The Anywhere/Anytime Garden© Easy, Versatile, Low Cost Indoor Gardening Based on Passive Hydroponic Principles Contributors: Rick Helweg Victor Zaderej (“It’s All About the Light”) B.J. Miller (“Pests and Diseases”) Petra Page-Mann (“Seeds”) October 2018 Draft for Limited Distribution | © Copyright by Happy Leaf, LLC – All Rights Reserved 2018 Table of Contents Forward ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 7 How to Use This Book .................................................................................................................................. 8 Principles of Hydroponics ............................................................................................................................. 9 Hydroponics Defined ................................................................................................................................ 9 The History of Hydroponics ..................................................................................................................... 9 How Does it Work? ................................................................................................................................ 14 Green Thumb Gardening Tip from Jack McGann ...................................................................................... 15 Pros and Cons of Passive Hydroponics ....................................................................................................... 17 Types of Hydroponics Systems and Their Variations................................................................................. 22 The Simple Jar ........................................................................................................................................ 22 Passive Hydroponics Systems ................................................................................................................. 23 Raft System ......................................................................................................................................... 24 Bucket/Jar System ............................................................................................................................... 24 Top Drip System ................................................................................................................................. 24 Wick System ....................................................................................................................................... 25 Dynamic Hydroponic Systems................................................................................................................ 25 Ebb and Flow ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Nutrient Film Technique ..................................................................................................................... 26 Aeroponics .......................................................................................................................................... 26 A Closer Look at Passive Hydroponics Systems ........................................................................................ 26 The Kratky Method ................................................................................................................................. 26 Commercial Systems vs DIY .................................................................................................................. 29 The Makings of a Passive Hydroponics System ..................................................................................... 30 Water ................................................................................................................................................... 30 Nutrients .............................................................................................................................................. 35 Nutrient Composition Values .............................................................................................................. 45 Handling Imbalances .......................................................................................................................... 46 Commercial Nutrients ......................................................................................................................... 47 Containers ........................................................................................................................................... 49 Net Pots and Growing Medium .......................................................................................................... 51 2 It’s All About the Light ............................................................................................................................... 53 Lighting Options ..................................................................................................................................... 53 Directions for Assembling a Passive Hydroponic System .......................................................................... 65 The Jar Growing System ......................................................................................................................... 65 Maintaining Your Jar Growing System .............................................................................................. 66 The Bucket System ................................................................................................................................. 67 Bucket System Variation #1 ............................................................................................................... 67 Bucket System Variation #2 ............................................................................................................... 69 Maintaining Your Bucket Hydroponic System ................................................................................... 70 Green Thumb Gardening Tip from Bob Klemmer ..................................................................................... 71 What and How Can You Grow with Your Anywhere Anytime Garden? ................................................... 73 Starting Your Plants ................................................................................................................................ 73 Seeds ....................................................................................................................................................... 74 Transforming from Seed to Sprout ..................................................................................................... 75 Anatomy of a Seed .............................................................................................................................. 75 Pollination ............................................................................................................................................... 76 Germination ............................................................................................................................................ 77 Sprouts vs. Shoots ................................................................................................................................... 78 Starting Your Seeds ................................................................................................................................ 78 Transplanting Your Seedlings ............................................................................................................. 81 Store-Bought Seedlings....................................................................................................................... 83 Green Thumb Garden Tip from Petra Page-Mann ...................................................................................... 85 The Basics of Plant Growth ........................................................................................................................ 88 Your Passive Hydroponic Crops ................................................................................................................. 89 Microgreens/Leafy Greens/Herbs ........................................................................................................... 93 …And How to Grow Them .................................................................................................................. 100 Plants that Demand More Space ........................................................................................................... 101 Root Vegetables ................................................................................................................................ 103 Caring for Your Anywhere Anytime Garden ........................................................................................... 104 Pests and Diseases ..................................................................................................................................... 106 Pests ...................................................................................................................................................... 107 Diseases ...............................................................................................................................................