Of course, the hydroculture kit can make your life easier in some degree, but, by ourselves, setting up one . . . → Read More: How to Pot Plants in Hydroculture]]> While there are complete hydroculture kits (with inner and outer pots, water level indicator, fertilizer and such) available in many shops, we can save the money, set up and grow plants in hydroculture by ourselves.

Of course, the hydroculture kit can make your life easier in some degree, but, by ourselves, setting up one that doesn’t have a water level indicator, and using it to grow plants, isn’t rocket science either.

Here, let me show you how to pot plants in hydroculture.

Before potting, wash away the soil and clean the roots of the plant. Trim off roots that are too long. Do this gently to avoid from damaging the roots.

Here I have used rocks and marbles, yet, clay pellets, pebbles, and such work just as well.

Put a layer of rocks and marbles at the bottom of the container. For better estimation, it is recommended to first check the relative sizes of the roots and the container before putting in the rocks or pebbles.

Then, put in the plants and add in more rocks and marbles while holding up the plants.

Add water till most of the roots are covered. Don’t cover all the roots, so to let the plant to breath.

And here are some of my plants that grow well in hydroculture.

Check this post to learn more about watering hydroculture plants.

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So why is hydroculture so good?

Many houseplants can grow nicely in a hydrocultural environment.

Pebbles are used to hold up the plant and its root system. Many people in hydroculture use clay-fired pebbles, which come in different sizes.

The inner pot is where the . . . → Read More: The 5 Components of Hydroculture Kit]]> Here are the five main components of a hydroculture system.

Plant

Many houseplants can grow nicely in a hydrocultural environment.

Pebbles

Pebbles are used to hold up the plant and its root system. Many people in hydroculture use clay-fired pebbles, which come in different sizes.

Inner Pot

The inner pot is where the plant and pebbles sit. It has slits for water access, as well as a slot for a water level indicator.

Water Level Indicator

A simple float tells the gardener when the plant needs water (lowest level), and when it has enough (upper level).

Outer Pot

The outer pot is a decorative pot where the inner pot sits. It is slightly larger than the inner pot.

Since I can do just fine without a water level indicator, and sometimes, even without pebbles, I always set up my own so-called hydroculture system (just the plant, a container, and water). But if you are interested in having everything on hand before getting started, there are hydroculture kits that are available in many online gardening stores.

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When roots become deficient in mineral nutrients, particularly calcium and boron, which are required in the external solution for normal functioning of roots, the roots . . . → Read More: Watering Hydroculture Plants]]> How long a plant lives in a water culture greatly depends on the water source. Water should keep fresh and nutritious, for plants need mineral nutrients to grow healthy.

When roots become deficient in mineral nutrients, particularly calcium and boron, which are required in the external solution for normal functioning of roots, the roots die and decay. And as they die and decay, the roots release some mineral nutrients, which then presumably help new roots to grow. Some gardeners said they noticed this repeating pattern when they grew pothos in a mineral nutrient solution that was lacking of calcium.

Another stress on roots in water culture is that the lack of oxygen and pH extremes that the plant may suffer.

How do I water my plants?

In general, I treat the plants that grow in water more or less the same as those that are planted in soil. Different plants have different watering needs. After experimenting with several types of plant in the water culture, I have learned that plants draw up water whenever they need it, and let it sit whenever they don’t.

So, for me, I usually allow water to run out or nearly run out before adding more fresh water. And when I add in new water, I will dump away the old water that is left in the container, if possible. Fresh water contains oxygen, and the roots love it. While decayed roots release some mineral nutrients that help growing new roots, they also release ethylene that is poisonous to plants.

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Some call it “hydroculture.” However, instead of the plant itself, hydroculture is referring to a system, . . . → Read More: So what is it called? Hydroculture? Aquatic plants? Water roots?]]> It was quite difficult when I first did my research online on this subject, for I couldn’t find what exactly it is called. It seems like that there is no one specific terminology for this type of plants.

Some call it “hydroculture.” However, instead of the plant itself, hydroculture is referring to a system, a simpler version of hydroponics, which involves the use of an inner pot, an outer pot, a water level indicator, and such.

And some books just call it “aquatic plants.” But often, if not always, aquatic plants are referring to those that grow in an aquarium, or a pond, and such. How about those plants that usually root in soil but are capable to root in water as well?

Another related terminology I have found is “water root”, which refers to the new root that the plant grows when it is planted in water or water solution. And while there are quite many information online about hydroponics and hydroculture due to the new hype across Europe in these recent years, it seems like there isn’t much on water roots. Instead of searching through the internet, more information on water roots can be found in some college textbooks, such as Plant Propagation by Hartmann and Kester.

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