Toosh
Veteran Member
I love the idea of “plant it and forget it” so when I learned about Kratky hydroponics, I was all in. Find many YouTube videos that explain the Kratky Method but basically you fill up a container with nutrient water and insert a seedling into a net pot that touches the water. You start with the bottle full. It works because as the plant grows it absorbs the nutrient water, creating air space for the roots to breathe.
Plant it, set it in a south facing window sill and leave it alone. Don’t add water. Don’t do anything. After about 3 weeks lettuce is ready to harvest. No pumps. No pH testing, no lights, no electricity. Also, no flies or pests..
The only important thing is to locate a container large enough to hold enough nutrient water for the plant’s life cycle. Therefore, plants that are ready to harvest in 90 days or so are best for Kratky. Lettuces, greens, radishes, etc. Large plants (tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage) can be Kratkied but will require larger a container. I like the square, plastic, 64 oz. juice bottles because they sit nice on my window sill.
I like MasterBlend® as a fertilizer. It is a 4-18-36. Combine it with magnesium sulfate and calcium nitrate. Miracle Grow will work but after some experimenting, it appears to me that a fertilizer made specifically for hydroponics produces faster, prettier and tastier stuff. Here's what I used: MasterBlend Kit: $25. Amazon.com
Plant it, set it in a south facing window sill and leave it alone. Don’t add water. Don’t do anything. After about 3 weeks lettuce is ready to harvest. No pumps. No pH testing, no lights, no electricity. Also, no flies or pests..
The only important thing is to locate a container large enough to hold enough nutrient water for the plant’s life cycle. Therefore, plants that are ready to harvest in 90 days or so are best for Kratky. Lettuces, greens, radishes, etc. Large plants (tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage) can be Kratkied but will require larger a container. I like the square, plastic, 64 oz. juice bottles because they sit nice on my window sill.
I like MasterBlend® as a fertilizer. It is a 4-18-36. Combine it with magnesium sulfate and calcium nitrate. Miracle Grow will work but after some experimenting, it appears to me that a fertilizer made specifically for hydroponics produces faster, prettier and tastier stuff. Here's what I used: MasterBlend Kit: $25. Amazon.com
Last edited:
Thanks! !