Re: [CH] Hydroponic Chiles?
Chad A Gard (gard@indy.net)
Wed, 29 Aug 2001 16:14:43 -0500
>I've found my PowerGrower drip unit to work the best,
>followed VERY closly by a homemade ebb/flow that can
>hold six medium sized plants. The PowerGrower can only
>hold one big plant, but that one plant produces a lot.
Is the PowerGrower drip unit the kind that's basically a bucket inside a
bucket, with the bottom one holding nutrient solution, and the top having
the plant and something like grow rocks or gravel? I've seen several of
that type, which seemed like they'd be good for the larger pepper plants,
such as habaneros and the like. I figured something like that, only with a
shared nutrient solution tank (for simplicity in later integrating with my
home automation system as well as economics- I'm quite poor) would be easy
to homebrew.
My big hangup is the cost of lighting, since I'll be growing indoors in a
room with 2 windows - one a north facing window looking into the backyard
which is densly shaded by 100+ year old oak trees, and another small east
facing window shaded by a 2 story brick building that's about 12 feet away.
>
>I paid ~$40 for the PowerGrower and it came with
>GrowRox, the pump, and nutrients. A pretty good deal.
Actually, that does sound like a good deal.
>
>The ebb/flow system I build for ~$35 including a small
>pump and the flood and drain fittings.
I was actually thinking of building a second system, using the same
lighting fixture for light, that would probably be an ebb/flow as well. I
was planning on growing some herbs (probably chives, cilantro, oragano,
parsley and dill in very small bunches) to have handy and fresh to
basically just pick as I need them in cooking. The "garden" will be quite
close to the kitchen...
It's great to hear that someone else has an interest in growing hydroponic
chiles at home. I was beginning to get the feeling that I was even more
odd than I thought, considering the looks I was getting from the folks at
the hydroponics store that just opened near my office...
Chad Gard, CTS KB9WXQ
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