https://plantingatlas.com/guides/hydroponics-for-beginners/ Home hydroponics guides, calculators, and newsletter issues from Planting Atlas — systems, nutrients, pH, light, and troubleshooting. en-us Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/the-beginner-s-guide-to-kratky-growing-greens-without-good-soil/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/the-beginner-s-guide-to-kratky-growing-greens-without-good-soil/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT If your native soil is heavy clay or drains poorly, you might think growing greens outdoors is a lost cause. We’re looking at the Kratky method—a simple, electricity-free system to keep roots healthy and plants thriving where conventional gardening fails. https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/getting-greens-growing-when-your-yard-refuses-to-cooperate/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/getting-greens-growing-when-your-yard-refuses-to-cooperate/ Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT If your backyard is heavy clay, rock-strewn, or just won’t drain properly, you don't have to quit gardening. We break down the Kratky method—a simple way to grow greens without soil or complex equipment. https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/how-to-grow-greens-without-soil-or-electricity/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/how-to-grow-greens-without-soil-or-electricity/ Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT If your yard drains poorly or you're wary of heavy soil, hydroponics might sound too complicated. This guide breaks down the simplest system—the Kratky method—so you can start growing greens reliably with almost no equipment. https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/the-kratky-method-letting-plants-grow-without-soil-or-electricity/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/the-kratky-method-letting-plants-grow-without-soil-or-electricity/ Sun, 18 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT If the idea of complex pumping equipment sounds too much like a plumbing nightmare, this guide shows you how to use one of the simplest hydroponic methods—the Kratky setup. It’s low-tech, passive, and works perfectly in containers for your backyard yard. https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/kratky-method-growing-plants-in-water-instead-of-dirt/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/kratky-method-growing-plants-in-water-instead-of-dirt/ Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT If you're interested in growing plants that don't need soil, this is where we start. The Kratky method uses basic jars and gravity to give your seedlings a perfect head start into soilless life. https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/hydroponics-doesn-t-have-to-be-hard-starting-simple-in-the-backyard/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/hydroponics-doesn-t-have-to-be-hard-starting-simple-in-the-backyard/ Sat, 10 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT If the word 'hydroponics' sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie or an expensive greenhouse catalog, don't worry. This issue demystifies soilless growing and shows you how to start with low risk using just buckets and jars. https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/stop-guessing-about-grow-lights-use-dli-instead-of-watts/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/stop-guessing-about-grow-lights-use-dli-instead-of-watts/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT We're moving past simple lumens and wattages to talk about the Daily Light Integral (DLI)—the true energy budget your plants need. This is critical knowledge for anyone running a small, controlled hydroponic setup at home. https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/stop-guessing-how-much-light-your-crops-really-need-to-thrive/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/stop-guessing-how-much-light-your-crops-really-need-to-thrive/ Sat, 03 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT You've mastered the pH, nutrients, and water levels. Now it’s time to look past watts and lumens and understand Daily Light Integral (DLI) to dial in perfect light energy for your specific plants. https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/growing-tomatoes-and-peppers-in-buckets-the-next-level/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/growing-tomatoes-and-peppers-in-buckets-the-next-level/ Wed, 30 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT You've mastered growing greens in jars, but tomatoes and peppers demand more. This is your guide to scaling up deep water culture safely, focusing on what makes fruiting crops different from leafy ones. https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/stop-guessing-how-much-actual-light-your-hydroponic-crops-really-need/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/stop-guessing-how-much-actual-light-your-hydroponic-crops-really-need/ Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT Understanding grow lights is harder than it looks. This issue cuts through the confusion of watts and lumens to teach you what actually matters: Daily Light Integral (DLI). We'll show why a salad crop needs way less light than your favorite tomato variety does. https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/don-t-panic-over-numbers-nutrients-ph-and-ec-explained/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/don-t-panic-over-numbers-nutrients-ph-and-ec-explained/ Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT Hydroponics sounds like it requires a chemistry degree. It doesn't. This issue demystifies the three numbers—Nutrients, pH, and EC—so you know how to keep your plants fed without guessing. https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/growing-food-without-dirt-a-jar-of-lettuce-and-basil/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/growing-food-without-dirt-a-jar-of-lettuce-and-basil/ Sun, 27 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT Thinking about growing food without dirt? The Kratky method is the simplest, most forgiving way to dip a toe into hydroponics. This issue walks you through setting up a small batch with lettuce or basil using nothing more than a jar of water and some good plants. https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/starting-out-with-hydroponic-growing-systems/ https://plantingatlas.com/newsletters/starting-out-with-hydroponic-growing-systems/ Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT Hydroponics sounds like something only rich, fancy tech people do. It’s not. We break down what soil-free growing actually is and help you pick the right system to start your own small operation on the patio or indoors. https://plantingatlas.com/guides/deep-water-culture/ https://plantingatlas.com/guides/deep-water-culture/ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT Deep water culture is the classic step up from passive growing: a plant sits in a net pot in a bucket lid, its roots hang into a reservoir of nutrient solution, and an air pump keeps that solution oxygenated. That constant supply of oxygen and nutrients is why DWC is known for fast growth, and because one bucket holds one plant, it scales from a single basil to a row of tomatoes. This guide covers how it works, how to build a bucket, the water care that keeps roots healthy, which crops suit it, and how to fix the problems that show up. If you are still choosing a system, start with the site's Hydroponic System Chooser; for the basics see Hydroponics for Beginners, and for the numbers behind the solution, Hydroponic Nutrients, pH & EC. https://plantingatlas.com/guides/nft-hydroponics/ https://plantingatlas.com/guides/nft-hydroponics/ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT In the nutrient film technique, plants sit in a sloped channel while a shallow stream of nutrient solution flows continuously along the bottom, wetting the tips of the roots and returning to a reservoir to be pumped around again. Because the water is a thin film rather than a deep bath, NFT uses very little solution, packs many plants into a small footprint, and suits lettuce, herbs, and strawberries especially well. The tradeoff is that it depends on a pump that must not stop. This guide covers how NFT works, how to build a small system, what to grow, how to protect against pump failure, and how to keep channels flowing. For choosing between systems, see the site's Hydroponic System Chooser; for solution numbers, see Hydroponic Nutrients, pH & EC. https://plantingatlas.com/guides/hydroponic-grow-lights/ https://plantingatlas.com/guides/hydroponic-grow-lights/ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT A hydroponic system can deliver perfect water and nutrients, but without enough light the plants still will not thrive — indoors, the light is the one input you have to supply entirely yourself. The good news is that light is measurable: what matters is not how bright a lamp looks or how many watts it uses, but how many usable photons reach the plants each day. This guide explains that in plain terms, compares the common light types, gives daily light targets by crop, and covers placement and running cost. Use it alongside the site's Grow Light DLI Calculator, which does the math for your specific light and crop. https://plantingatlas.com/guides/ebb-and-flow-hydroponics/ https://plantingatlas.com/guides/ebb-and-flow-hydroponics/ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT Ebb and flow, also called flood and drain, keeps plants in a tray of grow medium that is periodically flooded with nutrient solution and then drained back into a reservoir below. Between floods the medium holds moisture and air around the roots, which is why the system is so forgiving and why it works for everything from lettuce to peppers. It does need a pump, a timer, and carefully sealed fittings, and the classic failure is an overflow. This guide covers how it works, the parts and setup, how to choose a flood schedule, what to grow, and how to fix the usual problems. To compare it with other systems, use the site's Hydroponic System Chooser; for solution numbers, see Hydroponic Nutrients, pH & EC. https://plantingatlas.com/guides/dutch-bucket-hydroponics/ https://plantingatlas.com/guides/dutch-bucket-hydroponics/ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT A Dutch bucket system, also called a Bato bucket or drip system, gives each plant its own bucket of grow medium, with nutrient solution delivered by a drip line and any excess draining away through a fitting near the bottom. Keeping plants in separate buckets lets a large fruiting plant have plenty of root room and keeps a problem in one bucket from spreading to the rest. It is the go-to home and commercial method for big, long-season crops, and it needs more space, a pump, and a bit of plumbing than simpler systems. This guide covers how it works, how to build it, what to grow, how to feed it, and how to troubleshoot it. For comparing systems, see the site's Hydroponic System Chooser; for feeding numbers, see Hydroponic Nutrients, pH & EC. https://plantingatlas.com/guides/hydroponic-troubleshooting/ https://plantingatlas.com/guides/hydroponic-troubleshooting/ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT When a hydroponic plant looks unhappy, the cause is almost always one of a short list: roots, water quality, nutrient strength or pH, light, temperature, pests, or equipment. Because there is no soil to buffer mistakes, problems show up fast — but they also have clear, checkable causes. This guide works through them in a sensible order, with tables you can match symptoms against. It applies to every system; for system-specific issues, see the Deep Water Culture, NFT, and Ebb & Flow guides, and for the numbers behind pH and strength, see Hydroponic Nutrients, pH & EC. https://plantingatlas.com/guides/vertical-hydroponic-towers/ https://plantingatlas.com/guides/vertical-hydroponic-towers/ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT A vertical hydroponic tower grows plants in pockets stacked in a column, with nutrient solution pumped to the top and trickling down past the roots. Because you are growing up instead of out, a tower can hold a couple dozen lettuce, herb, or strawberry plants in about the floor space of a chair, which makes it appealing for patios, kitchens, and small yards. The tradeoffs are a pump that must not stop, small pockets that limit plant size, and uneven watering if the design is poor. This guide covers how towers work, what to grow, how to set one up, and how to keep it healthy. To compare towers with other systems, use the site's Hydroponic System Chooser, and for solution numbers see Hydroponic Nutrients, pH & EC. https://plantingatlas.com/guides/wick-system-hydroponics/ https://plantingatlas.com/guides/wick-system-hydroponics/ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT A wick system is one of the oldest and simplest forms of hydroponics. Plants sit in a pot of grow medium, a strip of absorbent material runs from the medium down into a reservoir of nutrient solution, and capillary action pulls the solution up as the plants use it. With no pump, timer, or electricity, there is nothing to fail, which makes it a gentle first system for a windowsill herb or small plant. Its limits are real, though: a wick can only deliver so much water, so it suits small, low-demand plants rather than big, thirsty ones. This guide covers how it works, how to build one, what to grow, and how to handle salt buildup. For the other passive system, see The Kratky Method, and to compare all systems, use the Hydroponic System Chooser. https://plantingatlas.com/guides/best-plants-for-hydroponics/ https://plantingatlas.com/guides/best-plants-for-hydroponics/ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT Not every plant is equally happy in a hydroponic system. Fast-growing leafy greens and herbs are the easiest and most rewarding, fruiting crops like tomatoes and peppers pay off but demand strong light and more attention, and some plants — deep roots, trees, big vines and grains — are simply poor fits. This guide sorts the crops that do well into tiers, gives typical time to harvest for each, and matches them to the right kind of system. The timings come from the site's Plant Database. To see how these fit your space, use the Hydroponic System Chooser, and for the wizard's hydroponic path, the Garden Architect. https://plantingatlas.com/guides/hydroponics-for-beginners/ https://plantingatlas.com/guides/hydroponics-for-beginners/ Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT Hydroponics means growing plants without soil, with their roots fed by a nutrient solution instead. That single change removes soil-borne pests, lets you grow year-round indoors, and — in a well-run system — often produces faster growth from the same light than soil does. It also swaps one set of skills for another: you stop worrying about weeds and soil, and start managing water quality, nutrients, and light. This guide covers the fundamentals and a realistic first-crop plan. To match a specific system to your space and budget, use the site's Hydroponic System Chooser tool; for the nutrient and pH detail this guide only introduces, see Hydroponic Nutrients, pH & EC; and for the simplest possible way to begin, see The Kratky Method. https://plantingatlas.com/guides/kratky-method/ https://plantingatlas.com/guides/kratky-method/ Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT The Kratky method is the simplest form of hydroponics there is: a plant sits in a net cup over a container of nutrient solution, and nothing moves, bubbles, or plugs in. It is named for Dr. Bernard Kratky of the University of Hawaii, whose research popularized non-circulating hydroponics for small-scale growers. Because there is no equipment to fail, it is the best way for a complete beginner to learn what hydroponic plants actually need. This guide covers how it works, how to build one, what grows well in it, and how to fix the handful of problems that show up. For a broader introduction see Hydroponics for Beginners; for the nutrient and pH detail, see Hydroponic Nutrients, pH & EC. https://plantingatlas.com/guides/hydroponic-nutrients-ph-ec/ https://plantingatlas.com/guides/hydroponic-nutrients-ph-ec/ Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT In soil, the ground buffers most mistakes. In hydroponics, the nutrient solution is the soil, so three things need attention: what is in it (the nutrients), how acidic it is (pH), and how concentrated it is (EC). Get those roughly right and hydroponic plants grow quickly; ignore them and problems appear within days. This guide explains each in plain terms, gives typical target ranges, and shows how to manage a reservoir day to day. The ranges here are widely used starting points — always defer to the feeding chart on your specific nutrient product, since formulas differ. For the fundamentals of setting up a system, see Hydroponics for Beginners, and for a soil-free feeding plan by plant type, the site's Fertilizer Calculator has a hydroponic mode. https://plantingatlas.com/tools/hydroponic-system-chooser/ https://plantingatlas.com/tools/hydroponic-system-chooser/ Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT Find the right home hydroponic system for your space, budget, and time. https://plantingatlas.com/tools/hydroponic-ec-ph-calculator/ https://plantingatlas.com/tools/hydroponic-ec-ph-calculator/ Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT Check nutrient strength and pH against targets for your crop, and convert EC to ppm. https://plantingatlas.com/tools/hydroponic-nutrient-dosing-calculator/ https://plantingatlas.com/tools/hydroponic-nutrient-dosing-calculator/ Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT Exact amounts of each nutrient part for your reservoir size and strength. https://plantingatlas.com/tools/hydroponic-light-calculator/ https://plantingatlas.com/tools/hydroponic-light-calculator/ Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT Turn your grow light's intensity and hours into a DLI and check it against your crop.