Our hydroponic gardening journey has been a learning experience from the very beginning. Switching from traditional raised garden beds to hydroponic systems has completely changed the way we grow vegetables in our rural garden just outside Brockville.
This is our first year trying hydroponic gardening, and so far it has been an exciting mix of trial, error, and progress.
Why We Started Our Hydroponic Gardening Journey
hydroponics seeds
Our hydroponic gardening journey began after our old raised garden beds broke down. Rebuilding them would have meant buying a large amount of soil every year, which was becoming expensive and time-consuming.
At the same time, my mum started researching hydroponic gardening and became really interested in the idea of growing vegetables without soil. After reading more about it, we decided to try something new.
We purchased these two Hydroponic units from Temu and set them up in the same space where our raised beds used to be.
👉 Learn more about hydroponics basics here: https://www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables/hydroponics
Starting Seeds Indoors
As part of our hydroponic gardening journey, we started seedlings indoors in early April. This turned out to be too early, and unfortunately, some of the seedlings did not survive.
However, we tried again with a second batch, and this time we had much better success. This taught us an important lesson about timing and patience.
One key thing we learned was keeping the pods consistently moist. During warm days, some dried out too quickly, which affected growth.
Setting Up the Hydroponic Systems
The hydroponic units were fairly simple to set up, although assembly took a bit of time at the beginning.
These are electric hydroponic systems that circulate water to feed the plants. Once running, they require:
- Regular water level checks
- Occasional feeding
- General maintenance and care
Compared to traditional gardening, the physical workload is definitely lighter.
What We Are Growing
hydroponics pods
As part of our hydroponic gardening journey, we are currently growing:
- Cucumbers
- Lettuce
- Basil
- Cilantro
So far, the cucumbers are doing the best, followed by basil, lettuce, and cilantro.
We are still waiting to plant a few more seedlings, but the progress so far has been encouraging.
📸 Image: Hydroponic cucumber plants growing
Alt text: hydroponic gardening journey cucumber plants growing
📸 Image: Hydroponic system setup in garden
Alt text: hydroponic gardening journey garden system setup
Benefits We Have Noticed So Far
One interesting observation during our hydroponic gardening journey is that we’ve noticed fewer bugs attacking the plants compared to our old soil-based garden beds.
We are not sure yet if this is a long-term benefit, but it has been a positive surprise so far.
Challenges We’ve Faced
Like any gardening method, hydroponics comes with its challenges.
Our biggest lesson so far has been staying organised. When growing seedlings, it’s important to:
- Keep pods moist
- Monitor sunlight exposure
- Stay consistent with watering and feeding
- rainstorms
- not growing as well as we had hoped
A few early mistakes helped us understand this better.
Internal Gardening Links
If you enjoy following our hydroponic gardening journey, you might also like:
- Our rural living lifestyle updates: /lifestyle
- Our gardening and seasonal posts: /garden-life
- Summer activities with kids: /summer-with-kids
Would We Recommend Hydroponic Gardening?
So far, yes — we would recommend hydroponic gardening.
It is still early in our hydroponic gardening journey, but it has already shown us that growing vegetables in a different way can be both practical and rewarding.
We are still learning, and we are excited to see how the rest of the season goes, especially when it comes time to harvest cucumbers, lettuce, basil, and cilantro.
Our Mistakes
hydroponics towers
Like any new hobby, our hydroponic gardening journey hasn’t been without its mistakes. Looking back, we started our seeds a little too early, and our lack of experience meant we were learning as we went. We also discovered that finding the right balance of plant feed takes some trial and error, and we probably didn’t spend as much time monitoring the seedlings as we should have during those crucial early weeks. Another factor we’re still curious about is whether our well water has had any effect on the plants, as water quality can play an important role in hydroponic gardening. Although we’ve made a few mistakes along the way, each one has taught us something valuable, and we’re feeling much more confident as the season progresses.
Final Thoughts
Our hydroponic gardening journey is still just beginning, but it has already taught us a lot about patience, timing, and adapting when things don’t go as planned.
We look forward to sharing updates as our hydroponic garden continues to grow.
If you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it, you may enjoy reading one of these other blog posts:
Spring Vegetable Gardening for Beginners: Small Garden + Our Hydroponics Journey
What’s In My Spring Bag: Essentials for Mum Life
Easy Spring Weeknight Meals (Quick, Mild & Toddler-Friendly Ideas)
I share more real-life moments from single motherhood, Ontario adventures, everyday style, food finds, and behind-the-scenes blogging over on Instagram.
Come say hello: @lifeofgem28
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