From bottles to beds: How a Harare household can start a backyard Hydroponic garden

In a city where water and fertile land are increasingly scarce, soilless gardening is no longer a luxury — it’s a practical lifeline. Hydroponics, which grows plants in nutrient-rich water instead of soil, uses far less water, takes up little space and can deliver fresh vegetables year-round. Below is a clear, low-cost guide for a poor household in Harare to start a backyard hydroponic garden — either with simple DIY materials like discarded plastic bottles and old PVC pipes, or by stepping up to affordable basic machinery — plus where to get parts and who in Zimbabwe is already teaching the method.

Why hydroponics for Harare households?

Hydroponics can use up to 90% less water than field gardening because nutrient solutions are recirculated rather than lost to the ground. For small urban lots, balconies or backyards, hydroponics multiplies production per square metre and shortens time to harvest — an enormous advantage for families trying to stretch food budgets or generate small incomes. Humanitarians and development agencies in Zimbabwe have been promoting hydroponics as a climate-smart adaptation for water-stressed communities.

Two practical entry routes: DIY bottles or a simple machinery kit

Option 1 — DIY with plastic bottles or PVC
This is the cheapest route and perfect for beginners. Collect clean plastic bottles (1–2 litre soda or Chibuku Super bottles work) or cut old PVC and guttering to make channels. The simplest method is the Kratky or passive bottle system: cut a hole in the bottle cap, suspend a net pot or small cup with medium (coconut fibre or clean sponge) over a reservoir of nutrient solution; seedlings sit in the net pot and roots reach down into the water. Rows of bottles can be hung vertically or mounted on a simple frame. For horizontal channels, link bottles or short sections of PVC and slope them slightly so excess solution flows back into a reservoir. Detailed step-by-step guides and videos that reuse bottles show this approach works well for lettuce, herbs and leafy greens.

Option 2 — Low-cost machinery / beginner kits
If you can afford a modest initial outlay, buy a small pump, an air stone (for oxygen), tubing, net pots and a reservoir tank. An ebb-and-flow or simple nutrient-film technique (NFT) kit will give faster, more reliable results, especially for continuous production. Pumps and irrigation parts are sold in Harare by local irrigation and plumbing suppliers such as Drip Tech; PVC, poly pipe and drip-system parts are available from hardware stores and specialist irrigation suppliers. For households wanting to scale, shops and small hydroponic firms in Harare can supply starter kits and installation advice.

What you will need (budget options)

DIY bottle/PVC method (minimal cost): clean bottles or length of PVC/gutter, sharp knife/scissors, growing medium (coco coir or sponge), simple nutrient mix (buy online or from garden shops), seedlings or seeds, string/wood for frame.

Basic pump kit (modest cost): small submersible water pump (5–15 W), air pump + air stone, net pots, reservoir (a plastic barrel or large bucket), PVC or channels, tubing, pH test strips, hydroponic nutrient solution.

Where to buy in Harare: local hardware stores stock PVC, poly pipe, and fittings; irrigation companies and farm supply shops list pumps and fittings. Online market places serving Zimbabwe sometimes list hydroponic kits, and a growing number of local hydroponic firms also sell components and training. agriuniverse.co.zw

Step-by-step (simple bottle system)

Clean and dry bottles; remove labels.
Cut the bottles in half or make a hole in the cap for the plant holder.
Fill the bottom reservoir bottle with diluted hydroponic nutrient solution (follow manufacturer directions).
Place seedling in a small cup/net pot with medium and position it so roots can reach the solution.
Arrange bottles in a vertical string, rack or a slanted PVC channel to allow gravity drainage and aeration.
Monitor solution level, top up with water + nutrients, and check pH with strips (ideal pH for most greens: 5.5–6.5).
Harvest leaves as they mature; replant to keep production steady.

Local groups and success stories teaching hydroponics

If you want hands-on help, look for urban farm training days and community workshops run by local hydroponic farms, NGOs such as the advocacy groups such as Urban Smart Agriculture ZW, which runs an advocacy Facebook page to teach individuals on the importance of hydroponics; Urban Resilience Building Project and Vitagrow Urban Farms, among many projects.