You Sir are nothing even remotely comparable to bad. You have helped a lot of people including myself, & I appreciate everything I’ve learned from you personally ❤ Remember this famous Lincoln quote,” You can please part of the people some of the time,& some of the people part of the time, but you will never please all of the people all of the time”.
Oh for goodness sake, that guy who was giving you a guilt trip should take a flying leap! I love watching what you are doing AND I watch other gardeners as well. What does he think we are, a bunch of dopes? I enjoy your channel, I enjoy seeing what you do. You are a great person!
Mr. Mike- I am a 59 year old disabled person. My youngest child got a full time job a few years ago, so I find myself alone with very little to do now. So I started gardening. As a hobby, and a means of offsetting the food bill, assuring there will be food "just in case", its healthier, and I can share if I wind up with more than I can use. To me, it doesn't matter if it's in water or soil, indoors or outdoors. The more diverse the better, As long as it doesn't cross the line and become work. I love love love your "keep trying" attitude! Thank you for your mission here. You sir and an angel. Remember- Keep on Growing!
Not horrible. The person who said that to you is horrible though. They aren't adding to the world like you are they are only being demanding and acting entitled. You do an awesome job of what you do. Please don't let people like that change you. You're great!
I have been an avid tomato gardener for decades. I also grow beans, cucumbers, peppers, summer and winter squash, leafy greens including sorel, herbs and some root vegetables. Due to age and injury I have been having trouble keeping up with my garden for about 5 years now. I have wanted to transition some or most of my growing to hydroponics. Even with all my years of successful gardening, growing 70% of my family's annual vegetable intake, I haven't been able to make the switch. Until now, thanks to your videos. I can't thank you enough. I researched several methods (including Kratky) and spoke with hydroponic suppliers and gardeners. But it was actually too much information and to many choices. It wasn't until I saw your videos that things settled into place. I appreciate your straightforward, clear, easy going approach. I am testing out a small section of non-root vegetables in buckets. 10 mini towers. Each 2 five gallon buckets high. Tomatoes, pepper, cucumbers, chard, basil, and parsley. I have all of these in greater quantities in the ground already. And so far the towers, including setup, are far less labor and time intensive then my established garden. I look forward to seeing how this works out. Again thank you so much!!!
Just a reminder to folks just starting- grow what you eat!! I’ve been gardening for for almost 20 years and I won’t grow carrots because we don’t eat a lot of them. There are a bunch of veggies I don’t bother to grow because we don’t eat them like zucchini. Just focus on what you really like. Then experiment. It’s all just fun! Me and the kids can nibble on cherry tomatoes, basils, and pea shoots all day long and pick leaves of lettuce. Indoors- all year round. We grow what we like. At the end of the day it’s a feeling like no other. 😊❤❤❤
I love your channel. I love that you do this because you want to help people. I agree that to truly "teach the world to feed itself" does require in ground gardens as well for some people but at the same time don't stretch yourself thin. You can't help people if you are burnt out. Ultimately you are helping more people than the average person and that's not a small thing. If you can teach both and find a good balance then absolutely do it so more people can learn from a great teacher! Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this channel
It can be good to listen to people cause God speaks to us sometimes through them. That being said, You need to be who you were created to be. Been following you for years and really appreciate all you do.
Great video Mike. My wife and I are modern day travellers. Sold the house, bought a truck and a camper and have been living on the road since 2019. We have 4 - 5 gallon buckets that have kept us in leafy greens since I first found your channel back in March of this year. There's no way we could have a standard garden because we simply don't have a yard, lol. Do whatever you feel is best for you but I would disagree with your friend. There are hundreds of channels on traditional gardening but only a few on hydroponics and even less on aquaponics. No traditional gardening channel could help us but your hydroponics channel does. I'm pretty sure anyone who owns land knows the basics of soil gardening but not everyone who owns a 5 gallon bucket knows how to do hydroponics, lol.
Tomatoes and peppers seem to ALWAYS be the most requested vids. Yet again Michael, thanks for everything you do for all the people out there and trying to make their lives better! I have noticed cucurbits use a rediculous amount of solution. I have done well with peppers as last year we had a mild summer and never even had to refill the 5 gallon buckets. Tomatoes are a whole different animal though. I do think many of them do really need the pump system or at least an aeration system though to come to full capacity.
Great video Mike. I think you have turned way more people on to gardening then you have turned away from it. Glad to hear you are going to be doing something that will make you happy. Look forward to the future opportunity to learn even more from you.
Don't let somebody shame you into doing what they think you should be doing. Everyone has their own path. I have appreciated your experiments that help people find out the method that helps them best.
Yes, hydroponics is a daily job! Not heavy lifting but constant monitoring. Can you please expand on evaporation? Seems to happen daily and I worry about plant stress.
Mike you have been A GOD SENT! You have inspired me, taught me so many things I didn’t know…I’m teaching my grandchildren & my friends what you have taught me! I’m passing it on. Also You will be surprise to see how many more people still don’t know about your awesome Kratky grow methods. I love the simple things in life♥️😇 Thank you for blessing us & pray you have fun & success in that you do. 🙏🏼♥️
Having just recently found your channel with absolutely no garden yet I'm really excited to see you "reset" with a mix of hydroponics and traditional gardening. I think you're an invaluable resource not only for all your knowledge but for your passion too. You make gardening of all types seem really approachable. For that, I thank you!
Life is forever evolving. The wheels of change, continue turning. The big picture is a patchwork of beauty, and practicality. Embrace change, adding variety to the mix at will. Celebrate life!!! Enjoy the fruits of your many labors!!! ♥️🍃🤗🍃♥️
I used to love testing the EC/PH almost every day. Then I think as I learned and got better at it, and I could “read the plants’ and tell if they needed something. Or knowing how much to add when adding new water. And it got easier and easier. I would love to do hydroponics outside at some point. But with all the towers inside, and now the full garden outside, and just me and my spouse doing it all, it gets to be a lot for sure. And I have struggled with adding more outside garden videos to my channel. So I hear you! We have tried straw bale gardening, never raised beds, and we just like in ground and now with cattle panels. They last forever and don’t have to spend money every year on straw bales, or keep up with the wood of the raised beds. Thank you so much for all your honesty. :)
I am doing some hydroponics and I also really like self wicking tubs. If you are no longer able to till up your ground, you can grow in large tubs!! Self wicking is great. Only have to water a couple times a week depending on location, weather, plants….. I found a ranch/farm & bought the mineral tubs for $3-5 each. I am growing peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, onions, green beans, everything on my patio & not a lot of daily work. BTW I am 70 years old!! Keep on growing Be the change!! Love your channel!!
I have kept blueberry plants for 10 years now and have never had a remotely harvest. After watching your channel I decided to give hydroponics a shot at blueberries. I am in the process of cloning my 4 blueberry plant cuttings in a 2 gallon Lowe's bucket. I made some cuttings yesterday and put it in 80% peat moss 20% perlite medium. I really like Hoocho's approach of 3D printing cover for float valves. I don't have 3D printer or access to one. So what I came up with is cutting a 2 L bottle of soda and place the medium around it at the bottom of the the 2 gallon bucket. I wanted to try the float valve because I don't want to worry about watering or feeding the plants. I connected the 2 gallon bucket to a 5 gallon bucket with half strength solution of Master Blend/Magnesium Sulfate/Calcium Nitrate. Hopefully the float valve will keep the blueberry clones feed and watered until I can transplant the clones once they grow their roots into individual buckets for further growth as Kratky hydroponics.
Mike VanDuzee, if you find you are doing something that does not pleases you, then go back to doing what pleasures you. You can always do these other things on the side, one of, not 5 or 19 of each. Then again, maybe you should be growing your Tomato's & other things in 55 gal. drums? Just Be Yourself & Do Your Best & Be Happy!
I love all the gardening inspiration I get from you Mike! I do small-scale hydroponics indoors and a bit outdoors, I have a few growbags going and I also still enjoy using the Larry Hall (RIP) "kiddie pool" method. I appreciate all your wonderful info and have gratitude for all you share. Sending love your way.
I just recently found your channel because ever since I saw the hydroponics at Epcot center when it first opened many many years ago I thought 'That is the way to go, but it was out of my reach. Now, at 73 where tratitional gardening is becomming more and more difficult I look forward to doing a little of both. In recentvyears I have started a very smal firest garden with fruit trees and berry bushes, including herbs and some anual vegetables underneath, but to be able to grow greens and frequesntly used culinary herbs on my enclosed porch would be the best of both worlds. Look farward to continued watching! God bless..
You’re awesome. I like the fact that you focus on one easy Kratky growing method. It’s the best for most people to be successful in growing some food. Fortunately I have the space for both methods and now use both. Thanks again for all you’ve done for so many.
I have your channel linked in a video I'm posting next week for people who want DIY. You are doing amazing. I'm not a DIY person.....at all....but I love sharing your page when people want diy instead of what I do.
I think as more people live in denser housing areas, hydroponics is the future. Soil gardening has been around for a long time and theres a lot more understood about it already. but Kratky hydroponics is relatively new and there is less understanding, especially how to do it cheap and easily, this is where your channel has filled the niche nicely.
10:50 you are a wonderful person. Thanks for all your help. Here in Florida gardening is tough. My hydroponic tomatoes are the first that have worked in years!!
5 gallons can be gone in a couple of days with tomatoes! I don't have a lot of time sometimes so easy is the priority for me. I was trying to do a raft system but the circle pool noodles leave so much open space. I see your half noodles and I'm gonna try that. you wern't even talking about it, but showing it will help me. I lost a whole tray of seedlings cuz I didn't have a place to put them. and I have a box lined with a contractor bag and i've got nutrient solution in that so I can float some seedlings while trying to set up their final grow spot. I can't do soil because fireants invade everything and my front yard is a slope. So, I've been turned off by people who say " all you have to do is buy hundreds of pounds of soil amendment and lumber and raised beds and ect. " and folks are container gardening but you still have to buy, source containers, and you stillhave to fill it with soil. Even the cheap compost from the city requires you have transportation to pick up hundreds of pounds that is one scoop. And the physical effort to shovel it around and stuff. Assuming that ground gardening is the simplest and the best is hubris. I prettymuch gave up gardening cuz of ants and deer and heat and hard ground and all the work. Hydroponics is not magic and it's work too but it gives me some hope I can get something out of it, and I am extrememely grateful for that. I'm still gonna grow in containers, but I don't feel like i have NO options anymore.
You're a wonderful inspiration to "keep on growing" and if you want to also grow in soil, I'm excited too. I do hydro with the down spouts I bought from you and also couple large raised beds (neither are safe when the moose come around!) lol. It's evident you care and have pure intentions to help others so don't get pressured to add soil, but if you do want to then more power to you. Love you.
I already commented but I have to add, When I tried to grow lettuce traditional in the ground, I had a few concerns: #1 germination was spotty #2 Mesclum mix is the WRONG thing to grow when there are a lot of weed seeds in your soil ( Is that lettuce? is that a weed? I don't want to eat the wrong thing.... ) #3 bitterness. something always stresses it and it tasted bitter, #4 stresses - Too much rain, Too much sun, bugs , slugs, bolting, ... Your videos finally let me have lettuce that I trusted was actually lettuce and was sweet and tender and not molested by bugs and everything. Fresh, crispy, non bitter, non wilted,non bug eaten, non bolted Yummy! That's because of YOU. Ive never had lettuce grow successfully in dirt except that one time some bolted and dropped a bunch of seed that volunteered.
Mike, I found your channel several years ago because I wanted to start growing fresh vegetables during New York's cold months. You inspired me to give it a try and it has become a great hobby. Last year I experimented with a couple Kratky method plants on our deck and enjoyed watching the differences between Kratky versus conventional garden. I look forward to watching your videos with your soil based garden, because I'm sure that I'll learn something new and easier from you and that is always more fun!
It took me a big while to be able to grow hydroponically. With soil I got tomatoes up and going very easy. But doing it at home attracts bugs. It's not good when you are cooking and seeing a bunch of bugs flying around Ahah. For those who have a garden it can be a good alternative. You can teach the easy and cheap way of growing in soil. You have nothing to lose. Keep it up
Greetings, and thank you. I am using a few of your concepts and a couple of your techniques in a program I'm developing to teach people living in poverty (in another country), how to start with literally no money and start farming with the goal of becoming wealthy, creating jobs, and bringing money into their community. Since farming in terrible soil and limited water, hydroponics is a requirement. So thank you for all of your hydroponics videos. You got me started and I pray that you are blessed for your part in my project. But now that you are getting into soil gardening, I will be leaving you. Best wishes, and thanks again.
You have an inspiration to me. With growing microgreens and hydroponics. Most of the microgreens have been successful and this is a new adventure for me. I have tried hydroponics and aquaponics before. In the past I wasn't successful with hydroponics. You changed this for me and I truly appreciate you. Don't every think that you are a horrible person. You can't do it all - so, I am glad you are getting back to what you enjoy. That is what is most important. You will attract like minded people. So, it will be a win win situation.
I love gardening and digging around, but I'm not very good at it to be honest. I'm starting out my hydroponics now because you show how easy it is compared to soil and I am sooooo excited to see how it works out for me. But I never got the idea that you deter people from traditional gardening, or that you are "unfair" to other methods, you are simply showing us a new and easier way that a lot of people didn't even know or understand. Everyone knows traditional soil gardening, you don't have to "introduce" and explain that to the world. As I said, I'm not great at the soil gardening, but I will still continue with that too, and probably kill lots and lots more plants, don't worry... But it would be nice to have another (hopefully more carefree and more successful) system going too. Thank you for showing that to me!
Thanks for a great channel. I started my journey with you years ago. Now like you I have lots of systems to fill. So I took a tip from my aero garden and only top off nutrients twice a week and for all other days just use the garden hose to maintain level in the tomato, pepper, watermelon, cucumber type plants that drink heavy once they are in full swing. They don’t mind it at all and the harvest is always awesome.
Hey Mike. I don’t comment much but trust me , you’ve given me a new hobby that I really enjoy. My tomatoes are just now coming in. My arugula and basil “ keep on growing “ from a damn milk jug lol. It’s awesome and I love the training and gift you e given to me sir. Shake off the ppl who look at the world in a negative lens. You’re helping many and now I’m preaching it 🙌🏼💪🏼. Have a great day Mike
Right now I am adding about 1 time per week. I do water 1 time and nutrients the next. This is my first year. It is working this year. Next I will know what to change and tweak. I am learning so much from you. And while I may not feed the world, I am definitely feeding my family. Right now we are eating so much zucchini I dont know what to do with it. But I think they are about to play out; the squash bugs have been bad.
Ive been watching your videos for some time now. This past week I finally built a traditional garden, and yup, 1st plant was tomoatoes.. lol.. then the other stuff, but one plant im excited about is Bukchoy. Always learning and thanks. 😂🙌
Thank you for sharing your experience and skills. I appreciate doing it on the cheap as trying to live life these days is so expensive. As it turned out I already have most of what I need to do you method. 😊 Please follow your passion wherever it leads you, for life is to short not to.😉 Thanks Again!💛🤠
Love your channel, Mike, and I've been using and sharing your ideas, growing hydroponics for the first time ever this year (long time soil gardener). Hudroponic greens ate amazing. Trying a few tomatoes for kicks too. THANK YOU for your lessons, wisdom, and candor. Keep on Growing! 🤩
Great videos,I have been dirt farming for 50 years ! Tried hydroponics year before last ,love it ! Use pump though! But want to do a lot of lettuce the Kracky method though! I was raised up in a time,where there was no question to garden or not! You did to survive! We had to pick wild blackberries all day long in the hot sun! But that's ok ! We were taught many great things to survive to make it on our on! Keep inspiring and helping and teach others that are willing to learn! And one question,what are the foil looking bags you have called and how can I get some to try! Thanks so much! God Bless! And remember it all started in a garden! Marlene from SC!
Hunters, Shepherds, Cattle Herders, Dairy farmers, Baker, Chef, Trapper, Fisherman. All ways that one can feed one's self. You can't teach everyone everything, but you sure do teach cheap and easy hydroponics very well. Do you think it's a good idea to have the bottom bucket of a tower of Roma tomatoes empty? Maybe some weight to make the tower sturdy but no plants so the tomatoes have a place to hang? Thanks Mike.
@@KeepOnGrowin It looked as though you were having trouble keeping your toms off the ground. I was thinking no plants in the bottom bucket. Fill it with rocks or dirt for weight and stability and restricting my tower to 2 buckets above the stability bucket. I started my tower maybe 6 days ago. I'll be setting up my second soon. I have to say though a gallon a day does sound a little too much like work. We'll see. Thanks again.
I think it’s great that you do experiments for us, but if you don’t eat half of what you are growing (tomatoes etc) , I can see that becoming work. Thank you for doing for us, but you have to do what makes you happy !
Would be great to see seeds started then in hydro then transplanted in soil and vice versa! Also, separately, potato harvest videos are my satisfaction videos😂.
There are pros and cons to both, hydroponics and soil. Personally i have done both techniques and over the last months i saw that hydroponics are WAY easier and produce much quicker and better than soil. Plants are also much healthier, because lots of bugs need soil. So last week i threw out my last soil-container. I just can‘t stand soil anymore and i will never go back, i just don‘t see any benefit of soil (at least in my growing situation, i grow in containers indoors and on my balcony). Concerning your TH-cam channel: I think you are in a little crisis at the moment, but don‘t worry, we all are from time to time. It will go away again. Just give it (or yourself) a little time. To downscale the garden a bit is a good idea i think. It has become too much of a chore i guess. I always liked that your channel focused on hydroponics. There are not too many hydroponic channels. For soil there are tons of videos out there, i don‘t think that the world needs another garden channel that teaches soil gardening, just my opinion of course. It is your channel and your decision. Nevertheless thank you for all your hydroponic videos so far. They helped me a lot when i began with hydroponics last year.
Thank you for your opinion but I am not a creator like other TH-camrs. The internet is my tool to convey a message to people. I do not care if it is "good" or not for the channel, my motives are bigger than that. I am not "asking" anyone to watch, I am here for whoever may need it even if there are a million other channels. I am not just teaching soil gardening, I am taking people along on my journey and it is not in the least bit a crisis. I am more than happy and thankful.
After close to 55 years of veggie gardening in just about every conceivable manner, just don't listen to the naysayers. Just enjoy those bumper crops of whatever and with the failures, smile and press on. Every year I change my system somewhat with both hydroponics and soil grown. We are very similar in our approach and I hope this is what your viewers gain rather than any specific technique.
Hi Mike. Just curious. Have you ever been asked or tried to use old wine bottles as hydroponics mediums? I have been reading more about plastics getting into water especially in the heat. Was just wondering if that has been attempted. Maybe someone has tried it and I never saw it. I have a glass bottle cutter from another craft project. Maybe cut the wine glass top to be big enough for the pool noodle to sit in?
Hahaha if I want to watch a soil specialist I’ll watch Charles Dowding or James Prigioni. Hydroponics I watch you and Hoocho. We all do what’s easiest for us with the best results🍺🍺
@@KeepOnGrowin I’ve always had soil gardens but have just started (1 month ago) my first kratky container. You have me convinced but like swimming in a pool, I am just dipping my toes in but have a few more to build next week.
I subscribe. I don't catch all your videos so I might be asking the question that you've answered a million times, but when you have one of those rain gutters or whatever they are do they have to all be the same plant or could I plant different kinds of greens and vegetables in each hole
The problem really with traditional gardening is that what you can do in your place is only specific to your climate, elevation, and soil type and places with similar environmental conditions. Your channel has a global reach tho.. And because hydroponics is something anyone can do anywhere it makes sense to focus there. So just my opinion it's better to leave traditional gardening videos to channels that target a more local audience.
Personally here for the hydroponics, but soil gardening could be done differently than what I’ve done. Always open to new ideas looking forward to the addition.
You Sir are nothing even remotely comparable to bad. You have helped a lot of people including myself, & I appreciate everything I’ve learned from you personally ❤ Remember this famous Lincoln quote,” You can please part of the people some of the time,& some of the people part of the time, but you will never please all of the people all of the time”.
Oh for goodness sake, that guy who was giving you a guilt trip should take a flying leap! I love watching what you are doing AND I watch other gardeners as well. What does he think we are, a bunch of dopes? I enjoy your channel, I enjoy seeing what you do. You are a great person!
Mr. Mike- I am a 59 year old disabled person. My youngest child got a full time job a few years ago, so I find myself alone with very little to do now. So I started gardening. As a hobby, and a means of offsetting the food bill, assuring there will be food "just in case", its healthier, and I can share if I wind up with more than I can use. To me, it doesn't matter if it's in water or soil, indoors or outdoors. The more diverse the better, As long as it doesn't cross the line and become work. I love love love your "keep trying" attitude! Thank you for your mission here. You sir and an angel. Remember- Keep on Growing!
Not horrible. The person who said that to you is horrible though. They aren't adding to the world like you are they are only being demanding and acting entitled. You do an awesome job of what you do. Please don't let people like that change you. You're great!
I have no dirt to plant in, so I'm happy you got away from the dirt, if you hadn't I most likely wouldn't have found you and 🥰🥰🥰🥰
I have been an avid tomato gardener for decades. I also grow beans, cucumbers, peppers, summer and winter squash, leafy greens including sorel, herbs and some root vegetables.
Due to age and injury I have been having trouble keeping up with my garden for about 5 years now. I have wanted to transition some or most of my growing to hydroponics. Even with all my years of successful gardening, growing 70% of my family's annual vegetable intake, I haven't been able to make the switch.
Until now, thanks to your videos. I can't thank you enough.
I researched several methods (including Kratky) and spoke with hydroponic suppliers and gardeners. But it was actually too much information and to many choices. It wasn't until I saw your videos that things settled into place. I appreciate your straightforward, clear, easy going approach.
I am testing out a small section of non-root vegetables in buckets. 10 mini towers. Each 2 five gallon buckets high. Tomatoes, pepper, cucumbers, chard, basil, and parsley. I have all of these in greater quantities in the ground already. And so far the towers, including setup, are far less labor and time intensive then my established garden.
I look forward to seeing how this works out. Again thank you so much!!!
Just a reminder to folks just starting- grow what you eat!! I’ve been gardening for for almost 20 years and I won’t grow carrots because we don’t eat a lot of them. There are a bunch of veggies I don’t bother to grow because we don’t eat them like zucchini. Just focus on what you really like. Then experiment. It’s all just fun!
Me and the kids can nibble on cherry tomatoes, basils, and pea shoots all day long and pick leaves of lettuce. Indoors- all year round. We grow what we like. At the end of the day it’s a feeling like no other. 😊❤❤❤
I love your channel. I love that you do this because you want to help people. I agree that to truly "teach the world to feed itself" does require in ground gardens as well for some people but at the same time don't stretch yourself thin. You can't help people if you are burnt out. Ultimately you are helping more people than the average person and that's not a small thing. If you can teach both and find a good balance then absolutely do it so more people can learn from a great teacher! Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this channel
It can be good to listen to people cause God speaks to us sometimes through them. That being said, You need to be who you were created to be. Been following you for years and really appreciate all you do.
Great video Mike.
My wife and I are modern day travellers. Sold the house, bought a truck and a camper and have been living on the road since 2019. We have 4 - 5 gallon buckets that have kept us in leafy greens since I first found your channel back in March of this year. There's no way we could have a standard garden because we simply don't have a yard, lol.
Do whatever you feel is best for you but I would disagree with your friend. There are hundreds of channels on traditional gardening but only a few on hydroponics and even less on aquaponics. No traditional gardening channel could help us but your hydroponics channel does.
I'm pretty sure anyone who owns land knows the basics of soil gardening but not everyone who owns a 5 gallon bucket knows how to do hydroponics, lol.
Well said
Tomatoes and peppers seem to ALWAYS be the most requested vids. Yet again Michael, thanks for everything you do for all the people out there and trying to make their lives better! I have noticed cucurbits use a rediculous amount of solution. I have done well with peppers as last year we had a mild summer and never even had to refill the 5 gallon buckets. Tomatoes are a whole different animal though. I do think many of them do really need the pump system or at least an aeration system though to come to full capacity.
Great video Mike. I think you have turned way more people on to gardening then you have turned away from it. Glad to hear you are going to be doing something that will make you happy. Look forward to the future opportunity to learn even more from you.
Don't let somebody shame you into doing what they think you should be doing. Everyone has their own path. I have appreciated your experiments that help people find out the method that helps them best.
Yes, hydroponics is a daily job! Not heavy lifting but constant monitoring. Can you please expand on evaporation? Seems to happen daily and I worry about plant stress.
Mike you have been A GOD SENT! You have inspired me, taught me so many things I didn’t know…I’m teaching my grandchildren & my friends what you have taught me! I’m passing it on. Also You will be surprise to see how many more people still don’t know about your awesome Kratky grow methods. I love the simple things in life♥️😇 Thank you for blessing us & pray you have fun & success in that you do. 🙏🏼♥️
Having just recently found your channel with absolutely no garden yet I'm really excited to see you "reset" with a mix of hydroponics and traditional gardening. I think you're an invaluable resource not only for all your knowledge but for your passion too. You make gardening of all types seem really approachable. For that, I thank you!
Life is forever evolving. The wheels of change, continue turning. The big picture is a patchwork of beauty, and practicality.
Embrace change, adding variety to the mix at will. Celebrate life!!! Enjoy the fruits of your many labors!!!
♥️🍃🤗🍃♥️
I used to love testing the EC/PH almost every day. Then I think as I learned and got better at it, and I could “read the plants’ and tell if they needed something. Or knowing how much to add when adding new water. And it got easier and easier. I would love to do hydroponics outside at some point. But with all the towers inside, and now the full garden outside, and just me and my spouse doing it all, it gets to be a lot for sure. And I have struggled with adding more outside garden videos to my channel. So I hear you! We have tried straw bale gardening, never raised beds, and we just like in ground and now with cattle panels. They last forever and don’t have to spend money every year on straw bales, or keep up with the wood of the raised beds. Thank you so much for all your honesty. :)
I am doing some hydroponics and I also really like self wicking tubs. If you are no longer able to till up your ground, you can grow in large tubs!! Self wicking is great. Only have to water a couple times a week depending on location, weather, plants….. I found a ranch/farm & bought the mineral tubs for $3-5 each. I am growing peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, onions, green beans, everything on my patio & not a lot of daily work. BTW I am 70 years old!! Keep on growing Be the change!! Love your channel!!
Mike your not a hypocrite you were just not interested in a traditional garden 😂❤ sound good let’s see where this goes ✌🏼
I have kept blueberry plants for 10 years now and have never had a remotely harvest. After watching your channel I decided to give hydroponics a shot at blueberries.
I am in the process of cloning my 4 blueberry plant cuttings in a 2 gallon Lowe's bucket. I made some cuttings yesterday and put it in 80% peat moss 20% perlite medium. I really like Hoocho's approach of 3D printing cover for float valves. I don't have 3D printer or access to one. So what I came up with is cutting a 2 L bottle of soda and place the medium around it at the bottom of the the 2 gallon bucket. I wanted to try the float valve because I don't want to worry about watering or feeding the plants. I connected the 2 gallon bucket to a 5 gallon bucket
with half strength solution of Master Blend/Magnesium Sulfate/Calcium Nitrate. Hopefully the float valve will keep the blueberry clones feed and watered until I can transplant the clones once they grow their roots into individual buckets for further growth as Kratky hydroponics.
Mike VanDuzee, if you find you are doing something that does not pleases you, then go back to doing what pleasures you. You can always do these other things on the side, one of, not 5 or 19 of each. Then again, maybe you should be growing your Tomato's & other things in 55 gal. drums? Just Be Yourself & Do Your Best & Be Happy!
I love all the gardening inspiration I get from you Mike! I do small-scale hydroponics indoors and a bit outdoors, I have a few growbags going and I also still enjoy using the Larry Hall (RIP) "kiddie pool" method. I appreciate all your wonderful info and have gratitude for all you share. Sending love your way.
I just recently found your channel because ever since I saw the hydroponics at Epcot center when it first opened many many years ago I thought 'That is the way to go, but it was out of my reach. Now, at 73 where tratitional gardening is becomming more and more difficult I look forward to doing a little of both. In recentvyears I have started a very smal firest garden with fruit trees and berry bushes, including herbs and some anual vegetables underneath, but to be able to grow greens and frequesntly used culinary herbs on my enclosed porch would be the best of both worlds. Look farward to continued watching! God bless..
You’re awesome. I like the fact that you focus on one easy Kratky growing method. It’s the best for most people to be successful in growing some food. Fortunately I have the space for both methods and now use both. Thanks again for all you’ve done for so many.
I have your channel linked in a video I'm posting next week for people who want DIY. You are doing amazing. I'm not a DIY person.....at all....but I love sharing your page when people want diy instead of what I do.
I think as more people live in denser housing areas, hydroponics is the future. Soil gardening has been around for a long time and theres a lot more understood about it already. but Kratky hydroponics is relatively new and there is less understanding, especially how to do it cheap and easily, this is where your channel has filled the niche nicely.
10:50 you are a wonderful person. Thanks for all your help. Here in Florida gardening is tough. My hydroponic tomatoes are the first that have worked in years!!
5 gallons can be gone in a couple of days with tomatoes! I don't have a lot of time sometimes so easy is the priority for me.
I was trying to do a raft system but the circle pool noodles leave so much open space. I see your half noodles and I'm gonna try that. you wern't even talking about it, but showing it will help me. I lost a whole tray of seedlings cuz I didn't have a place to put them. and I have a box lined with a contractor bag and i've got nutrient solution in that so I can float some seedlings while trying to set up their final grow spot.
I can't do soil because fireants invade everything and my front yard is a slope. So, I've been turned off by people who say " all you have to do is buy hundreds of pounds of soil amendment and lumber and raised beds and ect. " and folks are container gardening but you still have to buy, source containers, and you stillhave to fill it with soil. Even the cheap compost from the city requires you have transportation to pick up hundreds of pounds that is one scoop. And the physical effort to shovel it around and stuff. Assuming that ground gardening is the simplest and the best is hubris.
I prettymuch gave up gardening cuz of ants and deer and heat and hard ground and all the work. Hydroponics is not magic and it's work too but it gives me some hope I can get something out of it, and I am extrememely grateful for that.
I'm still gonna grow in containers, but I don't feel like i have NO options anymore.
I absolutely love your candid behaviour. Thank you.😊
You're a wonderful inspiration to "keep on growing" and if you want to also grow in soil, I'm excited too. I do hydro with the down spouts I bought from you and also couple large raised beds (neither are safe when the moose come around!) lol. It's evident you care and have pure intentions to help others so don't get pressured to add soil, but if you do want to then more power to you. Love you.
You're an excellent teacher...you are my top gardening teacher!!
I already commented but I have to add, When I tried to grow lettuce traditional in the ground, I had a few concerns: #1 germination was spotty #2 Mesclum mix is the WRONG thing to grow when there are a lot of weed seeds in your soil ( Is that lettuce? is that a weed? I don't want to eat the wrong thing.... ) #3 bitterness. something always stresses it and it tasted bitter, #4 stresses - Too much rain, Too much sun, bugs , slugs, bolting, ...
Your videos finally let me have lettuce that I trusted was actually lettuce and was sweet and tender and not molested by bugs and everything. Fresh, crispy, non bitter, non wilted,non bug eaten, non bolted Yummy! That's because of YOU. Ive never had lettuce grow successfully in dirt except that one time some bolted and dropped a bunch of seed that volunteered.
Mike, I found your channel several years ago because I wanted to start growing fresh vegetables during New York's cold months. You inspired me to give it a try and it has become a great hobby. Last year I experimented with a couple Kratky method plants on our deck and enjoyed watching the differences between Kratky versus conventional garden. I look forward to watching your videos with your soil based garden, because I'm sure that I'll learn something new and easier from you and that is always more fun!
I’m 52, I’ve been fascinated with hydroponics since I was in jr high and I did some for a science fair. Love your content
Thank you! I am glad you find it useful!
I go with Dutch buckets it easy i want to thanks you for your help and support for all job you done
Thankyou for your service to humanity. I have great respect for your mission. I’m excited to be part of your next chapter 🎉
It took me a big while to be able to grow hydroponically. With soil I got tomatoes up and going very easy. But doing it at home attracts bugs. It's not good when you are cooking and seeing a bunch of bugs flying around Ahah. For those who have a garden it can be a good alternative. You can teach the easy and cheap way of growing in soil. You have nothing to lose. Keep it up
Greetings, and thank you. I am using a few of your concepts and a couple of your techniques in a program I'm developing to teach people living in poverty (in another country), how to start with literally no money and start farming with the goal of becoming wealthy, creating jobs, and bringing money into their community.
Since farming in terrible soil and limited water, hydroponics is a requirement. So thank you for all of your hydroponics videos. You got me started and I pray that you are blessed for your part in my project.
But now that you are getting into soil gardening, I will be leaving you.
Best wishes, and thanks again.
Best wishes Robert. I am doing both.
Keep it up, it's definitely a great idea to cover all the low budget DIY gardening types.
You are definitely a good person! Thank you for inspiring me not to give up!
You have an inspiration to me. With growing microgreens and hydroponics. Most of the microgreens have been successful and this is a new adventure for me. I have tried hydroponics and aquaponics before. In the past I wasn't successful with hydroponics. You changed this for me and I truly appreciate you. Don't every think that you are a horrible person. You can't do it all - so, I am glad you are getting back to what you enjoy. That is what is most important. You will attract like minded people. So, it will be a win win situation.
I love gardening and digging around, but I'm not very good at it to be honest. I'm starting out my hydroponics now because you show how easy it is compared to soil and I am sooooo excited to see how it works out for me. But I never got the idea that you deter people from traditional gardening, or that you are "unfair" to other methods, you are simply showing us a new and easier way that a lot of people didn't even know or understand. Everyone knows traditional soil gardening, you don't have to "introduce" and explain that to the world. As I said, I'm not great at the soil gardening, but I will still continue with that too, and probably kill lots and lots more plants, don't worry... But it would be nice to have another (hopefully more carefree and more successful) system going too. Thank you for showing that to me!
Awesome! Thank you so much and I hope you have a great harvest from both ways of growing!
Thanks for a great channel. I started my journey with you years ago. Now like you I have lots of systems to fill. So I took a tip from my aero garden and only top off nutrients twice a week and for all other days just use the garden hose to maintain level in the tomato, pepper, watermelon, cucumber type plants that drink heavy once they are in full swing. They don’t mind it at all and the harvest is always awesome.
You are a HUGE Blessing! I 💞 what you and Keally have done together❤
I hope I spelled her name right.
Pretty close, Keely. Thank you very much Susan!
Hey Mike. I don’t comment much but trust me , you’ve given me a new hobby that I really enjoy. My tomatoes are just now coming in. My arugula and basil “ keep on growing “ from a damn milk jug lol. It’s awesome and I love the training and gift you e given to me sir. Shake off the ppl who look at the world in a negative lens. You’re helping many and now I’m preaching it 🙌🏼💪🏼. Have a great day Mike
That's awesome! Thank you and Keep on Growin'!
Right now I am adding about 1 time per week. I do water 1 time and nutrients the next. This is my first year. It is working this year. Next I will know what to change and tweak. I am learning so much from you. And while I may not feed the world, I am definitely feeding my family. Right now we are eating so much zucchini I dont know what to do with it. But I think they are about to play out; the squash bugs have been bad.
U are not horrible U help a lot of us. I am from d Caribbean Trinidad and Tobago.
U are gteat
Ive been watching your videos for some time now. This past week I finally built a traditional garden, and yup, 1st plant was tomoatoes.. lol.. then the other stuff, but one plant im excited about is Bukchoy. Always learning and thanks. 😂🙌
You are doing so great. I love your channel. ❤
I’d just like to say that I’m completely open to whatever else you can teach me.
Thank you for sharing your experience and skills. I appreciate doing it on the cheap as trying to live life these days is so expensive. As it turned out I already have most of what I need to do you method. 😊
Please follow your passion wherever it leads you, for life is to short not to.😉
Thanks Again!💛🤠
Love your channel, Mike, and I've been using and sharing your ideas, growing hydroponics for the first time ever this year (long time soil gardener). Hudroponic greens ate amazing. Trying a few tomatoes for kicks too. THANK YOU for your lessons, wisdom, and candor. Keep on Growing! 🤩
Thanks for sharing, you rock! Happy gardening.
Thanks for sharing Mike.
Thank you Big Mike
Great videos,I have been dirt farming for 50 years ! Tried hydroponics year before last ,love it ! Use pump though! But want to do a lot of lettuce the Kracky method though! I was raised up in a time,where there was no question to garden or not! You did to survive! We had to pick wild blackberries all day long in the hot sun! But that's ok ! We were taught many great things to survive to make it on our on! Keep inspiring and helping and teach others that are willing to learn! And one question,what are the foil looking bags you have called and how can I get some to try! Thanks so much! God Bless! And remember it all started in a garden! Marlene from SC!
I remember days and days of blackberry picking! Those are Mylar bags, I get them on Amazon. Let me know if you have trouble finding them.
Have you done a video regarding how you start seeds for the kale, spinach, etc?
I use my microgreens
Hunters, Shepherds, Cattle Herders, Dairy farmers, Baker, Chef, Trapper, Fisherman. All ways that one can feed one's self. You can't teach everyone everything, but you sure do teach cheap and easy hydroponics very well. Do you think it's a good idea to have the bottom bucket of a tower of Roma tomatoes empty? Maybe some weight to make the tower sturdy but no plants so the tomatoes have a place to hang? Thanks Mike.
Thank you! My bottom buckets were all full. Like you said, needs stability.
@@KeepOnGrowin It looked as though you were having trouble keeping your toms off the ground. I was thinking no plants in the bottom bucket. Fill it with rocks or dirt for weight and stability and restricting my tower to 2 buckets above the stability bucket. I started my tower maybe 6 days ago. I'll be setting up my second soon. I have to say though a gallon a day does sound a little too much like work. We'll see. Thanks again.
I think it’s great that you do experiments for us, but if you don’t eat half of what you are growing (tomatoes etc) , I can see that becoming work. Thank you for doing for us, but you have to do what makes you happy !
Would be great to see seeds started then in hydro then transplanted in soil and vice versa! Also, separately, potato harvest videos are my satisfaction videos😂.
I love those potato videos too, lol😂
There are pros and cons to both, hydroponics and soil. Personally i have done both techniques and over the last months i saw that hydroponics are WAY easier and produce much quicker and better than soil. Plants are also much healthier, because lots of bugs need soil. So last week i threw out my last soil-container. I just can‘t stand soil anymore and i will never go back, i just don‘t see any benefit of soil (at least in my growing situation, i grow in containers indoors and on my balcony).
Concerning your TH-cam channel:
I think you are in a little crisis at the moment, but don‘t worry, we all are from time to time. It will go away again. Just give it (or yourself) a little time. To downscale the garden a bit is a good idea i think. It has become too much of a chore i guess.
I always liked that your channel focused on hydroponics. There are not too many hydroponic channels. For soil there are tons of videos out there, i don‘t think that the world needs another garden channel that teaches soil gardening, just my opinion of course. It is your channel and your decision. Nevertheless thank you for all your hydroponic videos so far. They helped me a lot when i began with hydroponics last year.
Thank you for your opinion but I am not a creator like other TH-camrs. The internet is my tool to convey a message to people. I do not care if it is "good" or not for the channel, my motives are bigger than that. I am not "asking" anyone to watch, I am here for whoever may need it even if there are a million other channels. I am not just teaching soil gardening, I am taking people along on my journey and it is not in the least bit a crisis. I am more than happy and thankful.
After close to 55 years of veggie gardening in just about every conceivable manner, just don't listen to the naysayers. Just enjoy those bumper crops of whatever and with the failures, smile and press on. Every year I change my system somewhat with both hydroponics and soil grown. We are very similar in our approach and I hope this is what your viewers gain rather than any specific technique.
You inspire!
Hi Mike. Just curious. Have you ever been asked or tried to use old wine bottles as hydroponics mediums? I have been reading more about plastics getting into water especially in the heat. Was just wondering if that has been attempted. Maybe someone has tried it and I never saw it. I have a glass bottle cutter from another craft project. Maybe cut the wine glass top to be big enough for the pool noodle to sit in?
Yes, that is doable. Many people grow in glass containers.
Hahaha if I want to watch a soil specialist I’ll watch Charles Dowding or James Prigioni. Hydroponics I watch you and Hoocho.
We all do what’s easiest for us with the best results🍺🍺
No sweat. Not asking people to watch, trying to help those that happen upon my channel. I will probably be setting up a no dig garden like Dowding.
@@KeepOnGrowin I’ve always had soil gardens but have just started (1 month ago) my first kratky container. You have me convinced but like swimming in a pool, I am just dipping my toes in but have a few more to build next week.
@@downunderfulla6001 Awesome! Keep me updated on how it goes.
I subscribe. I don't catch all your videos so I might be asking the question that you've answered a million times, but when you have one of those rain gutters or whatever they are do they have to all be the same plant or could I plant different kinds of greens and vegetables in each hole
I would plant the same or very similar. Plants use nutrients at different rates, some may suffer while others thrive.
Quick question. How do you handle heavy rains and hydroponics which are exposed to rain?
With my new design where the holes are on the sides instead of the top.
How do you deal with vine borer?
Might sound gross but squish them in the leaves.
I bought “Plant Food “by Expert Gardener. Will this be sufficient to make nutrient water? Haven’t started yet. Getting supplies ready.
You can try but I doubt it. Hydroponic nutrients are a little different than traditional NPK fertilizers.
@@KeepOnGrowin Would you please send us the link on where to buy the nutrients and any advice on making our own, please?
@@blueandbanana th-cam.com/video/SaN6Dlf2hCg/w-d-xo.html
The problem really with traditional gardening is that what you can do in your place is only specific to your climate, elevation, and soil type and places with similar environmental conditions.
Your channel has a global reach tho.. And because hydroponics is something anyone can do anywhere it makes sense to focus there.
So just my opinion it's better to leave traditional gardening videos to channels that target a more local audience.
It seems like the heartier, more substantial vegetables and fruits are not worth growing in hydroponics? 🤔
Not off grid. They do well in systems with pumps, nft, dwc, etc.
Wait, did I see planted pool
noodles in a water bed????
You did, lol
Your my favorite hydroponic gardner and the best teacher. I hope you never stop making hydroponic video's. You help so many of us💞
Personally here for the hydroponics, but soil gardening could be done differently than what I’ve done. Always open to new ideas looking forward to the addition.
Thank you. There will be a little of both!