

Keep the bottom of the cups submerged in the water, but keep the platform above the water so the roots get some oxygen. You can use a circulator/aerator otherwise.

[GunMonkeyIntl]

I figured I'd post an update.

While I was researching, I probed the wife for as much info as I could without letting on what I was doing. Rather than some specific task, she had a nebulous interest in being able to do some indoor gardening in general - maybe salad greens indoors year-round, maybe tomatoes for when we get 'rot' years, maybe more effective seed starting...

It turns out that Miracle Gro now makes a bigger Aerogarden that will grow tomatoes, but that version is $250 each, and only supports its own hybrid dwarf strain, meaning you'd have to keep buying their special seeds to use it for that - or maybe practice an aggressive pruning campaign, I'm not sure, but limited either way.

I did as much research as time would allow. Unfortunately, most of the on-line hydroponics resources are tied to a specific kind of plant that we don't have any interest in, but I was able to glean out enough of the high-points to get a general understanding of the available COAs. Most valuably, though, one of the forums had a retailer list, and I found a dedicated hydroponics shop in the nearest city to us.

I drove down there on a day off a couple weeks ago and was the only person in the store. The owner spent almost 3 hours with me, and went through all the available products and their benefits and weak-points. We ended up on an 8 gallon flood-drain system, some full-spectrum fluorecents, and all the little bits to make a fully functional system.

The shop owner worked out how it could be used for everything that the wife might want to do. It can be used for seed starting and cloning, growing 15 heads of lettuce, all the way up to 3-4 full-size tomato plants of whatever variety she wants to grow. And, if she decides to grow in the hobby and we expand the indoor garden footprint, the system will always find a use, no matter what other directions she goes.

He has a very similar system set up on display with tomato plants going in it, and even offered to have us make an appointment right after Christmas to come in before the shop opens and walk her through the various ways to configure the system and set it up for whatever she wants to do first with it.

In all, the system cost $350, some left over bits of lumber I had laying around, and the time to build it - a little more than a single AG, but with a ton more functionality and flexibility. And, along the way, I've figured out how to build her an aeroponic cloner/starter, bucket-made DWCs, and even where to start on an outdoor aquaponics system.

I just finished it up this morning, and can't wait to take her downstairs tonight.

IMG_0769.jpgIMG_0766.jpg

[Danaus29]

Just a friendly critique here, your lights are way too far away from the pots. Way too far. They need to be less than 6 inches above the pots.

And if you want to grow spinach, make sure those lights are on less than 12 hours a day or the spinach will bolt immediately.

Otherwise, it's a beautiful set-up.

[spacecase0]

the lights look like they are on chains, easy to adjust, it should be easy to keep them just over the top of the plants

[GunMonkeyIntl]

Thanks. Yes, the lights are on chains with pulleys that keep it straight and level. The lights can go all the way up to the 12 ft ceiling down to just above the pots, and have a second, safety hook that will stop them just a couple inches above the pots, should the chain slip out of her hand while she's adjusting it.

She loved it, and already has some lettuce seeds started.

[HomeAgain]

You sound like a very thoughtful & creative person. I hope she really enjoys it.