Zooey Deschanel Is Championing One Of Gardening’s Coolest Trends – Here’s How To Try Hydroponics For Less

Hydroponic gardening is having a moment. The clever growing method is popping up in homes as people look for new ways to grow fresh produce in small spaces, and Zooey Deschanel is firmly on board.

The New Girl actor recently shared a glimpse of her own hydroponic setup on on Instagram, and honestly? It's a pretty compelling demonstration of why hydroponics has captured the attention of so many home growers.

The idea is simple: just like Zooey, you can grow plants (including vegetables!) without soil, using nutrient-rich water instead. Better still, many systems are compact enough to sit inside your home, which means you don't necessarily need a garden, a huge amount of outdoor space or even particularly green fingers to give it a go.

Let's Talk Hydroponics

The world of hydroponics is packed full of benefits, although there's no getting away from the fact that some of the sleekest hydroponic systems can come with a decidedly un-sleek price tag.

The good news? You don't need a celebrity budget like Zooey Deschanel to try the trend for yourself. In fact, there are now plenty of smaller and more affordable hydroponic kits like this one available on Amazon, making it possible to experiment with growing your own herbs and vegetables without immediately spending hundreds.

Keen to learn more about them and why they're a great choice for hands-off gardening? I spoke to a plant pro all about them to expand on why they are a great choice, as well as to learn about some of their potential drawbacks. Here's what they had to say.

What Are Hydropnic Systems?

Put simply, hydroponics is a way of growing plants without soil. Instead, plants are grown in a contained system where their roots have access to water infused with the nutrients they need to thrive.

The water is circulated around the system, often with the help of an air pump. This helps ensure the roots receive enough oxygen and prevents the water from becoming stagnant. Many hydroponic systems are also paired with grow lights to ensure any outdoor sunlight that the plants would otherwise be obtaining is supplemented.

It sounds futuristic, but the principle is actually pretty straightforward: rather than relying on soil to deliver nutrients and water to a plant's roots, a hydroponic system delivers them directly (which is incredibly appealing).

What system was Zooey advertising?

The system on Zooey's Instagram page is the Farmstand Nook model, created by the hydroponic company Lettuce Grow which she co-founded.

It's designed to be space-saving, standing vertically to tuck into even the smallest home corner, and it features numerous tiers to care for and display your plants simultaneously.

Zooey sat her hydroponic system in her breakfast nook, which is an ideal place to put one if you're hoping to make the most out of bringing the outdoors indoors. It'll greet you in the morning and you can just sit back and enjoy co-existing with the plants in your space while the hydroponic system does most of the work.

Why Is Everyone Suddenly Talking About Hydroponics?

One of the biggest advantages of hydroponics is how efficiently it can use space and resources. "Hydroponic systems typically use far less water than traditional growing methods because water is recirculated in a contained system rather than lost into the surrounding soil," says Elizabeth Waddington of First Tunnels.

A major pro point Elizabeth shared with me is how well hydroponic systems and their contained nature optimize the impact of what you're giving to your greenery.

That could make hydroponics particularly appealing to anyone who wants to grow their own food but doesn't have a traditional garden. Especially as, per Elizabeth's thoughts, hydroponic systems are a great space-saving choice, with tall-slim models being perfect for even the smallest of apartments. They also serve as an amazing alternative "where access to garden soil is limited or non-existent."

Shop Hydroponic Systems:

The Farmstand Nook featured on Zooey Deschanel's Instagram is made by Lettuce Grow, the company she co-founded, and is designed to grow vertically rather than taking up a large footprint horizontally.

Zooey has placed hers in her breakfast nook, making it as much a part of her home as it is a growing system. It's a particularly appealing idea if you're interested in bringing more greenery indoors, because instead of hiding your plants away in a garden, you get to see them every day.

And while the Nook is an impressive example of what hydroponic growing can look like, you certainly don't need to replicate Zooey's setup to join the trend, as the kits above all prove.

What Are The Drawbacks?

As appealing as hydroponics sounds, it isn't completely maintenance-free, and it's worth knowing that before investing. The main issue is that your plants are entirely reliant on the system continuing to work properly.

"Because plants rely entirely on the system, equipment failures can become serious quickly," Elizabeth explains. "A failed pump or prolonged power outage can stress or damage crops in a relatively short time."

That's something you don't necessarily have to worry about when growing a plant in a pot of soil. If you forget about a tomato plant for a while, it's still sitting there in its soil. A hydroponic plant is much more dependent on its growing environment continuing to function as it should.

For that reason, Elizabeth recommends keeping a backup air pump on hand, as well as plenty of nutrient solution so you can top up your system when needed. So, while hydroponics can certainly make growing more efficient, it isn't quite a case of setting up your system and forgetting about it.

What's Best Suited To Growing In A Hydroponic System?

Here's Elizabeth's breakdown of some of the best crops to grow in a hydroponic system. You'll be surprised by how versatile the list is!

• Leafy greens are among the easiest and most productive crops. Lettuce, spinach, kale, rocket, and Asian greens generally thrive in hydroponic systems and can produce abundant harvests throughout the year.
• Herbs are another excellent choice. Basil, parsley, coriander, mint, chives, and dill all perform particularly well, making hydroponics ideal for kitchen gardeners seeking a steady supply of fresh flavour.
• Fruit-bearing crops can also be successful. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and strawberries are commonly grown hydroponically, especially in greenhouse environments. However, these crops usually require more support, careful nutrient management, and greater attention to pollination.

If Zooey Deschanel's setup has left you wondering whether hydroponics could work in your own home, the answer may be yes... particularly if you don't have much outdoor space. Yes, a large and beautifully designed system might be the celebrity-approved dream, but a small hydroponic kit?

Why, that can give you a chance to see whether you actually enjoy growing this way before making a bigger investment. Maybe dip your toes into the trend for considerably less than the cost of a full-size system, and see how it works for you.