Eggplant Soil vs Kratky - Which Will Win

I've been growing food in containers for years, and one question keeps coming up in my head — does hydroponics actually beat soil in a real-world backyard setup? Not in some climate-controlled lab. Not with fancy equipment. Just two plants, side by side, under the same tropical sun, getting the same care and attention.

So I decided to stop wondering and start measuring.

I'm running two Black Beauty eggplants head to head. One is growing in a 5-gallon Kratky bucket — a passive hydroponic method that needs no pumps, no electricity, and no fuss. The nutrient solution is Masterblend, mixed to the standard 3-part formula. The other plant is in a 5-gallon fabric grow bag filled with potting soil, fed and watered the old-fashioned way.

Both plants started the same day, from the same seed batch, and sit in the same outdoor spot at 12°N latitude. Same sun, same heat, same humidity. The only variable is the growing medium.

I'm tracking plant height, pH, root health on the Kratky side, soil moisture and temperature on the soil side — and I'll be logging bi-weekly photos so you can watch both plants develop over time. Everything you see on this page is real data, logged as it happens.

My hypothesis? I think the Kratky will grow faster early on, but I genuinely don't know which one will produce more at harvest. That's the whole point — let's find out together.

Latest readings — 2026-04-30

💧 Kratky (5-gal bucket)

pH

6.1

Reservoir (cm)

34.29 cm

Height

15.24 cm

Roots

Pearly white

🌿 Soil bag (5-gal)

pH

5.1

Moisture

9/10

Height

15.3 cm

Soil temp

29°C

"Day 0"

Charts appear after the second check-in.

Full entry log

2026-04-30 💧 15.24cm 🌿 15.3cm A pH: 6.12 B pH: 5.1

💧 Kratky (5-gal bucket)

pH: 6.12

Reservoir: 34.29 cm

Height: 15.24 cm

Roots: Pearly white

🌿 Soil bag (5-gal)

pH: 5.1

Moisture: 9/10

Temp: 29°C

Height: 15.3 cm

"Day 0"

Both plants are healthy