How to Do Hydroponics Outside

Select a site. Place the hydroponic frame, pool (a child's wading pool works well) or other container on a flat, smooth surface. Use a location that is similar to what you would use for a soil-based garden in terms of light and protection from animals such as deer and rabbits. Most gardens do best in full sun. Use fencing if necessary to protect your plants from animal pests.

Fill the container with nutrient solution. The liquid should come to within about 2 inches of the top of the container and should be at least 6 inches deep.

Float the Styrofoam raft on the liquid. Cut the Styrofoam so that it fits easily inside the frame and cut holes in the top to accommodate the net pots. You can easily trim the Styrofoam with a carpet knife.

Prepare the net pots. Put one rock wool cube with a seedling or seeds in each net pot. Prepare as many pots as there are holes in the raft. Fill the net pot with silica stones to hold the cube in place and to provide stability for the plants.

Insert one net pot into each hole in the raft. The pots should fit down into the holes so that the lower parts are in the nutrient solution, but the rims of the pots should prevent the entire pot from passing through the Styrofoam.