How to Start Your Own Hydroponic Winter Garden Indoors

Why Choose Hydroponics for Your Winter Garden?

Winter can be a tough time for gardening enthusiasts. With icy-cold temperatures and limited sunlight, the idea of growing your beloved herbs and vegetables may seem out of reach. However, starting a hydroponic winter garden indoors is a fantastic solution! By using hydroponic techniques, you can enjoy fresh produce regardless of the season. Plus, it's eco-friendly and requires less water than traditional soil gardening. I live in the desert, so winter isn't terribly difficult here, but the heat in the summer kills everything! So I love having all my green babies inside, where I control the environment. No bugs, no soil issues! All I do is keep their nutrient and PH level where they need them to thrive, and of course, lights. That being said, setting up and figuring out hydroponics has a definite learning curve that took time and patience. So, I'm here to share what I learned with you so that you can get set up and grow your garden without the hassle of experimenting to see what works and what doesn't. I know this will simplify things for you.

I will link to what I use in this article. I may get a small commission if you click on my links and purchase from them. This will not increase the cost to you, and you will always get the best prices I can find.

Getting Started: Setting Up Your Hydroponic Garden

The first step in starting your hydroponic winter garden is identifying a suitable location in your home. Choose a well-lit area, preferably near a south-facing window or under grow lights to mimic the sun's rays. You'll need to create a controlled environment, ensuring the temperature remains ideally between 60-75°F. This is crucial as hydroponic plants thrive in stable conditions. I use LED Lights because they are lightweight and use far less energy while still being a great full-spectrum light source. When setting up your system, always add 1 Tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water. No one told me this, and I had to learn about root rot the hard way.

Next, gather your equipment. You'll need:

• A hydroponic system (NFT, deep water culture, or drip systems, based on your preference), I got the Aero Garden Farm Plus as a gift, and I love it. It's super easy to use and does a magical job at growing seedlings into full, mature plants. You can get one here:

  https://amzn.to/4fHUfCw

  This one is Pricey, so if you want to start smaller, Amazon has a lot of other options. Just read the reviews well. I have only used the Aero Garden brand, so I can't speak to how the others might work. The important thing is that it provides water circulation, and there are full-spectrum lights that are on a timer and can be raised and lowered. The ads always show a ton of plants shoved into one of the gardens, but for your garden to thrive, both the leaves and the roots need good air circulation. Also, you want to actually be able to get around them to prune them. So I would recommend looking for one with at least 12 holes for pods so you can space them out a bit. also consider the height your plants will reach on maturity. most are at least 12 to 18 inches. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and peas grow much taller than those.

  I love mine because it has a Bluetooth app that lets me know when it's time to feed them and if the water levels are low. I can also use the app to adjust the lights and put it into vacation mode, which allows plants to grow more slowly and therefore require less water.

• Growing medium (like rock wool or clay pellets), I use coco core on occasion, but it's not necessary when you have the farm. However, once your plants get large enough, you can move them into large-mouth mason jars like these: https://amzn.to/3HLBcux

  And use these collars to hold them in place: https://amzn.to/4oIoFZo

  I like those collars because they are perfectly sized to pop the seed pods in if you want to make space in your garden. I use them for my herbs, which are easily moved to a sunny windowsill. Just make sure there is not too much cold air coming from the glass at night.

• outdoor spray paint:https://amzn.to/4mmSnBD, and paint your mason Jars to reduce algae growth that comes from too much light. You can either sand your jars lightly or get this etching paint:https://amzn.to/45GDDGH

  I used this before the spray paint, and my Jars go in the dishwasher and have done well for over a year.

  TIP: Place a piece of tape vertically on the area of the mason jar that you can peel away when you are finished painting it so that you can easily monitor the water level.

• Seed pods: The farm generally comes with some starter seed pods; however, if not, I have tried the generic along with the Aero Garden version, and the results are a little better with the Aero Garden brand than the generic. However, they can be difficult to find online. So here are some good generic versions That I use: https://amzn.to/4mndrIf

  I will say to have lower expectations than what most of them promise, so as not to get discouraged if you get a lower percentage of seedlings. Once your sprouts are strong, make sure to check if there are 2 plants in one pod. If so, then just remove one gently with some tweezers.

• There are also seed pods that are empty, which you can use to plant something that is not available pre-seeded. These are the ones I use: https://amzn.to/3JjlIP3and they are pretty good.

• Seeds, I have tried a few different brands, and I love the Survival brand seeds; they propagate better and stronger than the others.

  Here's a link to those:https://amzn.to/4lBdFKA

  I would say to look for dwarf versions of some vegetables, as they will take up less space in your Aero Garden.

• Nutrient solution specifically designed for hydroponics. I love these because the feeding chart is very simple, and they are far more cost-effective than a lot of the others: https://amzn.to/4oKdkIt

  I will also recommend getting some Cal-Mag if you are planning on planting lettuce. It reduces Tip burn, which is actually a nutrient imbalance, not a light source issue.

• pH up and down adjusting liquid is important to have. Here's the one I prefer: https://amzn.to/45zcyFe

• pH testing and nutrient level tool (to ensure your solution is at the right levels). This was a game-changer after trying to use pH strips. It also shows you the PPM (Nutrient) levels, which is super important since this can be a guessing game:https://amzn.to/47D2qhm

These selections will help you easily jump-start your gardening journey!

Choosing the Right Plants

When growing vegetables indoors during winter, opt for fast-growing crops that thrive in hydroponic systems. Greens such as lettuce, spinach, and kale are excellent choices. They require less light and can deliver delicious produce in a matter of weeks. You can also try your hand at herbs like basil, cilantro, and mint, which will add flavor and brightness to winter dishes.

Be mindful of your chosen plants' light requirements. Some crops may need more exposure compared to others. Using a grow light can help you provide consistent exposure, mimicking natural sunlight. Here are some lights I used to tie together to make some lights where I can adjust the height for the things that i move out of the garden into pots https://amzn.to/3V8yG4z

Maintaining Your Indoor Hydroponic Garden

Once you have everything set up, maintaining your hydroponic winter garden is relatively low-maintenance. Regularly check the level of your nutrient solution to ensure it’s sufficient for your plants. You may also want to monitor the pH levels every few weeks, adjusting them as necessary for optimal growth. I like to mix my nutrients in a gallon jug with the peroxide, then check the pH and nutrient levels before pouring it into the reservoir. The nutrients I linked above are also awesome because they provide different dosing guidelines as to what life stage your plants are in.

Additionally, keep an eye on your plants for any signs of pests or diseases. Hydroponic gardening can sometimes lead to issues if not carefully monitored, but with diligence, you can prevent the most common problems. You can look at the roots and see problems often before they manifest in your plants. They should always be light in color. Keeping 1 Tablespoon per gallon of water of hydrogen peroxide can be your best friend for keeping the environment sanitary. I just keep a gallon jug nearby and put the peroxide and water in it and use it to refill my reservoirs.

I will be writing an article on the Kratky method and will link it here when I am done. Always use peroxide water in your water if you are using the Kratky method. I was able to move 6 tomatoes into large containers with no circulation once they were first well established in my farm.

Enjoying the fruits of your labor can be immensely rewarding in winter. The beauty of a hydroponic winter garden is not only the fresh produce but also the satisfaction it brings, to be able to enjoy gardening even while snow falls outside. So dive in, get growing, and embrace the joy of indoor gardening!