IKEA launches their own version of a DIY hydroponic herb garden

IKEA's off-the-shelf mini hydroponic herb garden looks like a fun kitchen companion

• Hydroponics is the practice of growing plants without the use of soil
• Instead of soil, hydroponics systems use aerated nutrient-rich water that flows directly to the plant's roots
• This mini herb planter that can grow anything from basil to lettuce on your kitchen counter

IKEA’s off-the-shelf mini hydroponic herb garden looks like a fun kitchen companion if you don’t want to get your hands dirty building your own system from scratch.

This stylish little unit is Ikea’s answer to a mine herb planter that can grow anything from basil to lettuce on your kitchen counter.

The herb garden comes in a foolproof kit format that actually has quite a few components that need to be assembled.

You begin by germinating and sprouting the seeds in small rockwool cylinders.

After the seedlings sprout, you move the baby plants to a tray filled with pumice stones that retain water. The roots will eventually grow through the rockwool medium and suck water up from the stones.