Blog

Soil Free Harvest logo

Welcome to the SoilfreeHarvest Blog

Discover innovative growing techniques, expert advice, and inspiring stories dedicated to soil-free gardening. Explore valuable insights to cultivate thriving, sustainable harvests and grow your knowledge with us.

Blog categories

Featured

  • Aquaponics water testing kit with color chart, test tubes, and water samples beside a small indoor grow system

    Best Water Testing Kits for Aquaponics

    If you want one water testing kit that covers the basics for most home aquaponics systems, a liquid drop kit is usually the best starting point because it gives you repeatable readings for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, which are the core values that drive fish health, bacterial… read more

  • Media Bed Aquaponics: How Media Beds, Rafts, and Towers Compare

    Media bed aquaponics is usually the best all around choice for home growers, while raft beds shine for high volume leafy greens and vertical towers work best when space is very tight. Media beds are generally the most beginner friendly, rafts are cleaner but require more filtration equipment,… read more

  • A close‑up view of a compact indoor hydroponic wick system on a countertop, showing a plastic plant pot with a lettuce or basil plant above a clear nutrient reservoir. One or two visible wicks connect the pot to the reservoir, demonstrating how moisture moves from the water to the plant’s roots through capillary action.

    Hydroponic Wick System Full Guide

    A hydroponic wick system is the simplest type of hydroponic setup because it moves nutrient solution to plant roots without pumps, timers, or moving parts. In plain terms, a wick pulls water and dissolved nutrients up from a reservoir into the growing medium by capillary action, which makes… read more

  • Solar powered hydroponics DWC system with off-grid parts: 12V DC pump, solar panel, battery, and leafy greens in net pots on sunny patio.
    ,

    Components for Solar Powered Hydroponics: Off-Grid Parts List

    Solar powered hydroponics works best when you build around the pump, the power budget, and the crop you actually want to grow. For most home growers, the core parts list is a solar panel, charge controller or DC converter, battery buffer if you want night operation, a DC… read more

  • Off grid hydroponic system with leafy greens in a small DWC unit powered by a 12 V pump, solar panel, and battery backup on a home patio.
    ,

    Off-Grid Hydroponics: Low Power and Backup Strategies

    Curious how to run hydroponics without relying on the grid? This guide walks you through low watt pumps, battery backup, Kratky setups, and simple solar options so you can grow leafy greens and herbs even when the power goes out. Ideal for beginners and urban growers. read more

  • Split image comparison of hydroponic systems: left shows ebb and flow flood table with draining lettuce in clay pebbles and visible pump/timer; right shows drip system with tomato plants in fabric pots, active emitters dripping nutrient solution, professional gardening photography style

    Ebb and Flow vs. Drip Systems: Which One Should You Choose?

    Choose ebb and flow for superior root oxygenation and larger tray setups ideal for leafy greens and herbs. Opt for drip systems when you need precise, continuous feeding for fruiting plants like tomatoes in individual pots. Both excel in soilless growing for home hobbyists. TL;DR: Ebb and flow floods… read more

author avatar
Dee
Dee Valentin is a cybersecurity professional turned author and creator, formerly based in Arizona and now living in Central Michigan. With a background in information security and technology innovation, Dee writes approachable guides that help readers use AI and automation to make work and life more efficient. Outside the digital world, Dee is an avid gardener with a special focus on hydroponics and sustainable growing systems. Whether experimenting with new plant setups or sharing tips for soil‑free harvests, Dee blends technology and nature to inspire others to live more creatively and sustainably.
See Full Bio