Off-Grid Hydroponics Experiment - The Kratky Method & Floating Raft Hydroponics

[@ronalddunlap538]

You have a real knack for this. It is a gift to explain this Kratky Method in your down to earth way. I feel like you are talking directly to me. Thanks for all you videos. I have watched most of them, the best ones twice.

[@adolphfredsberg8298]

grainharviesting

[@victoriao1828]

Great explanation on the types of plants to plant together because of water consumption. Really helpful. Thank you so much.

[@victoriao1828]

The burgundy roots are amazing 🤩

[@Ellienollie]

I gotta say man....your genuine love for gardening and overall friendly demeanor has earned you yet another subscription. -Horticultural student from University of Florida

[@mhpgardener]

Thanks. For me, testing on a small scale makes the most sense. So if things don't work out, it doesn't turn into a costly education. As I've shown, and as Kratky had written, the process really does work. Set it, and forget it. It's just that simple !

[@mhpgardener]

Thank you. I thought the whole process was fascinating too. Kratky did mention doing this with tomatoes and cucumbers. So my thinking is that most plants would do ok, with the exception of maybe root crops, as long as you provide the proper nutrients. Another consideration would be the size of the reservoir. The longer the plant takes to mature, the more water it will need. Thats why lettuce works so well. 30-45 days is all it takes to get a good head of lettuce. Definitely worth a shot !

[@mhpgardener]

It's Pak Choi ! The other plants were Tatsoi- Asian Greens...they are really good eating. And I had some Arugula that had started to flower. Apparently I was late picking it cuz it didn't taste good at all. Its a cool setup. Very easy to do.

[@mhpgardener]

When it comes to gardening, I'm trying to learn all that I can. I feel like the more options I have the better off I'll be. This is a great way to grow without spending a lot of time or money. Just make sure you get a good thick plastic and you should be ok.

[@mhpgardener]

LOL... by all means.. ask the wife first. I don't want to be reading about you ! I was surprised at the number of callers and just lost track of time. But they sure helped me settle down a bit. It's easier to carry on a conversation when you're not the only one talking ! Thanks bro.

[@Gardenerbyday]

This is the best form of social revolution Ever!! YOu sir are a genius, inspiration!! Thanks!!!

[@mhpgardener]

Thanks. The issue of lettuce in the summer is a tough one. But varieties like Adriana and Nevada are really slow to bolt. One good thing about this setup is the fact that the water is always covered, and the sun can't heat it up directly. So temps are steady, very consistent. I plan to do a few more setups like this. It's just so easy. :)

[@curlieish]

Your videos are really good. I work long hours but love gardening so I have an indoor garden and my tomatoes all use the kratky method. Leave enough space, an inch or two, so the roots are in the air. Change the water every two weeks depending on stage. My first crop of 11 tomato plants has started fruiting. It's doing great :) . The rail system I want to try in my outdoor greenhouse this year. See how it compares.

[@mhpgardener]

I have a unique opportunity in the greenhouse. When its cold outside, and most people are finished gardening, I can still keep going, keep testing new things. Then when it warms up, hopefully others will be able to use some of what I've learned. I really enjoy the hydroponics. The growth is always so consistent. There is not too much guess work involved. Thanks John.

[@BillMiller55]

Dr. Kratky began his floating raft system partly due to the outrageous electricity prices on the Big Island of Hawaii. Also, we have a serious rat lungworm disease infestation in 75% of the invasive snails and slugs so the Kratky system allows us to keep the snails out of the letttuce beds. No one grows lettuce on the ground here. There is a tweak to his system now. He uses a horse trough float to keep the water levels up so an aggressive plant can't overuse the water. The incoming water is premixed with the chemicals in a 55 gallon drum and gravity fed to the raft. All you have to do is make sure the 55 gallon drum doesn't go dry.

[@bmzaron713]

Aloha Miller The Kratky method is not a floating raft, it's stationary, but ya

[@jameswalters8155]

Go here now if you want the best aquaponics system online: HootAqua.info

[@hokie0072]

Yes. There should not be very much left, and what is, will not be suitable for a new Kratky crop. You can discard the remaining solution in your soil garden.

[@nashirhasham7410]

Hello Sir. Thank you for such a wonderful contribution. I tried your method and harvested quite a lot of tomatoes and lettuce and of which I donated the same to my church going friends. God bless you, Sir.

[@TheMountainfarmer]

Excellent information and good analysis of the problems. Thanks for sharing.

[@woodturningjohn]

I think the best part of your videos is that you do the leg work for us, then so us the steps, sharing what you have learned make it easier for the people watching to follow in your foot steps which make our chance of success that much greater. Can not thank you enough for your time, your efforts and gardening know how. I was down in Arkansas last week and people still had greens in the garden, I am starting to dislike living in the frozen north. Have a good one my friend.

[@MarioHemsley]

Excellent! One of the best videos on this subject that I have watched. Thanks to you, I really learned a lot. Peace!

[@mhpgardener]

For people with a busy schedule, this is a great way to get into hydroponics. It's virtually maintenance free.

[@mhpgardener]

Especially for folks like me who have slow internet connections. It took me almost 8 hours yesterday to upload this 15 min video in HD. It seems like just about everyone else has high speed internet, so I tried to give them the best quality possible. I use Firefox for uploading, so that when I get disconnected, I don't have to start over. But I need to re-connect quickly, so I spent the day editing other videos and keeping an eye on this one. Wasn't too bad, only got kicked off once. ;)

[@PhilippinesFarmLife]

You SIR , have changed my Life. I have followed your methods to Double++ my income in the age of Lockdowns and Quarantines. I use a rechargable aquarium type AC/DC air pump. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Watching from the Philippines.

[@adriangheorghiu6735]

So fare you are the best hydroponic "Teacher" and I thank you for your time and passion that you put in this videos. I do have a question ...do you know a best place to get those square buckets...???

[@obduliocerceno4984]

Thanks a lot from Panama. You are doing a lot more for the learners than many so called Ag.Colleges. We want to learn from a real teacher. My respect to you!

[@TheRodT]

seriously this is awesome

[@larryrabathaly9503]

I’ve read a few comments and all have one thing in common, is that your explanation of do’s and don’t’s and love of hydroponics is genuine, your videos are very educational thank you !! 👍👍👍

[@mrpickles478]

Can you post more information on on the construction of the grow tables that you have ? And the size and space requirements for the lettuce that you used ?

[@Aceman307]

I went back and listened to your shows on prepper broadcast . Great show, very informative. My mother inlaw started doing this type of hydroponics last year she took a local class on this, the only problem I have seen with her system is she is limited to only a few different plants that like it but after watching your video I dont think they taught her the proper way to do it. Her setup is in gravel, maybe this is why she has problems growing more than just lettuce and celery. Great video.

[@tariqabudhabi]

Thanks for the sharing such a valuable info and thanks for the wonderful efforts & simple tech explanation.

[@kytefamily6]

Love the fact that your setup and environment is clean and tidy. Have seen so many other people do these videos with dirty surroundings, items stacked on top of other things, dirty pipes and bins, half-baked hook ups. I get it - people do what they can. But it's a simple step, and free mind you, to be clean. Your clean and organized style gives a good rep to the 'ponics idea.

[@jforino12]

This was a very helpful explanation! Great lesson on mixing plants like lettuce and chard. Thank you!

[@mhpgardener]

Hi Susan, If you have the reservoir sized properly, you shouldn't have to add any more to it. The lettuce will grow to maturity in a 2x6 box and still have water left over. Then, you can top it off, or start from scratch with fresh nutrients for your next crop.

[@RayEmbarcadero]

Thanks for the great videos

[@captainganja0]

Bad ass vid.. I love growing my own food & meds ..Thanks for posting this Ray

[@runeski74]

***** unless the thieves had a boat!........ :)

[@mhpgardener]

Hydroponics has a lot to offer. It won't replace good soil gardening, but for people who have time and space issues, these methods are great for growing vegetables.

[@timbaxter681]

YES! awesome vids! I like learning from you, keep it up!

[@calamitylane]

Very interesting thanks

[@inventanew]

I have tried the rain gutter grow system and it works but wow, dirty, expensive labor intensive and a million trips to lowes, this has literally changed my life and the direction I am going to go with farming, I can't tell you how valuable this video is, thank you, thank you thank you!

[@mhpgardener]

Hehe... I have all sorts of tricks up my sleeves. Now, if I could just figure out where I put that shirt. :)

[@DeepakGupta-pw3pr]

what do you mean "the green stuff" vs "the blue stuff" ?? are they different fertilizers? THANK YOU!

[@mhpgardener]

Thanks. I used to think hydro was complicated too. But it really is quite simple, especially this particular method.

[@TimBeverly]

what a great and easy system

[@evettedelamare6545]

Hi, My husband and I watch all your videos and love them!!!!! You are the best and we appreciate all the time you put into sharing your knowledge with others. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We live in the beautiful Islands of Fiji and are hoping to use this system to help us have a more reliable supply of tomatoes and capsicum. We are new to this whole hydroponic thing, but if we can get it right, we may be able to assist the local villagers to do theri own. Then they will be able to assist feeding themselves. Life in Fiji is tough, but priceless! Thank you once again.

[@CraigHermanmedic1]

Hey I have a question for you, what is the best nutrient solution would you recommend be used in the hydroponic setup

[@mhpgardener]

I like Masterblend 4-18-38. There are others, but this is the best I've used.

[@shanemolloy8250]

Craig Herman general hydroponics

[@mawamatakama5150]

Channels like this gives more information than the actual technical channels or books because it documents the experiences, either good or bad ones. Books only says "do this" but most of the time doesn't explain why.

[@yomama5656]

Can I take the water of my fish tank and use it as the water?

[@sharinmoore5691]

aqua ponics. Done all the time

[@mhpgardener]

We have a heavy frost outside already, at 11:30. But inside the GH's it's in the low 50's. It fluctuates between 50 and 55 overnight. So for growing once it gets cold, a GH is a great idea. I'm sure you'd enjoy it. :)

[@niceslug]

can i ask someone, how do these methods get around the water temperature issue, if the water temp gets too warm the roots suffer

[@mhpgardener]

Once it gets too hot, I shut things down. There are ways to cool the water, but I'd rather move on to something else.

[@niceslug]

so you are saying that this system is more a season thing if you live in a high temp region ?

[@rayconkling4629]

+niceslug so what's too hot?

[@niceslug]

generally lettuce and many other plants do not like temps over 23 Celcius

[@TheOntarioGardener]

You never cease to amaze me on what you do Bobby. Awesome job!

[@TheSaldares]

you're a fucking great gardener. thank you. your vid was realy helpfull for me. realy! thank you man

[@DesertDigger1]

That was very interesting,one added benefit seems that "No weeding needed",Thanks for sharing this Bobby.

[@Kadosh3x]

Bok...Bok Choy.

[@dannie254]

ElJibaroBravo I thought the same until I heard someone else pronounce it the same way. turns out, both are acceptable! en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bok_choy

[@mhpgardener]

Right now, I'm holding 50-55 at night and about 75-80 during the day, depending on how much the sun shines. I checked the water temps yesterday, approx 68 degrees, which is perfect for greens. I have no additional lighting, only whatever the sun provides thru 2 layers of plastic. Thanks.

[@mhpgardener]

Yep... the lid will be fine. Just drill a hole for the net cup and drop it in. I've been thinking of doing something like that for people who don't have room for a 4 x 8 box. Those plastic containers would be easy to move in and out of the sun too. One thing to consider is the UV deal if they're outside. Every plastic container that I've used has gotten brittle after about a year of use. Wrapping it with foil or painting it would help.

[@mhpgardener]

I think I showed that in the Dutch Bucket video, using the Masterblend 4-18-38. It's very simple. Thanks.

[@victorychang1294]

I'm doing an small scale experiment at home and I learned something new. Thank you!

[@MarioHemsley]

Had to go back and watch this again because it has so much information. I will probably end up watching it ten or more times! Will have to come back and post once my system is up and running. Thanks again, this was truly an excellent production, and the science involved was superb. Bravo!

[@MsKestrela1]

VERY informational video! I love that you showed the lettuce 'fail', and how you figured out the reason for it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, It's more appreciated than you know.

[@mhpgardener]

For peppers, I'd go with dutch buckets. I did a scorpion pepper in my first test run, and it did great.Thanks.

[@mhpgardener]

Thanks. Look up B.A. Kratky and read some of his work. He did this with lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. So it's a very versatile method. I think the key is to have the reservoir sized properly. Those long term, heavy water using plants would need a much larger reservoir. As for using urine, I've heard of people using it in the gardens. But in a hydro setup, I don't think it's a good idea. I imagine it would smell pretty bad.

[@Terinigan]

Absolutely the best explanation of the Kratky method that I've been able to find. Great job!

[@mhpgardener]

It was just that easy ! I haven't looked up the GM toxins yet, but I'll have it covered in time for the next show. I think the GM issue is important to a lot of people, so my plan is to get my entire discussion completed, then take questions. I totally lost track of time Friday night. Your 2 cents is always welcome, and with inflation such as it is...I hear it's worth a nickel already ! ;)

[@mhpgardener]

Thanks. With hydroponics, you have a lot of options. So many ways to use it.

[@mhpgardener]

Right now, I'm doing the buckets or in-ground. The growbags work great, especially for determinate tomatoes. But I'm growing most of them outside this year. Thanks.

[@teresahuffman4323]

Love all your garden videos. I am a science teacher and we are going to put in a small garden and "experiment" with it. We are going to try a lot of the ideas you show here. We are setting up Kratky method, a mittleider system and a organic square foot garden. We are in GA so it won't be long until we can plant. We are going to compare cost, production and availability among other things. Of course then we can use the veggies in Health class, big bonus. Thanks so much for all you do.

[@BschoneB]

Hi, I took a hydroponics class taught by Kratky at UH Hilo. For my project, to overcome the issue that subirrigation has with different root growth rates, we set up a system that was sort of a cross between the Kratky system and sort of Dutch pots. We set up a 55 gallon trash can filled up with nutrient solution. That was connected by a tube to a pot with a float valve in it, and below connected by tubing were a series of pots fitted with Styrofoam with holes and net pots suspended a quarter of an inch as is done in the regular subirrigated stationary system. The float valve regulated the water level so as the plants used the water and nutrients, more would flow into the pots to level the water. That way, plants with differing growth rates could grow together. I grew zinnias, basil, and butter leaf lettuce together. No electricity needed. It was a great class.

[@edwinque7255]

I'm from the Philippines. yes the Lord is very willing because we learned a lot from you.. that is very encouraging.. looking forward to your next videos

[@persiancatlover29]

Your inaugural show was great! Thanks for educating us all!

[@mhpgardener]

Any liquid or water soluble fertilizer would probably do, lot's of them are available. I use Masterblend 4-18-38 mixed to the bag instructions. I use plain well water, nothing special. Lettuce is very forgiving and easy to grow. Just keep it simple, use a basic fertilizer, and you'll do fine. Good luck.

[@bbeenn]

This 8 year old video just enlightened me. Thank you!

[@deprogramr]

this is a great service to people! thanks for these videos!

[@bluecatblu76]

I’m going to start a hydroponic garden and been looking for someone to show me what I should be doing. Best video I found. Thank you so so much for sharing your knowledge. ❤️❤️

[@mhpgardener]

This was my first attempt with this method. I didn't have to add any water at all. The Kratky side holds approx 41 gallons of water, and after about 45 days or so, it still had about 8 gallons in it. The water usage will vary depending on what type of plants you grow. But for the most part, anything maturing in 30-45 days won't need any additional water.

[@mhpgardener]

Definitely, changing water after each grow cycle is a must. I think it's best to start with new water and nutrients each time.

[@mhpgardener]

I thought it was interesting too. Now I know that I can't mix the 2 types of plants in Kratky's setup. But if they are on the floating side, they co-exist very well. With the plants roots in water, the growth is fast and consistent. Much different than soil. Hydro is not always the best option for growing vegetables, but it does give you alternatives. Thanks Tim.

[@MarkM2023]

This is the best video on the Kratky method I've seen. Thanks for sharing! God bless!

[@mhpgardener]

Correct. The Dutch Buckets are for a circulating system, which needs a water pump. The water drains out the bottom and is recirculated thru the entire system. If you wanted to use the Kratky method in a plain bucket, that would be fine. It would be much like any other type of reservoir. Simply place the plant(s) in the top and fill with your choice of nutrients. Hope that helps.

[@mhpgardener]

Yes... I start everything from seed. For this setup, I use 1.5 inch rockwool cubes. They fit in a 2 inch net pot perfectly.

[@mhpgardener]

Yes...roots don't like light. This clear container was just for demo purposes. You could use clear ones, but they'd have to be wrapped in plastic or something to block out the light.

[@mhpgardener]

Thanks Larry. I agree, seems almost too simple. But, it worked...and quite well. I'm gonna start a new run in the next few days and try it again with only lettuce this time.

[@adambier2415]

I'm about to get into hydroponics and I have been looking at different video's on KZbin. I love what you do and how you share it. I thank you!

[@MetaView7]

Can't argue with a side by side experiment. Very good info. Thank you.

[@mhpgardener]

So far, greens is all I've done. Kratky said you could do a lot of other vegetables too. I don't have enough growing time right now to try anything else. Gonna try to shut this GH down in late December and work in the small one for awhile, getting plants ready to reload late Jan- early Feb.

[@JonFrumTheFirst]

Another great idea! One thing I take away from reading up on Kratky is that you don't want to add any solution, so if your setup is out in the rain, there might be issues.This might be good for a small hoop house over a patio or driveway or any other poor/no soil situation.

[@liquidxskin19]

I don't like videos to often mostly because I don't think the poster deserves it. But I'll tell you one thing I sure as hell liked this video. Awesome in depth explanation, I'm planning to build a large greenhouse (well compared to the size of my yard) 12x50' this spring it should provide enough veggies for myself throughout the summer/fall/spring seasons with only a few months of down time during the winter. This channel has helped so much with a lot of my research. Thanks for posting MHP

[@mhpgardener]

The box is made from 2x6's, so about 5 1/2 inches. I use water soluble fertilizers and I do use the same mix for all of the leafy greens.

[@mhpgardener]

Thanks. I like to see experiments from start to finish too. I just watched that clip, looks like a segment from How It's Made. That's doing it big time.

[@mhpgardener]

I was skeptical too. That's why I divided the box. I trusted the air stones 100%, but wasn't sure about Kratky's method. I've seen people do the cucumbers in a barrel, with no success, which is something else that he suggested. So I had to see for myself. He was right. No aeration and the plants did great. Everything except the lettuce...but it wasn't a fair fight. ;)

[@MiChAeL197258]

Great way to grow and become self sufficient, the Kratky system is so simple, more folks ought to be growing this way, thanks for a great introduction and a how to presentation, love the pink roots !

[@mgargy]

Man this is awesome stuff! This is definitely my next project. Got a farm down the road from us that grows all their root veg outside and all their greens using hydroponics. Very, very cool. Great job sharing what you've learned here with everyone.

[@budbackeast]

I will be building an aquaponics system in April here in Florida. The water therefore will not be stationary, but the water level will be adjustable. No floating beds after all, thanks to your video. Organic fish food becomes nitrogen which converts into nitrates which feel the plant which purifies the water which then finally returns to the fishies. I'll make an adjustable water level device and play with it as we go. Cool video!

[@mhpgardener]

Yes, you can put the tubs or containers outside. I have 2 boxes outside and they are doing well.

[@mhpgardener]

Thanks, I'm really having fun. I have plans to build a hydroponic and/or aquaponic greenhouse, so I need to decide what methods I want to use.

[@mhpgardener]

Thank you sir. I have a titanium heater that I'm using in the Dutch Bucket reservoir since it cools down so much at night. I think it would work great in a setup where you were trying to maintain 60-65 degrees for growing leafy vegetables. You'd just have to make sure the plants themselves didn't freeze. Maybe build a mini-hoop house on top of it that could be flipped open in the day time? Uh oh... the light bulb just came on...gotta go !

[@mhpgardener]

Thanks. Yes, you can grow other vegetables. The key is to get the right sized reservoir cuz you don't want to be adding water all the time. My 2 cabbage plants are heading up nicely. I didn't have a big enough tote, so I did have to add some more water. But they just keep right on growing.

[@stevestucks7341]

I love listening to your problem solving. I learn so much

[@mhpgardener]

Thanks. This is an easy way to get started with hydroponics.

[@mhpgardener]

Thank you sir. I'm sold on it too. Seeing is definitely believing.

[@mhpgardener]

Thanks. If you noticed, I had 2 separate grow zones. One was Kratky's method with no pump, and the other had typical pump aeration. Any hydroponic store will carry the 2 inch net pots and an assortment of fertilizers. Or, you can find them on Amazon. Any more questions, just PM me.

[@mhpgardener]

Thanks bro. I'm glad to know it wasn't a waste of time. I have a new crop of lettuce growing on the Kratky side and they are doing much better, very consistent. Mixing different growth habits was a mistake, but I learned from it. Regarding your 12x50, do you have room to increase the width to maybe 18 or so ?The sidewalls tend to cut down on useable space, so more width would really help.

[@mhpgardener]

Hey Brock, I'm not kidding...just set it and forget it. This was so easy. And with the large reservoir of water, the temps are very consistent. So they wouldn't heat up as fast as a rail system that had water flowing thru the tubes. You gotta try it bro.

[@curtlenawilson657]

Net cup are a great idea to keep the roots together and controlled. Great video! Thanks

[@smueller3247]

Thank you for this very helpful video. I’ve started hydroponic gardening because our growing season in Ontario Canada is very short and the produce is very expensive in the wintertime. I’ve been doing it the kratky method and having success , thank you for your videos !

[@archersfriend]

June was before we discovered you and your channel. Thanks for the reply and the great inspiration to keep trying to be self sufficient.

[@mhpgardener]

Yes sir, I use the same fertilizer, just at a reduced rate. Rather than the 12-12-6 ratio in grams, I use 10-10-5 for lettuce. It worked very well, so I stuck with it.