Winter Hydroponics: Keeping Plants Happy in Cold Weather
The first winter I tried hydroponic growing, I nearly froze my lettuce to death. No, seriously. Picture this: December in Illinois, snow piling up outside my windows, and me, thinking…
Solving Pressure Problems in My Home Drip System
The precise moment I realized my home drip irrigation system had serious pressure problems was when I glanced out my kitchen window to see what appeared to be a miniature…
Maintaining Hydroponic Nutrients: My Weekly Routine
The moment I realized my hydroponic nutrient management needed serious help was when my supposedly foolproof lettuce crop developed what can only be described as “lettuce tantrums”—leaves curling, tips browning,…
My Indoor Tropical Garden in a Northern Climate
The exact moment I decided to grow tropical plants in my Illinois apartment came during the bleakest February day imaginable. I was staring out at a landscape so colorless it…
From Dead Space to Living Wall: My Corner Transformation
There’s a special kind of shame that comes from realizing you’ve been paying rent on a corner of your apartment for three years without ever actually using it. This particular…
Growing Fruit in My Small Urban Garden: What Worked
The day I realized I had a fruit problem was when my upstairs neighbor Judy spotted me dragging a 65-gallon fabric pot up the back stairs and simply said, “Honey,…
Hydroponics and Travel: How I Kept Plants Alive
The first time I left my hydroponic garden alone for a week, I returned to what can only be described as a botanical crime scene. Wilted lettuce drooped over the…
Mint Gone Wild: Managing Aggressive Plants Hydroponically
Now, allow me to explain The Great Mint Uprising of 2020. Allow me to set the stage first: I went to visit my parents in Rockford for a long weekend.…
Building My Off-Grid Rainwater System
The first time it hit me that I was officially “that guy” was not when I started tracking rainfall in my dedicated notebook or when I began eyeing every downspout…
My Microgreens Harvest Technique for Maximum Yield
My personal awakening to microgreens’ obsession did not happen when I transformed my kitchen countertop into a designated growing station or stole a spray bottle from the bathroom to keep…