Back in November 2019, when the weather outside was freezing cold, we decided it was time to bring the garden indoors! Why should winter stop us from enjoying fresh, homegrown veggies?
That’s when we started growing food using hydroponics. A cool way to grow plants without soil. Instead, their roots sit in water that’s packed with nutrients. We even built our own DIY Deep Water Culture (DWC) System to make it happen!
Now, our indoor garden has turned into a lush, green jungle, and we’re here to tell you all about it. Successes, challenges, lessons, and our favourite veggies to grow!
Why we started hydroponic gardening?
We dreamed of having crisp, fresh veggies even when snow covered the ground outside. One day, we met someone growing cannabis in their basement, and it gave us a big idea: why not grow our own food indoors? Instead of plants like cannabis, we decided to make a food jungle right in our basement! The laundry room turned out to be the perfect spot. After setting everything up, we grew our first batch of kale and rainbow chard, and it was amazing! The coolest part? When we trimmed the greens, they grew back again, ready for another harvest. It felt like magic!
Looking back, we’re so glad we went all in, it was one of the best choices we ever made! Even when it’s snowy or freezing outside, we can just go down to our “food jungle” and pick fresh veggies and greens. It’s something we’re super thankful for every day!
Plus, growing indoors means less weeding, fewer pests, and no worrying about unpredictable weather. It’s a win-win!
Lessons learned: Not every veggie thrives
Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Some veggies didn’t love our hydroponic setup. For example, iceberg lettuce and New Zealand spinach just weren’t happy growing in water. But hey, that’s the fun of experimenting! Every “failure” is just a chance to learn what works best and try something new next time.
The key to success? Finding veggies that thrive in your specific setup. With every season, we’ve gotten better at figuring out which plants love their hydroponic home.
Our favourite hydroponic veggies to grow
After years of experimenting, we’ve found some amazing vegetables that grow beautifully in our Deep Water Culture System. Here’s our top 10 list, along with tips for success:
- Lettuce: One of the easiest and most popular veggies to grow hydroponically. It grows quickly and gives you fresh, crunchy leaves for salads anytime!
- Spinach: This leafy green loves cooler temperatures, making it perfect for indoor gardens. Plus, you can harvest it several times before needing to replant.
- Kale: It thrives in water based systems and produces lots of nutritious leaves for smoothies, soups, or salads.
- Basil: Grows fast and is ready for harvest in just 30-40 days! We love picking fresh basil for homemade pesto or sprinkling it on pizza.
- Swiss chard: With its colourful stems and hardy nature, chard is both beautiful and easy to grow. It’s ready to harvest in about 50-60 days.
- Bok choy: This Asian green is versatile and easy to grow. You can snip individual leaves as needed or harvest the whole plant.
- Peppers: Whether it’s sweet bell peppers or spicy chilies, peppers can thrive in a hydroponic setup. If space is tight, try growing mini varieties like super dwarf chilies!
- Tomatoes: Can be a bit tricky, but with the right variety, they’re totally worth it. We love growing micro dwarf varieties like Rosy Finch, Orange Hat, or Blaue Zimmer. These tiny plants produce delicious fruits without taking up much space.
- Cilantro: This flavourful herb grows quickly and adds a fresh, zesty kick to dishes like tacos and soups.
- Green onions: Super low maintenance and endlessly useful in the kitchen. Snip off what you need, and they’ll keep growing back!
Why we love hydroponics
Hydroponic gardening has been such a rewarding journey for us. It’s like having a little piece of summer all year long, no matter how cold or snowy it is outside!
Plus, it’s a fun and family-friendly activity. Kids love seeing the roots dangle in the water and watching how quickly plants grow.
And the best part? The possibilities are endless! Whether you’re growing leafy greens, herbs, or tiny tomatoes, indoor gardening lets you enjoy fresh, healthy veggies anytime. So if you live in a cold climate (or just want to try something new), why not give hydroponics a shot? You might just grow your own indoor jungle too!
What’s your favourite veggie to grow indoors? Let us know, we’d love to hear about your adventures in gardening!
