In the mid-1940s, scientists began investigating how to grow plants in aeroponic systems by using a vaporized form of water. It has become a common practice nowadays to produce vegetables and medicinal plants using aeroponics.
Although it might sound complicated, it’s possible to set up your own system at home. In this article, we’ll cover the steps for making a DIY aeroponic system.
What is Aeroponics?
Aeroponics is a way of growing crops without the use of soil or water as growing media.
Plants are suspended by their stems in an aeroponic system, exposing their roots to air. The stems are then drenched with a nutrient-rich mist on a regular basis.
As the roots of aeroponic plants are not impeded by compacted soil or thick growing media, this soilless growing technique is best-suited for plants that require more oxygen.
Growing material is rarely used in aeroponics systems, depending on what sort of plant is being grown and what kind of system is being used.
Aeroponic systems have numerous advantages for both the plant and the grower. Aeroponics’ efficacy has led to its immense appeal, despite significant limitations linked to cost and upkeep.
This technique differs from hydroponics in several ways. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using flowing water that is fortified with minerals.
On the other hand, aeroponics makes it possible to sustain accelerated plant growth by the use of a nutrient-enriched spray mist.
How Does Aeroponics Work?
This method of growing plants uses A-frames, which are also known as horizontal boards. The A-frames suspend the crown (the plant’s top) and roots (the plant’s bottom) from the ground.
This way, the crown develops forward, and the roots go downwards spontaneously, without the need for soil.
Farmers or gardeners then apply a solution that is rich in nutrients and water to the plants, allowing them to thrive. In an aeroponics system, all of the nutrient mix is reused within the system.
Aeroponics is a method of growing plants using air currents.
Harvesting becomes significantly easier because the method allows for high-density planting. Notice how much money you’ll make through this technique.
Several Italian experts have discovered that tomato plants maintained in an aeroponics system yield more than four crops batches per year, compared to the usual two.
With the help of aeroponics, many urban gardeners have found ways to cultivate a variety of high-yielding herbs, vegetables, and fruits in their homes without having to leave their flats.
DIY Aeroponic System
A house aeroponic system can be built in a variety of ways. As a result, they are a lot less expensive and much easier to put together.
Except for the plumbing, this system is almost identical to that of a deep water culture system. As a hydroponic system, it’s one of the most portable and simple to assemble. Here’s everything you need to make a DIY aeroponic system.
Materials:
- 3-inch net pots, up to 7
- Permanent marker
- 5-gallon bucket with lid
- Drill
- Submersible water pump
- 3-inch hole saw bit
- Saw
- 1/2-inch × 12-inch trimmed riser
- Garden timer
- 1/2-inch 360-degree sprinkler head
- Seed starting plugs
- Hydroponic nutrient solution
- Coconut coir or clay pellets
- Transplants
Directions:
- Net pots should be placed on the surface of the bucket. Use one net pot in the lid’s middle if you want to cultivate a large plant.
With this technique, you could use seven 3-inch net pots to cultivate many little plants. Use a permanent marker to trace the perimeter of each net pot.
Check to see if the net pots match before drilling the holes. Net pots should fit snugly around the lid, and the pot’s rim should cling to the lid’s surface.
- Screw the 12-inch trimmed riser to the pump and place it in the bucket’s bottom. The 360-degree spray head can then be attached to the sprayer.
Plug the power cord out of the top of the object and into your yard timer, or leave it on all the time.
- Place the bucket lid on top of the prepared hydroponic nutrition solution. It is advisable to use seed starting blocks with transplants and cover the rest of the pot using coconut fiber or finely ground pellets for extra assistance when planting into this method.
- When you transfer into the system, you won’t have to bother about watering from the top. The net pots’ bottoms will be wetted by the sprinkler head’s 360-degree rotation, which will deliver moisture to the roots.
You can also check out this video for a visual guide to building a DIY aeroponic system.
Which Plants to Grow?
Vegetables, houseplants, nursery stock, and bedding can all be grown successfully using a DIY aeroponic system.
Many different types of plants have been successfully studied and cultivated in commercial greenhouses, laboratories, and nurseries using this method.
Advantages of a DIY Aeroponic System
Unclothed roots have never been known to survive, much less to thrive. When a plant’s roots are freed from their growing medium, they are able to take advantage of the increased oxygen they are subjected to.
It is also very water-efficient in aeroponic systems. Compared to plants grown on soil, these closed-loop systems require 95 percent less water. The nutrients are also recycled because they are stored in the water.
As a result of these advantages, aeroponics has a reputation for being environmentally benign because it can produce vast amounts of food in a little space.
Urban areas use this method to reduce the environmental impact of transportation from the farm to the dinner table. As such, a DIY aeroponic system can be a great way to grow food at home, even if you live in a city.
Aeroponics systems do not pollute adjacent rivers with fertilizer runoff because they are completely enclosed. Equipment sterilization can be used instead of harsh chemicals to control pests and diseases.
Final Thoughts on DIY Aeroponic Systems
While cultivating with aeroponics is usually simple, many professional aeroponic systems can be quite expensive, but it doesn’t have to be, though.
There are numerous personal aeroponic solutions that you can build at home for a fraction of the cost of commercial systems. One of the simplest DIY aeroponic systems, for example, requires only a large, sealed container and PVC pipes and connectors.
An appropriate pump and just a few other items are required. So, if you’re seeking out a different way to grow plants in a smaller space, consider using aeroponics. For growing plants indoors, this method is ideal. Aeroponics also produces healthier and more plentiful vegetables.
