Molly PavlovichHarrisburg University has a 400-square-foot Aquaponics Lab on campus and a 3,000-square-foot Research Greenhouse in the Steelton Highspire School District. Remarkably, all of the produce grown there is done so without soil and is always in season.
“Growing produce this way minimizes your water footprint, combats overexploitation of land that is able to be farmed, and you also can grow independent from season and location,” said Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Rachel Fogle. “You now have access to healthy, fresh produce year-round, providing an incredible amount of food security.”
For the last two years, Rachel has led tours of Harrisburg University’s Research Greenhouse, sharing with participants of Pathways Institute for Lifelong Learning® (a program of Messiah Lifeways) the fundamentals of water-based agriculture, and demonstrating the intricacies of a healthy aquaponics system. In spring 2023, she taught Pathways Institute participants how to turn five-gallon totes and a few other everyday items into a small at-home hydroponics garden, growing everything from lettuce to herbs and flowers.
The footprint can even be more small-scale and beginner-friendly than a small tote, perfect for those living in apartments or those who do not self-identify as having a green thumb. Follow these simple steps to create your own at-home hydroponics system in a mason jar.
HYDRO JAR HOW-TO
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
- Wide-mouth mason jar
- Rubber band
- Coffee filter
- Water
- Scissors
- One 1-inch rockwool grow cube
(available on Amazon) - Your pick of herb seeds,
lettuce seeds, or microgreens
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Remove the lid of your mason jar and add water into the jar until it is approximately 3/4 filled.
- Place the coffee filter on top of the mason jar, and slightly push the coffee filter into the jar, just enough for it to begin absorbing the water.
- Wrap the rubber band around the coffee filter so it is secured to the mason jar.
- Carefully use your scissors to make a hole in the center of the coffee filter, just large enough that the roots will have space to grow out.
- Your piece of rockwool should already have a small indentation on one end, where the seeds will sit. If it doesn’t, you can press your finger into one end to create a small indentation. Place your rockwool on top of the hole you cut in the coffee filter, with the indentation pointing up.
- Place three of your preferred seeds into the indentation of the rockwool.
Voilà! It will take a few days for the initial sprout to appear, but after it does, be sure to give it the sunlight it needs by placing it near a window. Your hydro jar will not need regular watering. Instead, you should simply make sure its roots are reaching the water and that there is an air gap (the roots should not be completely submerged in water) to avoid root rot.
Visit thepathwaysinstitute.org to learn more about upcoming Pathways Institute for Lifelong Learning courses.
