If you want to build an indoor garden for your home, a hydroponic tower is a great option for those looking for something that won’t create a mess and is relatively easy to maintain.
Another huge advantage to hydroponic tower gardens is that there are tons of great options for DIY displays that you can easily make from items around your house.
If you want some ideas on how to build your own indoor hydroponic tower garden, take a look at these five fantastic options.
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What Makes a Hydroponic Garden Different From Traditional Gardens?
A hydroponic garden is unique, especially when compared to the more traditional form of gardening and growing plants.
Instead of placing your plants into the soil and watering them occasionally, hydroponic plants never require the use of dirt. A tower garden home comprised of complete hydroponic plants solely relies on water and light for plants to thrive.
When you are tower gardening, place the roots of your plants inside a potting medium – a tower system – so they can be submerged in nutrient-filled water.
These systems may seem strange but are pretty easy to use and much more convenient than basic gardens. A little bonus is that they are also simple to construct right at home.
Five ideas for Building Your Own Indoor Hydroponic Tower Garden
If you are ready to grow your hydroponic garden but are still looking for ways to create your design, here are five great examples you can choose from.
1. PVC Tower
You can use something as simple as PVC pipes to create an amazing DIY hydroponic tower garden that can be placed directly inside your home.
These pipes can be aligned in a straight row or connected to form a fun zig-zag design. No matter how you set them up, you must have a plan in place for proper aeration to provide much-needed oxygen to the plant’s roots.
These towers also require some type of pump or wicking system to keep the plant’s roots hydrated; without this, your system will fail and your plants will die.
2. Hydroponic Plastic Containers
You can purchase a large plastic storage bin from almost any local department store for a fairly reasonable price. Instead of packing these bins full of old knick-knacks, clothes that no longer fit, or holiday items to place in storage, fill them up with water.
Cut some small holes in the lid of the plastic bin large enough to hold a moss cup or other type of medium for growing hydroponic plants, then fill the tub up with water. Make sure the roots can reach the water.
Add a hydroponic pump and have fun watching your plants thrive. Indoor gardening can be that simple.
3. Hydroponic Pipe System
There are tons of old piping and large hoses available today that can be upcycled into a fantastic vertical garden inside your home.
Like the PVC hydroponic gardens, the goal is to cut holes into the pipe large enough to fit a single plant and a net or bucket to keep the plant from falling in.
The ideal way to keep your plants hydrated in this vertical gardening layout is by using a pump at the bottom of the tower that can take the runoff from the plants flowing through the tube and push it back up to start from the top.
A great way to make this garden look unique is by wrapping it around a post or beam. These tower systems will eventually turn into a beautiful flower tree once your plants bloom.
4. Stacked Terracotta Planters
Terracotta planters have a naturally attractive look, making them a go-to for many DIY projects. You can use these plant pots to make a unique hydroponic garden tower, where it’ll double as country chic decor.
You can stack these pots by stringing a hose or pipe through the drainage holes at the bottom. Before stacking the pots, drill some holes into the hose so the water can flow through, keeping your plant’s roots wet.
5. Mason Jar Hydroponic Garden Towers
You don’t necessarily need a pump or aeration system to create a functional hydroponic tower gardening system inside your home.
You can make some pretty impressive hydroponic planters from small mason jars that will only house one plant.
These mason jars can be lined up one by one on a shelf to create a modern and appealing garden that never requires any dirt.
Make sure the jar’s lid has a wide enough opening for the plant to thrive. Add some rocks at the bottom of the jars to give your plants room to breathe.
Tips for Designing a Prosperous Indoor Hydroponic Garden Tower
Building a hydroponic garden that not only works but also promotes the growth of beautiful, lush plants isn’t overly complicated. However, it requires a few key components.
Nutrients
No matter how you plan on displaying your plants, this system requires a form of nutrients to feed them since they won’t be getting any from the soil. This is typically done by purchasing hydroponic nutrient liquids that are added to your tower’s water.
Lighting Source
Although a hydroponic tower garden system doesn’t require soil, it still needs an adequate lighting source. This source can come from the sun by placing your plants close to a window or from artificial lighting with a grow lamp.
Lighting from a grow lamp was designed to mimic the same benefits of natural sunlight for plants inside the house or in shaded spaces needing a natural light source.
Temperature
Location is key when it comes to providing the proper environment for your hydroponic garden. It is important that these towers are placed in an area that maintains a temperature of around 65°F to 70°F and isn’t exposed to air conditioning or excessive heat sources.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to be extremely crafty to create a functioning indoor hydroponic tower system. You simply need to understand how these systems work and ensure you have the proper materials, environment, and plants for the job.
