If patience isn’t your strong suit (same here), waiting for seeds to sprout can feel like forever. The shortcut? Buy starter plants from a garden center and transplant them into your hydroponic system. It’s quicker than you think and gets you growing with healthy, established plants right away.
Quick How-To
- Gather supplies: plant, water, container, hydro system/net pots, grow medium.
- Remove plant from pot (dry soil shakes off easier).
- Gently loosen and remove as much soil as possible.
- Rinse roots in water to wash off remaining soil.
- Place in net pot/system, backfill with grow medium, and stabilize.
- Start your system; run a slightly weaker nutrient mix for a few days.
What You’ll Need
- A plant (tomato, pepper, herbs, or leafy greens work great)
- Container/bucket to collect discarded soil
- Clean water for rinsing roots
- Hydroponic system or net pots with your chosen grow medium (e.g., clay pebbles, rockwool)
Step-By-Step: Transplanting Soil Plants Into Hydroponics
1) Prepare your system
Set up your DWC bucket, Kratky jar, or other hydroponic setup. Pre-fill net pots with grow medium. This can get messy—work outdoors or protect your surface.
2) Remove the plant
Choose a plant that hasn’t been watered recently. Drier soil crumbles off easier. Carefully slide the plant from its pot, supporting the base to avoid stem damage.
3) Loosen and remove soil
Hold the root ball over your container and gently massage away soil with your fingers. Be patient and avoid tearing roots. The goal is to expose as much of the root system as possible.
4) Rinse the roots clean
Dip and swish roots in a bucket of clean water to wash away remaining particles. The cleaner, the better—leftover soil can clog pumps, emitters, and small tubing. Don’t stress about a tiny bit of residue in larger reservoirs or buckets; it usually won’t hurt.
5) Place in the hydroponic system
Set the rinsed roots into the net pot or system. Backfill with grow medium to stabilize the plant upright. Ensure roots contact nutrient solution (for DWC/Kratky) or sit where drippers will reach (for drip systems).
6) Start and acclimate
Hook up your air stone and pump (for aerated systems) and turn everything on. For the first 2–3 days, run a slightly weaker nutrient solution (about 25–30% lighter than usual) to reduce transplant shock. Expect mild drooping while roots adapt—recovery is typically quick.
FAQs: Transplanting Soil Plants To Hydroponics
Can any soil plant be transplanted into hydroponics?
Most can, but young, small plants adapt best. Very large or root-bound plants may struggle and take longer to recover.
Do I have to remove all the soil?
Remove as much as possible, especially if your system has pumps, emitters, or small tubing. A tiny bit left on roots is usually fine in DWC buckets or larger reservoirs.
How long does recovery take?
Typically 2–5 days. Some drooping is normal as roots switch from soil to constant water access.
Should I use rooting supplements?
Optional. Mild additives like liquid seaweed can help reduce shock. Avoid strong feeds in the first few days.
What nutrient strength should I start with?
Begin about 25–30% lighter than your target strength for 2–3 days, then step up as the plant perks up.
Will leftover soil clog my system?
It can—especially in drip systems. That’s why thorough rinsing matters. Buckets and larger reservoirs are more forgiving, but cleaner is always better.
Related Guides
Takeaway
Transplanting soil plants into hydroponics is the fastest way to start a productive garden. Keep roots clean, handle gently, ease nutrients in, and let the plant settle. You’ll be harvesting sooner—with less guesswork and more control.
WHEN YOU TRANSPLANT FROM SOIL TO HYDROPONIC, HOW MUCH OF THE ROOT SYSTEM SHOULD BE IN WATER/NUTRIENTS?
Hi Britt! It really depends on the type of system your transplanting in. You at least want the bottom part of the root system submerged in the nutrient solution.
your demonstration is very informative. I’m interested In growing different types of organic mint for infused flavored water recipes.
there is a nursery nearby that will have a variety of small mint plants later spring. Would it be possible to transplant these into a small type of indoor hydroponics set up? ( I’m not able to set it up outside.)
Any suggestions or recommendations would be so appreciated. Thank you.