If you want to grow fresh herbs, greens, edible flowers, maybe even vegetables, right in your apartment, but you don't want to deal with soil, hydroponics is the answer to your prayer. There has been so many incredible advancements in hydroponic growing that has made this. Former industry that was really reserved for large scale growers, totally available to apartment dwellers.

Now, this throwback episode in the Best of Growing Joy series is a conversation that I had back in 2019 with Rob Laing. He is the author of Ditch the Dirt, a book all about hydroponic gardening, and he's also the founder of Farm One, which is a hydroponic vertical farm growing high-end produce for Michelin star restaurants in New York City.

Since the interview, Rob has actually sold the company and you can now find Farm One in Brooklyn, New York. It's not just an indoor farm now, but it's also a brewery, a cocktail bar, and an event space. So if you're in the New York City area, you should definitely go check it out!

 

In this episode, we learn:

• How and why Rob created Farm.One
• What is Hydroponic Gardening
• Hydroponic Vs Aquaponic Vs Semi Hydro Gardening
• What a basic hydroponic set up looks like for a DIY plant parent
• Existing systems that one can buy to just plug and grow
• Materials needed for a basic hydroponic set up
• Why you need a “bubbler” for your hydro set up
• Nutrients- what is important and what isn’t
• Why EC and PH are important for your water supply (and what they are)
• How to test your water
• Pre-made Hydroponic Set Ups you can buy

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Amazon Storefront for the Hydroponic Materials

 

Do you want to learn more about aquascaping?

Check out the full show notes and blog to discover how aquatic plants can bring life and joy into your space!

 

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