The PVC hydroponic tree is one of the best ornamental systems you can have and it's relatively easy to build. Find out what you need and how to put one together in the following article.
The PVC hydroponic tree is one of the most popular designs nowadays and it is basically a very efficient, easy to build and for the most part, cost effective system. It's great for growing small plants and flowers and it's one of the best home systems to grow the king of hydroponics, the strawberry. Admittedly, many people use this kind of PVC hydroponic tree for its ornamental value, but it can very well be a good source of fresh food as well. And since it's one of the few vertical systems around, finding space for it should be extremely easy. You can just "plant" the PVC hydroponic tree in a room corner, on the patio, in your greenhouse or anywhere you have the slightest room.
PVC Hydroponic Trees - Components
You can purchase some of the components from your local store (Home Depot, Wallmart, etc) or order them online from Kalyx.com, our recommended hydroponics store.
- A soil pipe of around 5 inches in diameter
- A 5 gallon PVC expansion tank and a lid
- A submersible pump that is strong enough to handle the container and also small enough to fit inside it
- Plastic tubing that will be fitted from the pump to the top of the PVC hydroponic tree
- Growth media of choice
- A plastic pipe with a diameter of around 3 inches to support the plants on
As you can see, it's a pretty clean component list so far and the stuff in it isn't very costly either. Besides the components themselves, you will need a drill, some scissors and in case you need to do modifications to the tank or cutting the pipes, you will probably need a hacksaw.
PVC Hydroponic Trees - Let the Building Begin
If you find the process of building your own system too difficult, consider buying one of our recommended hydroponic systems.
Place the tank on the ground and use some insulation beneath it as to avoid heat loss later on. Connect the soil pipe to the tank and drill several holes into it. These will be your planting holes, so make sure you design them wisely early on, leaving enough space between them. Attach the plastic pipe vertically on top of the soil pipe, creating a reversed T with the two. You will want to attach this pipe with bolts and also glue, to give it the required stability. This will be the backbone of your PVC hydroponic tree.
The submersible pump should be placed in the flange left open in the soil pipe and you will have to connect a plastic filter to the pipe. If you can't find a suitable filter at the shop, you can even make it on your own, by drilling several small holes into a round piece of PVC.