A Kratky garden is a simple way to grow a plant. There is no pump and no electricity.
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Kratky vs soil is a question many beginners ask before they buy anything. Both can grow healthy food at home. The Kratky method grows plants with their roots in nutrient water, with no pump and no electricity. Soil gardening grows them in pots or beds of soil or potting mix. Each suits different plants, spaces and people.
In soil, nutrients come from the soil itself, compost and any fertilizer you add. Soil also buffers pH, so small mistakes are softened. In a Kratky container, every nutrient the plant gets comes from the hydroponic nutrient you mix into the water, and you check the pH yourself. That gives you more control, but also more responsibility. More in Nutrients, pH and Safety.
Soil plants need regular watering, and both too much and too little are common problems. A Kratky plant is set up with its water at the start, and you check the level every few days. There is no daily watering. That is one of the main reasons people try Kratky.
Kratky containers are clean: no soil on counters, no muddy drainage trays. That makes them well suited to kitchens, apartments and windowsills. Soil pots indoors need drainage, saucers and some cleaning. Outdoors, soil beds are hard to beat for space and for large plants.
Without soil, Kratky containers avoid soil-dwelling pests, such as fungus gnats that breed in damp potting mix. Leaf pests can still find any plant, so check under the leaves either way. Kratky containers outdoors need sealing against mosquitoes; see Mosquito Larvae in a Kratky Container.
Leafy greens and many herbs suit Kratky very well, because they grow fast and stay compact. Root crops like carrots and potatoes, and sprawling plants like squash, are better in soil. Large fruiting plants can be grown in big Kratky containers, but soil or an active hydroponic system is often easier for them. Best Plants for Kratky lists good first Kratky plants.
Both can be cheap. Soil gardening needs pots, potting mix and sometimes fertilizer. Kratky needs a container, net pots, a growing medium, a hydroponic nutrient and a pH kit, and most of these are reused for many plantings. See Kratky Supplies.
If you want fresh greens or herbs indoors with very little daily care and no mess, try Kratky. If you want root crops, large plants or a garden bed outdoors, soil is the better fit. Many home growers do both: soil outside, a few Kratky jars on the kitchen windowsill. Start with Kratky Method for Beginners or the six steps in Make a Kratky Garden.
Many growers find leafy greens grow quickly in a Kratky container, because the roots sit right next to water and nutrients. Soil-grown greens grow well too, and soil gives more room for error. Either way, the biggest advantage of growing at home is picking leaves minutes before you eat them.
To start in soil, you need a pot with drainage holes, potting mix and a plant. To start with Kratky, you need a dark container, a net pot, a growing medium, a hydroponic nutrient and a pH kit. Kratky has a few more parts at first, but most of them are reused for many plantings.
Light, temperature and picking the right plant matter in both methods. Skills you learn in one, like reading leaf color, harvesting outer leaves first and keeping notes, carry straight over to the other.
For Kratky, Kratky Problems covers what to check when something goes wrong.
Soil suits beds, borders and large outdoor pots. Kratky suits counters, windowsills and small balconies where soil would be messy or heavy. Choosing by space is often the easiest way to decide.
Tip: Try both side by side with the same plant. It is the quickest way to see which method suits your home.
Nutrients, pH and safety guide