Hydroponic Gardening?

arrrggggg.....

Door on garden wasn't full secured this morning...... DEER, darn DEER !!!!

It is all gone, every plant has been stripped bare!

Now in my frustration I am pondering hydroponics (outdoor, indoor and organic)

Does anyone have any experience or opinions on this type of gardening?

Thanks.....Yknot

Sorry about your garden, yknot. I'm trying a few tomato plants in my waterlily pond this year. So far they look good, but I have no idea what I'm doing and don't know how to handle the fertilizer. Maybe someone with some knowledge will come along to help us.

Ynot, there is an ad for aero garden on your page.

They are cute, but not for really serious gardeners.

They are nice to keep a few herbs.

There is also another type of hydroponic gardening which is off the ground but done outside.

The pots are on poles.

I think you would be getting into a lot of expense to go hydroponic. You have a lot of electrical equipment, constant running water, and must add special costly fertilizer all the time.

Perhaps it would be less expensive to make the gate more secure or purchase something to keep the deer and other rascals away. I know there are some sonic things and some smelly things...I have seen stuff advertised.

Or...you can entice the deer back and shoot 'em. Get your greens back recycled as venison!

Well I am finding lots of stuff on the internet ....(sites like instructables.com)

I am 'off the grid' electricity wise and hopefully will be doing more rainwater harvesting by next year (If not I live near a lake and our water dept is fairly cheap).

So far the only expense is time seeking out materials (salvage) to build, determining how to concoct an organic formula (or using SeaMax I guess).

It will be a new direction should I embark on the process (I am swamped with other projects or events for the next week or so)

If it is successful I will post my findings.

Thanks for the input!

OMG.  I have lots of issues with deer too.  Cute but destructive.  You must be devastated after all that work!

Never tried the hydroponic equipment but I'd love to get one of those small greenhouses. 

Put a spring on the door.

Hunt deer.  They are food too.

The systems I am aware of require electricity for pumping, solenoids, etc.

A friend of mine is experimenting with fruit trees grown in bags made from weed mat. They are on pallets so that they can be moved easily.  Watering is automatic, but could be manual.  They are under cover so that he has total control of the watering.  Feeding is just some commercial plant food tossed onto the surface of the potting mix once a year.

BUT...

....he still needs to protect them from pests and if someone leaves a gate open cows or goats will destroy them.

Cheers

Chris