Container Assortment
I have been saving a few containers for converting into Kratky or Deep Water Culture (DWC) systems. Shown to the left is an assortment of containers that I will use. From right to left, 5 gal pail, 1 gal container, short, fat container, and small, skinny container. I will cut holes in the two on the right to fit 3″ net pots. The remaining two containers will be drilled to fit 2″ net pots.
You can use almost any food safe container that has enough height and volume to support the plant you want to grow. I plan to use the 5 gal pail for cucumbers and the black container for a dwarf tomato plant.
[Note: Because the 5 gal pail allows sunlight through, I will line it with a black plastic garbage bag.]
Hole Saw
When I got my new 3″ hole saw this afternoon, I decided that it was time to get building.
In the picture on the left, I am about to open the box containing my new hole saw.
In this second picture, you can see the hole saw sitting on top of one of the containers I am about to operate on.
Drilling the Hole
In the picture on the left, I have positioned the hole saw in the centre of the lid for the black 1 gal container. Try to get the hole as close to the centre as possible. This will help to balance the plant in the container and also leave space for an air hose.
And here we have a drilled out hole. I just need to smooth off the edges a bit. If I had cut the hole with the drill motor in reverse, it would have been cleaner. Unfortunately, as I discovered, my new 3″ hole saw only cuts going forward as it does not have the facility for a retaining nut. When I use the hole saw for the 2″ net cups, I will be able to cut in reverse and get a cleaner cut.
Fitting the Net Cup
Now that I have dropped the net pot into the new hole, I am all set to add water and a plant.
To Air of Not to Air
If I decide to turn this into a WDC system, I just need to drill a hole for the air hose. Since this is not a very large bucket, I will drill the hole through the lid rather than in the side of the container.
[Normally, I would drill a hole for the air hose in the side of the 5 gal container. Because it will have a garbage bag liner, I will drill into the top.]