Desktop Hydroponics Wick System

A simple wick system that can hold a small plant like an herb. Works well with seedlings, but I think it should work with directly sowed seeds too. Please consider supporting me by buying me a coffee!

Supplies:

15oz. can ~75mm diameter

Old cotton shirt / towel

Potting soil

Seedling

PLA filament

Tools:

3D printer

Can opener

File

3D print the inside cup that contains the soil and plant. I used PLA filament at .3mm layer height. If you don't have a 3D printer, your local library or maker space will likely have one. You could also make one out of a soda bottle, but it won't look as neat.

Use a can opener to open the can. Make sure the inside is clean and the sharp edges have been filed away. Cut a wick out of a shirt or towel following the example above. Insert it through the hole in the cup and spread out the two flaps to each side of the cup. There should be a few inches of fabric dangling from the other end. Then add the seedling and potting soil and fill a quarter of the can with water. Finally, insert the cup w/ plant and you're done! After about 15 minutes, the soil should be damp to the touch. It's also not a bad idea to add a tiny bit of nutrients to the water. If you liked this, please vote for this in the recycled challenge! Thanks!