How Hydroponics Helps Me Grow Fresh Produce At Home—Year-Round

My journey into hydroponics began with a snowstorm. Last winter, southern British Columbia was hit with a series of unusually heavy storms. Roads in my town of Nanaimo were clogged for weeks. When it was time to get groceries, I dreaded facing the snow and ice, and I remember wishing there was a way I could be more self-sufficient when it came to my own food.

One morning, I got my wish. An article about the latest trend of growing produce at home using the water-based method of hydroponics had landed in my inbox. People were growing lettuce, tomatoes, even eggplant in their living room using water, LED lights and nutrients. Soil and sunshine were not required, and, as the hydro in hydroponics suggests, nutrients were fed directly to the plant’s roots through water 

I immediately searched for more information. The facts were almost too good to be true: Hydroponics uses 90 percent less water than soil gardening and plants grow up to 30 percent faster. LED lighting has become so efficient that energy costs are minimal. It’s possible to grow all kinds of greens, herbs and fruiting plants like tomatoes and peppers hydroponically.

“Hydroponically grown food is the ultimate in locally grown food,” says Neil Mattson, professor and greenhouse extension specialist at the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. “It’s only you handling the crops, so you know it’s free of pesticides and foodborne pathogens."

I bought a small secondhand hydroponics system called the AeroGarden Harvest Elite. It was a countertop model that could grow up to 6 small plants at a time. Roughly the size of a toaster oven, the Harvest Elite found a spot on a shelf in my living room. The seller also gave me an AeroGarden herb seed kit that made growing in the Harvest Elite as simple as using a Keurig coffee maker. The kit had peat starter plugs that were already filled with seeds for herbs like dill and parsley, plus a small bottle of nutrients. All I had to do was pop the seeded plugs into the empty slots in the Harvest, add nutrients and water, and I was ready to grow. It took only a few weeks before the herbs were ready for harvest. The flavours were strong and vibrant—light years away from supermarket fare.

I was hooked. One unit soon became two. By mid-year I owned one large system and several small ones, including more systems from AeroGarden and an IDoo unit. I was dining on my own lettuce, Swiss chard and peppers. Moreover, I was amazed I was able to do this. I didn’t have a green thumb. I had once watered a houseplant for two weeks before realizing that it was fake. Suddenly I didn’t know if I was a writer who gardened or a gardener who wrote.

Through online groups, I’ve met others who share my enthusiasm, like Daphnée-Lyne Carrié of Edmonton. “I've been growing since January 2021,” she says. A manager for an airline, Carrié turned to indoor growing while at home during a pandemic work furlough. “I live in a condo apartment and only get the morning sun. Having anything on my balcony was just not an option, so this was a great alternative for me.”

What began as a pandemic hobby is now a permanent part of her life. This year she plans on making hot sauce from her own peppers. “My family's heritage is Caribbean, and spice has always been a part of my life. I currently have three hot peppers going, and just planted one more.” Carrié encourages people to try growing at home. “It’s a fantastic way to incorporate fresh produce into your diet.” 

A hydroponics system generally consists of water, nutrients, LED grow lights, and starter plugs or grow media to hold the plant steady as it grows. While there are many methods of growing, in general each hydroponic unit has a reservoir for water and nutrients. Grow media, such as plugs made of peat or coco coir, are filled with seed and placed in openings at the top of the unit. (Peat harvesting has a negative affect on ecosystems, so much so that the U.K. is banning peat use in gardening products by 2030; coir is a popular alternative but its production is quite water intensive.) The water and nutrients then moisten the plug and feed the plant’s roots directly. A pump often provides oxygen to the roots. 

If you’re interested in hydroponics, you can start with a ready-made unit or you can build your own. There are a number of small ready-made units on the market. Brands that the online groups I belong to find reliable and easy to use include AeroGarden and IDoo, and prices range from $80 for an IDoo with space for 5 plants to $225 for an AeroGarden Bounty, which can fit up to 9 plants. These units come with everything you need to start growing, including nutrients, grow media and step-by-step instructions.

The drawback of ready-made systems is the cost. If you’re serious about supplementing your diet, you’ll need more than one system. You can often find secondhand units at good prices on sites like Kijiji. (For example, the AeroGarden Harvest Elite that I had purchased used for $80 can sell new for approximately $200.)

In addition to the cost of the unit, pre-seeded plugs can also become pricey. To keep costs down, Carrié recommends purchasing your own seeds and grow media instead.

If you’re handy, try building your own hydroponics unit. YouTube has excellent tutorials on hydroponic home growing, and you can buy LED grow lights at stores like Home Depot. Peat and coco coir plugs can be purchased online or you can use loose grow media such as LECA or vermiculite from your local gardening store. Nutrients can be purchased at hydroponic stores or through Amazon.

The energy cost of running these systems is relatively low. In British Columbia, my hydro bill has increased by only $10 per month since I began. Carrié estimates she spends about $20 to $25 per month for approximately 10 smaller units. 

If you catch the hydroponics bug, you might eventually be interested in a large unit, which generally has space for 20 to 30 plants. Canadian systems with positive reviews include the Tower Garden, which commercial growers use, and the Eden Tower by Hope Innovations, a start-up in Alberta. When the Eden Tower launched on Kickstarter last year, company co-founder Ryan Agrey says they raised almost $500,000 within a month, proof of how popular hydroponics is becoming.

Finally my indoor growing nourishes me in ways beyond diet. I might be having a bad day, then I’ll notice new buds on a bean plant or that my tomatoes are getting ripe. My gardens help remind me that there are good things happening in the world, even if I’m not always aware of it.

Hydroponics systems for your home

AeroGarden Harvest Elite

IDoo hydroponics system

Hope Innovations Eden Tower