How to Grow a Black Wax Bean Without Soil

Drill 8 to 10 small drainage holes in the bottom of the 5-gallon bucket. These will allow the liquid to drain from the bucket into the catch tray.

Make a 3/4-inch hole in one corner of the catch tray, to allow the nutrient solution to drain out. Place the catch tray on top of the water storage tank so that the drain hole will feed the liquid directly into the storage tank. It can rest directly on the tank or on a shelf just above the tank. There needs to be strong sunlight, such as in a greenhouse or near a large window, to avoid the need for artificial light.

Fill the bottom third of the bucket with pea gravel, to give the bucket enough weight to hold the mature bean plant. Fill the rest of the bucket with perlite. Plant a black wax bean seedling in the perlite, ensure its stability and cover the roots with perlite.

Set the bucket in the catch tray. This will catch the nutrient solution from the bucket and direct it to the storage tank. If the bucket sits too flat to drain properly, set it up on small blocks of wood so the liquid flows freely from the bucket into the tray.

Put a submersible pump with a long tube connected to it in the storage tank. Bring the tubing up to the top of the bucket and clip it there. Arrange the opening that it will fill the bucket when the water flows.

Set the timer to turn on three times per day and fill the bucket to within an inch of the top of the perlite, then turn off. This provides nutrients for the beans to grow. Fill the storage tank with six to seven gallons of nutrient solution. Plug the submersible pump into the timer to complete the setup.