How to create a hydroponic garden in your Dubai home
Want to have your own vegetable garden? If you’re worried about maintenance or the lack of space, why not consider having a hydroponic garden? This technique involves no soil and can be used to grow quality, fresh vegetables and greens throughout the year. In this article we detail the different hydroponic systems you can choose from, as well as how to build and maintain hydroponic gardens in Dubai!
What is a hydroponic garden?
A hydroponic garden allows you to grow herbs, vegetables and greens without the need for soil, by using nutrient-rich water to sustain the plants. If you’re wondering ‘how do hydroponic gardens work’, let us break it down for you.
In a hydroponic system, the nutrient solution is placed in a water reservoir. The plants are given artificial support as there is no soil. This is done by placing them in growing media and net pots. The nutrient solution is then directly delivered to the roots of the plant, which can be achieved through various techniques, such as a pump or dripper.
Such hydroponic systems can also be adapted to indoor plants or balcony gardens in Dubai, making them a popular feature in apartments!
What are the benefits of hydroponic gardens?
One of the biggest benefits of hydroponic gardens in Dubai is that they don’t require much space, making them perfect for apartment dwellers. Since a hydroponic garden works without soil, it also reduces the chance of pest attacks and eliminates the need for pesticides.
Hydroponic systems also need less water, making them an efficient and eco-friendly way to pursue your gardening habit! Such systems also allow you to control various environmental factors such as the pH level and tailor the nutrient solution according to the plants you’re growing, therefore helping you produce higher and healthier yields all year-round.
Large-scale hydroponic systems using vertical farming methods have already been introduced in developments such as The Sustainable City in Dubai and Masdar City in Abu Dhabi.
How to instal a hydroponic garden in Dubai
Keen to have a hydroponic garden? Since they don’t require too much space, a hydroponic system can be installed on your apartment’s balcony or in your kitchen.
Another one of the benefits of hydroponic gardens is that they are a great DIY project for both beginner and seasoned gardeners. You can build and maintain a hydroponic system, allowing you to grow fresh and delicious vegetables and greens.
If you’re intrigued and wondering how to build a hydroponic system, here’s a quick overview of the process:
Choose the type of hydroponic system you want
There are several different types of hydroponic systems that can help you to create your home garden. You can choose the right kind of hydroponic system based on the time and money you’re willing to invest as well as the space you have in your home.
For instance, deep water culture (DWC) is one of the simplest types of indoor hydroponic systems, where the roots of the plants are suspended in a nutrient solution. This type of Dubai hydroponic garden would be ideal for beginners as it’s easy to assemble, requires less space and results in fast-growing plants.
However, the nutrient film technique (NFT) uses a pump and channel to deliver a thin, steady stream of nutrient solution to the roots. This type of hydroponic system is more complex and requires more maintenance; however, it’s also more versatile, allowing you to make adjustments to optimise the growth of the plants.
Some of the other types of techniques that can help you have a hydroponic garden in Dubai include the wick system, ebb and flow system and drip system, which deliver the nutrients and oxygen to the roots in different ways. Make sure to evaluate the amount of space, time and money you can dedicate to your hydroponic garden before selecting a suitable system.
Choose the plants you want to grow
Hydroponic gardens in Dubai allow you to grow vegetables and herbs year-round! For instance, with a hydroponic garden, you can easily grow basil, rosemary, thyme and coriander. It’s also possible to grow greens such as lettuce, broccoli, cucumber, cauliflower and chillies; the more advanced gardeners can also attempt tomatoes and bell peppers.
However, the best plants for a hydroponic garden will depend on the system you’re using. For instance, deep water culture systems are best for lettuce and herbs, while the nutrient film technique is best for plants with shallow root systems, such as spinach, lettuce, strawberries and kale.
Get the necessary materials
Depending on the type of hydroponic garden you’ve chosen to build, you will need to get the necessary materials and items available at hardware stores in Dubai. For instance, a simple deep water culture DIY hydroponic system would require the following items:
- Storage container or bucket for the water reservoir
- Water
- Hydroponic nutrient mix
- Seedlings
- Net pots to hold the plants
- Styrofoam sheet, which will be cut out to hold the net pots
- Airstone and pump to distribute oxygen within the nutrient solution so that the plants don’t drown
You may already have some of these in your homes, such as a bucket for the water reservoir, as well as tools like a drill, hammer and nails. It’s possible to purchase the air pump and airstone from a pet or aquarium shop. You can also purchase hydroponic gardening supplies including the nutrient mix, seedlings and net pots, from local gardening stores or specialists such as Greenoponics and H2O Hydroponics. Make sure to purchase a nutrient mix or fertiliser that is meant for hydroponic gardening.
However, the more complex systems such as the NFT require additional equipment, such as a water pump to deliver the nutrient solution and PVC pipes to hold the plants, which can be found in home improvement stores such as ACE Hardware or even Carrefour Hypermarkets.
On the other hand, if you don’t have the time to build a DIY hydroponic system, you can always choose to purchase a hydroponic starter kit or system.
There are several hydroponic specialists in Dubai, such as Greenoponics and H2O Hydroponics, which offer the necessary equipment as well as home starter kits. For instance, Greenoponics offers a hanging system that lets you create an attractive, indoor hydroponic wall garden in your home.
Maintain your hydroponic garden
Once you’ve successfully built your hydroponic system and added your plants, they’re all set to grow! However, these DIY hydroponic gardens in Dubai will require regular maintenance, which will differ based on the type of system that you’re using. Here are some general tips to help you maintain a healthy hydroponic garden in your home:
- When having an indoor hydroponic garden, it’s important to maintain the pH level of the water, which must be slightly acidic for optimum growth of most vegetables
- You can lower the pH levels of the water by adding ‘pH down’ liquid; make sure to be careful when handling such products.
- If you are using hard ‘tap water’ in your hydroponic home garden, the nutrients may not dissolve as easily. You can improvise by filtering your tap water before using it for the nutrient solution.
- It’s also essential to change the nutrient solution periodically, to avoid any build-up of minerals and keep the reservoir clean.
- It’s also a good idea to check on the equipment of your Dubai hydroponic garden regularly, such as the water and air pumps, as well as the connecting tubes. By checking the equipment at regular intervals, you can make sure any parts are replaced before your garden is affected.
Frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some of the most common queries about building a hydroponic garden:
How much does a hydroponic garden cost?
This can vary depending on the type of DIY hydroponic system you’re planning to build. However, if you’re planning to purchase a hydroponic starter kit, these can start from AED 165, such as the deep water culture kit from Greenoponics. On the other hand, a free-standing hydroponic system can start from AED 399, which comes with the growing channels, a water reservoir, pump and oxygenator.
Which is the best hydroponic system for beginners?
The simplest type of indoor hydroponic garden for your home is a deep water culture system. This type of hydroponic garden does not have any moving parts, so is easy to assemble and maintain. Some of the best plants for hydroponic gardens using this system are herbs and lettuce.
That concludes our guide on how to make a hydroponic garden in Dubai! As you can see, hydroponic techniques are a great way for those who live in apartments to enjoy a versatile, indoor garden, which doesn’t require much space or water.
Looking for more ways to have an indoor garden in Dubai? Take a look at our guide to building a vertical garden in your kitchen, so you can have your essential herbs at hand! You can also enhance the look of your home by creating an indoor aquatic garden, with beautiful plants such as lilies and water poppies.
Those living in rental villas in Dubai have a much larger space to create a vegetable garden. Take a look at our tips to maintain a healthy garden in your backyard, which can help you grow a wide variety of vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, spinach and more!
You can also spruce up the look of your backyard by adding flowers, trees and decorative features. There are several plant nurseries in Dubai that can help you enhance the outdoor areas of your home.
