This document provides instructions for growing indoor plants using an alkaline water hydroponic method. Key steps include cutting branches from common houseplants, soaking the stems in alkaline water for 3-4 weeks until roots form, and transferring the plants to a clear vase filled with alkaline water. This hydroponic method makes indoor plants easier to care for, healthier, and pest-free compared to soil-based plants. It also provides an inexpensive way to propagate plants and can be used as an income-generating activity by creatively designing and selling the hydroponic plants.

2. Making an
Alkaline Water based
Indoor Plants

3. You don't have to
grow your
houseplants in dirt

4. Essentially the dirt is just the
medium holding the plant up
and allowing the roots to pull
nutrients through moisture

5. Benefits of Growing
an Indoor Plants

6.  Healthier
 Reduce allergy; dirt holds
spores, molds, mildew
 Pest free - no soil born pests
like dirt gnats
 Reduce odors
Benefits of Growing an Indoor Plants

7.  Cleaner
 Easier clean up after spills. No
dirt to sweep
 Less risk of staining furniture
Benefits of Growing an Indoor Plants

8. Watering is easier
Fertilize when you water, and
less frequently
Over watering and under
watering are eliminated

9. Plants like it
Nutrients are distributed evenly to
the roots
Root aeration since pebbles do
not compact like soil
Benefits of Growing an Indoor Plants

10. Less maintenance for you
Pebbles don't have to be replaced
and can be reused
Hydroculture plants have smaller root
systems: less transplanting
Water less frequently. Your plants are
fine while you are on vacation

11. Procedures

12. Indoor plants can be propagated
easily using common shrubs in
the locality without the rigorous
processes, long wait and the like,
in raising indoor plants; and this
can be done in just a matter of
three weeks to a month.

13. It proved to be simple and
even entertaining

14. Your work will paid off when after
three weeks or less – the twigs
begun to bud and new white roots
are visible at the bottom

15. Materials:
A thumb-size of ornamental plant twig, cut
about 6 inches long
An ordinary clear jar-used glass/plastic
bottle will do.
Styrofoam – from discarded packing of
goods
Clear Vase
Sealing material – this can be soft rubber
foam from discarded cushions or even
rags or any dense fabric will do

16. Materials:
About 300 ml of alkaline water with
pH 8.5 to 9 will do. (alkaline powder
for agriculture – Exclusively
available at Nutriwealth
Cooperative)
Scouring pad
Two toothpicks
Pebbles, ribbon and other
appropriate materials necessary for
creative designs
Artistic talent and a little patience

17. 1. Cut a thumb-size branch of common tropical
ornamental shrub (such as bougainvillea, fortune
plant, santan, hibiscus or gumamela, banyan – also
known as ‘balite’, etc.) – but there is local shrub
named “san francisco” and its variety is easiest to
propagate. Use a pruning shear or sharp knife to cut
the stem.

18. 2. The cut should be flat at the upper end and
slanted on the lower portion. Reason is – the upper
part should bud and can be designed into some
other odd shape if possible. The slant cut on the
lower portion will allow more roots to shoot out
creating a better look.

19. Note: If there are any branches – you may choose
to cut them evenly or haphazardly depending on
your visual design. If there are smaller branches –
you bend these carefully to desired shapes, i.e.
heart, half-heart, or even a letter in the alphabet.

20. Note: In designing the branch – you may drill a hole
of same size as the tip of the branch to be bent.
Then with a sharp knife carefully peel off the bark of
the stem-tip to be inserted to the hole you bore in
the stem. This way the bark will grow and cover the
exposed end-tip of the stem in about three weeks.

21. 3. With the use of scouring pad rub carefully the
outer bark, about 3 inches long on the lower part of
the stem - to eliminate flakes of dead skin from the
cut stem. This will prevent contaminating the water
after a period of time during budding.

22. Note: Usually if the stem is un-cleaned, the dead
outer layers of the bark will fall off thereby polluting
the alkaline water and may induce this to become
acidic which in turn may stimulate the stem to rot.
You would want to avoid that.

23. 4. With a soft rubber foam, wrap around the
stem half-way of the stem with a width of
about ½ to ¾ of an inch. This will serve as
seal and holder of the stem during budding
stage.

24. 5. Fill your empty glass/plastic bottle ¾ full
with alkaline water. Put the lower half portion
of the plant stem inside making sure that it
will be soaked in the water for all the duration
of 3 to 4 weeks (budding period).

25. Note: The rubber foam should make a good seal at
the bottle-neck; to hold the plant stem in place and
at the same time not allowing small insects to get
into the water, especially mosquitoes; thereby
preserving clarity of the water which can be re-used
later.

26. 6. At about 3 to 4 weeks – you should see
signs of life on the branch. Small leaves are
coming out and white roots are protruding
inside the jar. At this stage you may need to
transfer the plant into a permanent vase.

27. 7. Cut a round-shape styro-foam at
about ½ inch thick. This is normally rigid
and could easily break, care is needed.

28. Note: The circumference should be
slightly bigger than the vase neck and it
should be a bit conical so as to allow a
little tight seal when positioned inside
the vase.

29. 8. Measure the stem diameter. The hole to be
punched in the styro-foam should be the
same size as the stem diameter. In the outside
rim of the styro-foam – cut small slots around
– small enough that ordinary ants can’t
squeeze in.

30. Note: This will allow you to re-fill the vase in
the coming months. Cut the round foam into
half after punching a hole at the center or you
can cut it in half first and then carve a half-
hole as you wish. It should end up with
similar results.

31. 9. At this time carefully extract the plant from
the milk bottle, unwrap its rubber foam and
position the styro-foam (two halves) to where
the rubber foam was wrapped

32. and with the use of two toothpicks, re-join the
two halves to secure the stem at the center.
This will be your suspension media that will
seal the vase to maintain water clarity as
much as possible.

33.
10. Fill the clear vase with alkaline water
to its neck. You may re-use the water
from the glass/plastic bottle you used
during propagation.

34. Position the plant to the vase carefully
pushing the styro-foam a snug fit on the neck
of the vase. Add water as necessary. You
may also put some pebble or sea shells on
top of the foam to camouflage it.

35. Note: Do not expose the plant to direct
sunlight. It may affect the alkalinity of
the water, and may kill the plant. Do not
use mineral water to refill. Use purified
water.

36. Note: Refilling can be done when water
level is low and that may take every
month or two, or when the water
becomes hazy.

37. Note: Do not use plant fertilizer for it will
change the chemistry of the water

38. This was called bonsai for the simple
reason that this stem cut from the
original shrub will never grow again
being solely dependent on alkaline water
for survival.

39. Aside from its beauty, the
plant itself serves as
oxygen enhancing media
to your living room, which
is healthy, and at the same
time absorbing some
carbon gases inside the
house improving
ambience.

40. Aside from its ease to
produce and propagate, it
is also inexpensive
because you can use
recycled materials such
as discarded bottles or
rubber foam and styro-
foam from discarded
packaging to start with.

41. You only buy alkaline
powder for agriculture
(only Php 50 SRP per
sachet – can make about
5-7 plants)
and clear vase which can
be optional since it can be
taken from recycled
materials.

42. The best part is it can also
be developed into income
generating venture.
Creative and well-designed
plants can be sold to
houses (living room,
kitchen, dining room),
offices, hotels, restaurants
and more

43. It can also be sold during special
occassions like all saints day,
valentine’s day, birthdays and more

44. You can also give this as a very
inexpensive gift during special
occassion like Christmas, Birthday,
Graduation Day and more

45. NutriWealth Cooperative is bringing
this projects to Schools. We always
believe that students are very
creative and artistic.

46. This projects also give the school
as well as the teachers opportunity
to earn additional income.

47. Students may have the option to
sell their designed indoor plants to
NutriWealth Cooperative

48. NutriWealth Cooperative is giving
away special prizes to best made
indoor plants.