If you are new to hydroponics, here is a little guide to get you up and running.
For more in-depth introduction, please read the quickstart guide to hydroponics.
First buy kit, some seedlings from a nursery and prepare to plant.
Start by soaking the the 2 coco peat bricks in a bucket of water and add 10g of the Calcium Magnesium Nitrate. This buffers the medium and provides a good neutral environment for the plants. The bricks will swell and start breaking apart after a few hours. Pour off the excess water.
Prepare the Autopot unit as per provided instructions (pdf).
Plants ideal for a hydroponic beginners are lettuce, spinach, basil, rocket and tomatoes. Buy some seedlings and wash off all the soil from the roots by running the roots under a tap and gently rubbing the roots with your fingers.
Add the coco peat to the Autopot planters and plant the seedling in gently. (The plants normally do die off a little for the first 2-3 days, but should recover from the shock of being moved).
Mix up you nutrient mixture and add to the reservoir as per instructions. Use the PH kit to measure the PH of the water (Most domestic water supplies are too alkaline) and add PH Down as required. Keep measuring and adding until you hit the ideal PH for the plants you have.
The plants will suffer a little shock from moving from soil into the coco peat and will wilt for the first few days until the roots regrow.
The nutrient needs to be topped up every week with regular PH checks.
We’ll be adding more articles to this section to assist with nutrient management and pest control in the near future.
Good luck with your new hobby!
