1º- Keep the tray clean, making sure that the holes are not clogged with dirt.

The New Garden System recommends periodic washing to optimise the culture system. However there is another alternative to reduce salt concentration in the hydroponic system. This involves adding only water in the hydroponic system’s tank during one watering cycle and thus allowing the plants to have time to absorb the accumulated nutrients. When the added water runs out, prepare and add another normal nutrient solution. However, even it you chose this latter option to decrease EC, over time root washings will be required to remove the salts that plants do not really need and that inevitably accumulate. 

To prevent wasting of the fertiliser, when performing root washing it is advisable to wait for the deposit module of your growing system with recirculation (growing table, vertical garden...) to be empty and in need of being filled. In MyPot® growing systems without recirculation (vertical garden, designer pots...) it is also recommended to perform root washings regularly, and water will be drained from the bottom of the culture system.

Steps to follow for root washings in automatic recirculation systems: 

1º) Place a continuous flow of running water at the top of your MyPot® growing system (growing table, vertical garden...). You can use a conventional watering hose which will be placed above the metering system dosage tray. If you do not have a hose you can add it manually gradually (approx. 30L per planting module). Then you must open the hose’s water flow and regulate it so that the flow is approximately the same as that of the microtube that is connected to the recirculation pump. After opening the running water flow, connect the timer in manual mode for the pump to eject the water that has circulated through the planting module. 

Steps to follow for washing the roots in systems WITHOUT automatic recirculation: 

Systems without automatic recirculation (vertical gardens, designer pots...) generally have a lower dosage of fertilisers, although over time they will also need to do root washings to prevent salinization of the substrate.  In the same way that it occurs in recirculating systems, gradually add 30L of running water per MyPot® planting module and make use of this nutrient-rich water for watering other plants.

Electroconductivity (EC) is measured in mS/cm (microsiemens per centimetre), which determines the concentration of salt existing in a liquid medium. To set an example for those who find this concept to be new, pure water has EC = 0 mS/cm and seawater can reach 60,000 mS/cm. Generically, values ​​between 0-1000 mS/cm are considered free salts soils, between 1000-2000 mS/cm low salt, between 2000-4000 mS/cm moderately saline and over 4.000 mS/cm saline or highly saline.  Most plants will be in good condition to values ​​of 2.000 mS/cm. When these values are exceeded  ​​sensitive plants begin to suffer stress, and when they exceed 4,000 mS cm the performance o all plants is affected by salinity. Very sensitive plants such as strawberries require a salinity below 2000 mS/cm, whilst vegetables such as tomatoes may reach concentrations of 4.000 mS/cm without this having a serious effect on their production.

Our MyFertiPot fertilisation kit comprises a great Universal fertiliser that nourishes plants providing themevenly with all the micronutrients and trace elements they need. This fertiliser is suitable for growing any type of plant, the only thing needed is to change the dosage of fertiliser used. However not all plants require the same type and amount of nutrients, so the root area gradually accumulates the amounts that have failed to be assimilated. At the same time, the water used to prepare the nutrient solution may contain a salt concentration that can be up to 1 mS/cm depending on its hardness.

There are electroconductivity meters that allow to know the exact amount of dissolved salts in a system, these are conductivity meters. If you have one, you should make sure you wash the roots when EC values ​​are, generally, around 3000 mS/cm. If you do not have this appliance, washings should be performed regularly preventively at intervals of between 7-20 days depending on the type of plants cultivated and on the temperature.

When performing washings and recirculating water with lower salt concentrations, the salts concentrated in the system are diluted and discharged with the clean water, which can be used for watering other garden plants. Thus, the perlite substrate or soil that has been used to grow in the MyPot® hydroponic system restores the initial concentration of salts, the plants are free of stress and consequently its production is reduced.

Horticultural plants generally have a short life cycle, ranging from one month for lettuce, up to 6 months for tomatoes or aubergines. MyPot® growing systems planted with low root development vegetables such as lettuce can give several harvests without changing the perlite or emptying the pot (planting module), so when the plant is ready to harvest, it is uprooted and another plant fills the gap that was left. 

On the other hand, there are plants with strong root development such as broccoli, tomatoes ... which fill the planting module with roots that must be removed before planting the new one. Thus, once the plant has completed its life cycle, you will prepare the MyPot® planting module for the next harvest. Generally, the following steps must me followed:  

1.  Remove the wilted plant debris (stems and leaves) from the plants and remove the dosage tray from the planting module in the Growing Table or Vertical Garden or Orchard.

2. Empty all the perlite from inside the module, which will be full of roots.

Perlite is a substrate that can be recycled, even if a portion of the perlite is colonised with roots, it can be mixed with soil from pots of from ground crops to improve its physical properties.  Perlite in good condition can be used again in the culture system, although it will be necessary to replenish the amount of discarded perlite.

3. Along with perlite, anti-root filters must also be removed from the hydroponics growing system. These filters can be reused if they have not been seriously deteriorated by the plant’s roots. If they are not suitable for use, you can buy anti-root filter spare parts on our online shop, along with the perlite and accessories you need.

4. Remove the "Drainage grid" to clean inside the MyPot® planting module by removing the remaining roots that have grown.

5. Once the parts are clean, replace the drainage grid inside the MyPot® planting module. 

6. Place the anti-root filters on the drainage grid to prevent the perlite from entering into the internal tank when filling the MyPot® planting module with perlite.

7. Finally place a paper or plastic on the draining grid tube and refill the planting module with MyPot® bio-perlite to the indicated level, remove the paper or plastic once the module is full of perlite.

8. Clean the MyPot® tank module and the recirculation pump to complete the process.

9. After completing this step, fit the planting module back into the tank module guiding the microtube through the internal ducts so as to not interrupt the flow of nutrient solution.

1. Rule out the possibility that the problem is not the automatic timer. To do so, connect the pump directly to the power supply to check.  

2. Check that the microtube in the pump (where the nutrient solution of the planting module tank circulates) is not bent inside the growing system. To check, disengage the planting module from the tank module on your growing table or automatic vertical garden. Check that the microtube has been conducted correctly through the system’s internal ducts and that the cylindrical part that guides the microtube is positioned properly. Fit the growing table again and check if the pump is working properly. 

3. Check that the microtube in the pump is not jammed; to do so, you just have to blow into the microtube (with the pump being turned off) and check that air bubbles are coming out of the pump to ensure it is not obstructed.

4. Remember that each of our automatic growing systems (Growing table, Vertical Garden...) includes a specific recirculation pump which raises water to a height that is appropriate to its design. In the event of extending the system vertically by adding more MyPot® planting modules, you must replace the recirculation pump with another one adapted to the pumping height required. Our online shop has different pump models available to suit the desired pumping height; gardens with heights above 2m can be set up.

Indoor temperature is more stable than outdoors, so plants consume a smaller amount of nutrient solution. The MyPot® planting module alone can be considered an efficient self-watering pot, which stores 4 litres of water in the inner tank. The stored water with nutrients is made available to plants gradually by capillarity (perlite absorbs the water in the reservoir tank by capillarity), this coupled with a stable temperature makes it possible for the plant roots to be kept moist for several weeks, not needing to be watered in this time interval. 

Plants grown inside the home or office should be selected according to their need for light and temperature, these are the only factors that you will not be able to control with our designer pots, and that you will need to provide to ensure success. Some of the plants that can be grown indoors are ivies, ferns, pothos, bamboo, asparagus ... 

Inside the home we recommend leaving the tank cap on to prevent any spillage on the floor. If water were to accumulate in the tank, you can easily empty it by removing the MyPot® planting module and removing the accumulated water. 

Outdoor ornamental plants such as roses, geraniums and azaleas, more easily withstand temperature variations and grow faster in warm periods. Thus they have different water needs. The MyPot® self-watering designer pots (planting modules) have a 4L watertight water-reservoir, with only planting holes for placing the plants. This feature creates a humidity chamber inside the pot that keeps plants hydrated for a longer period than other pots available on the market. In addition, our designer pots include a level indicator that indicates the amount of water in the reservoir tank, warning you that the plants should be watered. 

If placed in a garden or terrace with drip irrigation system, you can automate your watering system by placing a dropper in the top part of the planting module of your MyPot® designer pot or vertical garden, so that water is added periodically and automatically.

In MyPot® manual culture compositions including the tank (TowerPot, MiniTower ...), it is necessary to remove the tank module cap when growing outdoors, to prevent rainwater or excess irrigation water from accumulating in the system.

Horticultural plants need more water and nutrients for growing (see section 2.1.); in automatic recirculation systems these demands are met with each recirculation cycle. However it is also possible to grow vegetables or aromatic plants in systems without automatic recirculation, for which periodic manual recirculation shall be made. Manual recirculation, like automatic, provides water and nutrients to the roots, providing them with oxygen and with the right growing conditions they need: the greater the number of recirculation cycles you do to your system, the better the plants will grow. We recommend doing at least one a day, increasing the frequency in warm periods or when the vegetables are very large. The water level indicator that is included in the top tray of the module will indicate the amount of water remaining inside the system, warning about irrigation needs. 

We have kits that do not include recirculation pumps which are suitable for vegetables, flowers or aromatic plants. With these we recommend mixing the perlite substrate with an organic substrate such as peat or humus 50-50%. In the inner base of the planting module you must leave a 2cm layer (approx.) of perlite, which will fill the absorption strips in the drainage grid* existing inside the MyPot® planting module, and then put the remaining substrate with the humus-perlite mix. This will help avoiding capillarity problems and it will prevent drainage problems. 

Vegetables or aromatic plants will grow healthy and balanced in a small space, creating a mini garden that is suitable for any place. For proper plant nutrition we always recommend our MyFertiPot fertilisation kit in order for your plants not to lack any nutrients. You can grow up to 8 edible plants per module (tomato, pepper, parsley, stevia, cucumber, broccoli, rosemary, thyme...) without electric power for recirculation of the nutrient solution. Optionally you can install these systems in your garden and place a drip on the top part for programming watering with the rest of the plants.

Regardless of the substrate in your MyPot®, we recommend continuous fertilisation in horticultural and/or medicinal plants, and regular fertilisations in ornamental plants, so they do not suffer nutritional deficiencies and so that you have splendid crops with a great appearance. In general, fertilise your floral-ornamental garden once a month (or each lunar cycle) and the plants will have an appropriate amount of nutrients. Watering or ornamental plants in between fertilisation can be done with water only, but this may vary depending on plant needs. For horticultural or medicinal plants, always use the recommended dose of fertiliser. 

If you want to ensure that all the nutritional needs of your ornamental plants are covered use the MyFertiPot fertilisation kit, which incorporates all the nutrients and trace elements that plants need and also regulates the pH of the nutrient solution easily. You need to make root washings regularly (sections 2.3 and 2.4) for proper system operation. You can buy this on our online shop along with other add-ons you need.

The MyPot® modular growing system is very versatile as it functions as a "Lego®". With its modules you can adapt your garden or garden to your needs. Our modules fit together so for example you can expand your automatic growing table to a vertical garden by adding more MyPot® planting modules and placing a suitable recirculation pump to the desired height. Systems without recirculation have no need for a pump, and they can easily create floral columns of several meters high.

Any growing kit without recirculation (designer pots, vertical gardens...) can easily be turned into a recirculation system (automatic growing table, urban gardens...) by adding more MyPot® modules and a recirculation pump. Also the other way around, automatic recirculation systems may be used as manual recirculation systems simply by turning the pump off. 

Other supplements may also be added to the growing systems, such as wheels for easy movement, levelling legs to improve stability on inclined surfaces and/or a canes kit to guide the growth of plants. You can purchase any desired module or complement on our online shop.

MyPot® modules are very resistant and fit together allowing the vertical growth of the system as a column. These columns are highly resistant and allow you to create multifunctional bio-structures. With MyPot® it is possible to build (bio)pergolas and/or (bio)gazebos easily. This solid structure will provide a support for creating an intimate and shaded environment where you will be able to grow flowers or vegetables in its columns at the same time. With MyPot® it is possible to create an integrated and functional architectural environment.For more information about bio-construction possibilities with MyPot® watch the video entitled "How to build a gazebo with MyPot®" on our YouTube channel or ask us about it on info@mypot.eu.

MyPot® stimulates your creativity and helps you optimise space in your garden. MyPot® urban gardens can be planted with the same kinds of vegetables or greens if you wish, but we recommend you have a high agricultural biodiversity, for several reasons. One is that the MyPot® system allows growing up to 8 different plants per MyPot® planting module, and this can be used for having a diverse garden that will provide much of the food you eat.

Vegetables can be categorised into 4 groups: 1) Climbers, 2) Shrubs, 3) Creepers, 4) Small-sized.

The first group includes plants such as tomatoes or beans; the second, peppers or aubergines; the third, cucumbers or pumpkins, and the fourth plants like lettuce or parsley. By combining these plants, which have different features, you will have a stratified vertical orchard. We recommend placing climbers at the top of the planting module, which will be guided with the help of MyPot® canes so that their branches can climb safely. Shrubs should be placed on the sides, so they can grow horizontally on the side planting holes of the planting modules, which should also be guided with MyPot® canes. Creepers should be placed in the system’s lowest module (in the event of having more than one planting module) on the side or central holes to allow the stems to reach the ground; and small-sized plants can be combined in any place that is left available, as they will be "stuck" to the MyPot® growing system. Always consider interspersing small-sized plants with larger plants so that they can all grow conveniently. By planting this way, you achieve optimising sunlight by producing a variety of food in less than 1m².

Aquaponics growing systems integrate growing vegetables with fish farming, which is a type of organic farming where the waste produced by fish is used as nutrients for plants growing with hydroponics. Plant roots act as a biological filter and purify the water that returns clean and oxygenated to the fish farming tanks.  Thus, fish waste, whose accumulation can become a problem and cause toxicity to aquatic animals themselves, meet the organic fertiliser function, as they are very rich in nitrogen.

Aquaponics systems have several components including a breeding fish tank and a vegetable planting system. The MyPot® planting module acts as filter where plants are grown; this removes coarse particles and dissolved plant roots. This will prevent the pond water from turning green with algae while 100% healthy vegetables are grown.  It can also be installed immediately in any pond or small lake. The most appropriate vegetables for aquaponics systems are green-leafed vegetables such as chard, spinach or lettuce, vegetables such as beans, fruits such as strawberries and a wide range of aromatic plants. Fish can be either for human consumption or for ornamental purposes.

The main advantages of aquaponics include the integrated and sustainable production of fish and vegetables, water is saved due to its reuse, a reduction in the environmental impact, it is very suitable for places where there is water shortage or fertile land available, water excreta are removed being filtered by the plant roots and thus water in tanks is cleaned naturally.

Hydroponics and bioponics culture system (live hydroponics)

The MyPot® growing system offers great versatility when it comes to growing, there are several modalities such as traditional hydroponics or bioponics. The growing system is the same, but it can be grown with several combinations of substrates.

HYDROPONIC CULTURE

Among the existing growing systems, hydroponic systems are the best and most efficient due to the intense control of plant growth conditions. With hydroponics, plants grow faster and more balanced than with any other growing system. If you choose to cultivate with this system, you will grow like professional farmers, with perlite substrate activated with micro-organisms that acts as a natural fortifier and improves plant nutrition. This is a very clean system as it uses no soil, and it is ready for planting.

BIOPONIC CULTURE or for use with SOIL

Bioponics (or live hydroponics) is a growing technique that integrates growing with soil (peat, humus...) in a hydroponics system. The system developed by MyPot® allows cultivating mixing 50% of perlite substrate with 50% of soil (peat, humus...). Organic soil mixed with perlite contains a small amount of nutrients, which will initially be sufficient for plant nutrition during the first weeks. This system also includes micro-organisms, but we recommend fertilising with MyFertiPot fertiliser to prevent plants from lacking any nutrients. 

The MyPot® growing system is a great solution for farming areas with a limited surface area. Our system grows vertically, literally multiplying the surface area with each added module. For example one hectare of greenhouse becomes two hectares by placing two MyPot® planting modules, saving space, time and resources. The MyPot® hydroponics systems can be connected in series to a central repository, so that water is recirculated from the central repository for the entire growing system with a single recirculation pump.

Having a family orchard in an urban environment is now very easy. With the Store Water Kit you can stop worrying about watering your urban garden for long periods of time, because it is designed to connect multiple MyPot® hydroponics systems recirculating together.  It keeps all tank modules connected and filled with nutrient solution at all times. The only thing you have to make sure is that the central repository does not run out of nutrient solution. The Water Store kit is composed of a float valve, which is installed in tank modules, and cuts off the flow when they are full. So you can go away for a few days without having to worry about watering your garden during your holidays.

This system has been designed for any family to achieve food sovereignty through MyPot® urban vertical gardens.