To grow plants in water is a great way for gardeners to raise plants organically, and green thumb or not, most people are usually successful growing plants in the soil. Especially the growers who opt for fabric pots. But for those gardeners contemplating an alternative way to raise their plants, understanding how to grow plants in water is essential to being a successful grower.

Plants make people happy, and they have the added bonus of cleaning the interior atmospheres of most places, but they also need upkeep and may be challenging for the novice grower to master. So, to aide in the growers confidence, we recommend starting with a plant that never needs to be fed, and is nearly impossible to kill, and we also recommend reading through this article to understand how to grow plants in water from leading experts.

Growing plants in water is also known as hydroponic harvesting. A process in which farmers grow crops in a mixture of liquid water and nutrients instead of soil. “To grow water-based plants, you will need the following: water, nutrients, oxygen, and a container to keep the plant from tipping over,” says David Emmons, owner of Vermont Character Masterpieces, a company that styles root vases for waterborne plant life and herbs.

With most plants, soil keeps the plant from tipping over and losing the nutrients, but with small herbs and houseplants, they can get sufficient nutrients just from water, which already consists of trace levels of minerals and nutrients that support plant development. Quite simply, no soil is needed.

This technique for growing plants is ideal for beginner indoor growers, David Emmons states, since it’s easy-to-care-for and ensures that the plant is free from disease and infestation problems. “You get rid of many plant illnesses since the bulk is from soil-borne molds and bugs. Without soil, you avoid those problems.

To grow plants in water takes little prep!

So let’s get started

Step 1 – Choose your plants

Plants that are suitable for indoor hydroponics sometimes can grow so fast that you will find a new leaf or bud almost every day! Oregano and mint can grow fast, as well as rosemary and basil. Lavender and sage are favorites at David’s store and we always recommend ivy, and wandering Jew, or maybe a flowering plants such as begonias, will all thrive in water-based grows. So many varieties can grow well in water, that your windowsills will flourish with plantlife, even in January!

Step 2 – Root It

Once you have decided to grow in water, clip a segment of the existing plant and place it in a glass jar, just as you would if you were going to trim a plant that is in soil. Make sure you cut just below the leaf leaving the stem in place. That stem is considered the “leaf node”, and it is really where the majority of the rooting hormone inside the plant has already been active and will ensure a sprout. Unless you possess any of your own existing plants or an herb garden, you can ask friends for cuttings from their plants and start to grow your own from their trimmings.

Step 3 – Water It

The water you use is important. City water is filtered for public consumption, meaning it usually is chlorinated and could possess harmful chemicals to a plant and makes it void of any nutrients. Instead, using spring water or even better, well water, has higher levels of nutrients in it. For containers, you can use any glass jar you have, as long as you can see-through it. It is known that red glass assists plants in growing the quickest, but any clear container will do, all that matters is that the roots obtain some light.

And that’s about it. You’ll have to refill the water monthly, or whenever around fifty percent of it evaporates, but there is no need to be concerned about stagnant water, says Emmons. Cut flowers are simply rotting and dying in the water, but if you are growing plants in the water, they are living, so the water will remain clean.

Step 4 – Check In Yearly

At around the one-year mark, your water might begin to look murky and it will need to be changed. Also, the roots will have grown a great deal, so they have to be trimmed so they don’t choke the plant. If you are growing natural herbs, you may want to replace your sprig after a year altogether, but that is usually based on which plant you selected to water-grow. The woodier or more powerful the item, the additional time that it will last in water. For example, rosemary may surpass six years in water, but basil may just last a year.

Producing a New Plant

In case you don’t want to change a plant from the soil-based grow it is already in, to a water-based grow, you may clip off a section from the initial plant and grow it in the jar with water. Make sure you slice below the leaf (as discussed above), where most of the rooting hormone within the plant is usually stored.

Growing plants in water has never been easier, and increasing numbers of people are trying to find simpler and less expensive methods to bring natural beauty to their homes, like growing a plant provides. Even though we dedicate 90% of our time to being inside our homes, we are often inhaling old, polluted and stale air. Plants are not only a great method to clean any toxic, harmful or chemical compounds often found in furniture, carpets and rugs, but you can’t really fail adding plants to your home for the joy of watching them grow and thrive, and now that you know how to grow plants in water, we hope you enjoy many years of healthy indoor water-growing in your homes too!