Kratky Method Of Hydroponics

For anyone interested in gardening, the Kratky method of hydroponics is a perfect way to jump in due to its simplicity and low-cost design.

This article will be guiding you what you need in order to create a passive hydroponics system. It is easy and simple to do and there are a lot of benefits, from being time friendly to being a great educational experience.

What Is Kratky Hydroponics?

B.A. Kratky came up with his hydroponics method in the 1990s and wrote a paper on it in 2004. Titled, “A Suspended Pot, Non-Circulating Hydroponic Method,” Kratky invented a way to raise plants without the need for an air pump or any form of electricity.

By taking expensive equipment out of the equation and lowering the difficulty, the Kratky Method of Hydroponics opened gardening up to a new wave of homemade green thumbs. It doesn’t take much to get started beyond some household supplies, so how does it work?

For more detail on what it is and how it works, check out the Kratky Hydroponics page!

How Do I Start The Kratky Method Of Hydroponics?

By using a stagnant hydroponic solution to give the plants what they need while leaving space for the roots to “breathe,” the Kratky Method creates a simple, low-maintenance way to work on your gardening skills.

It’s worth noting that you can accomplish the Kratky method of hydroponics in something as small as a gallon jug or build a wooden frame for the Method that’s the size of a tabletop. The steps remain the same, though, so it’s just about how many plants you want at a time.

What You Need To Set-up A Kratky System:

There aren't many supplies needed to set up a Kratky hydroponic system, which makes them even more desirable. They are simple, inexpensive, and effective. Here is a list of everything you will need to successfully set-up and use the Kratky method of Hydroponics:

Container/ReservoirLid
Net pots
Growing medium (perlite, rock wool, coconut coir, etc.)
Hydroponic nutrients (liquid plant food)
pH measurement tools
pH control kit (to increase or decrease the pH levels)

The size of the container you choose will depend on how large the plants are that you are planning to grow. If the plant is small, you might be able to set up the Kratky Hydroponic system in a milk jug. Otherwise, the perfect container is a five-gallon bucket.

The lid can be plastic or Styrofoam, either will work just fine. The lid is an extremely important part of the system. It will work to protect the plants from diseases and pests, while keeping the water in the container from evaporating.

The size of the net pot will also depend on the size of the plant you are growing. A three-inch net cup will likely do the job for most plants, but you can adjust the size as necessary. Since it is recommended to only grow small plants, it isn't necessary to go larger than three inches.

The growing medium is an important part of the plant's growth. Since this method is a way of growing plants without soil, you will need a different kind of growing medium. The proper medium will have a neutral pH level and adequate aeration. Some of the most popular are clay pebbles, rockwool, or perlite.

The hydroponic nutrient is another extremely important part of growing. This is a liquid nutrient filled with all of the nutrition a plant needs to grow healthy and strong. This solution makes it easy to measure and give the plants the exact amount they need.

A pH measurement tool and control kit will allow you to always keep an eye on the pH level of the water. If the level is too high or too low, you will easily be able to adjust it with the control kit.

How To Steps:

Setting up a Kratky Hydroponic system is so easy and perfect for beginners and experts alike. There are only twelve easy steps to set up a Kratky Hydroponic system:

The first step is to find a container. Most people go with something between 1- and 5-gallons because you need space for your plants to grow. Depending on the container and the plant you choose to grow, you might be able to fit more than one per container but for some you’ll only get a one-to-one ratio.
Cut a hole in the top of your container’s lid that you’ll hang a mesh net in. You can use whatever you need to cut the hole, but cut based on the size of your intended net pot.
Now comes possibly the most important step: Adding the hydroponic solution. You want to add enough that it just touches the bottom of the net, so if you go with a 3-inch net you need to fill your container 3 inches from the top.
As a side note, you need to use clean water for the solution. Regular tap water usually has chemicals or sedimentation that can ruin your plants, so go with distilled or filtered water from the store. Then just follow the instructions for adding hydroponic nutrients.
Using a pH testing kit, make sure you check the pH balance of your solution. Ideally, you want to aim for a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. If you don’t know how the kit works, you dip a pH strip into the solution and the color will indicate the pH levels.
Once the pH is right, put your soil medium of choice into the net pot. The most common ones are clay pebbles, perlite, and rockwool because of their pH neutrality and absorbent nature.
Plant your seed in the medium. When it takes to the soil and starts growing, place the mesh pot into your container and make sure the bottom touches the solution. Your role is pretty much over.
The soil medium will absorb the hydroponic solution, letting your plants grow. As they do, the water level will drop and the roots will continue to follow the solution down. The exposed roots will “breathe” oxygen while the tips suck up the nutrients.
An optimized location to grow your plant will have a relatively warm climate and either sunlight or UV light. The temperature and light will help protect your plants and solution from bacteria.
Make sure your container is also out of the way of any potential rainfall because that could easily drown your plant’s roots or throw off the pH. The reason the Kratky Method works is the gap between the roots and the solution, so you don’t want them to suffocate.
Knowing when to harvest can be tricky with some methods, but Kratky simplifies even that. Most people choose to harvest just before the solution is to the bottom and get perfectly ripe plants.
The last step is to rinse out your container and start over. If it was in a clean environment, you can get away with a rinse every 3 or 4 plants but either way use diluted bleach on everything and let it dry before going back to step 1.

After you set the system up, the Kratky will maintain itself. You will just need to monitor to make sure there aren't any changes in the health of your plants.

What Plants Are The Best To Start With the Kratky Method?

The Kratky method may be limited to shorter or smaller plants, but it still lets you grow a number of versatile vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Here are a few that grow best for anyone new to gardening:

Lettuce

Lettuce is one of the easiest plants to start out with because of its fast growth and high yield. It grows best in clay pebbles due to its high absorption. You’ll need a balanced nutrient mix with equal parts of everything.

Herbs

Herbs are pretty simple to grow with the Kratky Method, because you can either pluck leaves as they grow or wait to harvest them entirely. The best ones to start with are basil or oregano, but it’s as easy as just researching the requirements of your specific herbs.

Strawberries

These are more of an intermediate maintenance because they need daily pollination, but otherwise, strawberries are pretty easy. Strawberries need between 9-12 hours of sunlight each day, and they take around 2 or 3 weeks for a seedling to grow, but they’re ready for harvest about 2 months after that.

Tomatoes and Cucumbers

Tomatoes and cucumbers both require larger containers, at least a 5 gallon container. They also require more maintenance in pruning and monitoring the fruit / water levels.

Tomatoes

While most tomatoes are harder for the Kratky Method, cherry tomatoes are great in the hydroponic system. You’ll need 18-22 hours of sunlight. With pruning, cherry tomatoes take about 4 months to grow so they’re on the higher-difficulty end. They’re also thirsty and may require a water refill or a larger reservoir.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers don’t require the extra maintenance of strawberries, but they are the longest plant on this list which means a larger container. You’ll also need the size upgrade because cucumbers will need more water and solution. You will need to monitor the size of the fruit so that it does not break or topple the container. The good news is they are more forgiving when it comes to fluctuating pH levels or room temperatures.

These are the ones beginner hydroponic gardeners will want to start with. There are many more you can experiment with as time and interest permit, like celery, sweet peppers, spinach, various other herbs and flowers you could easily add to the list as your confidence "grows".

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