[ sudo.farm ]. Real setups. Real results. Real costs.
The beginner's hydroponic system guide
written by people who built the thing.
Jo Mulligan built her first Kratky setup in a weekend. Alex T.'s $22 ESP32 sensor has been running for three months. Jordan M. grows lettuce for under $50. Here's exactly how.
Jo's first build: a Kratky mason jar setup, $18 in parts, first harvest in 30 days.
40%
Less water used
documented vs soil
$50
Real build cost
itemized in every guide
30 days
To first harvest
Kratky lettuce, verified
100%
Open-source stack
no license fees, ever
[ 01 ] Results.log
Guides with documented outcomes
Every guide documents real build costs, real timelines, and real outcomes from people who completed the project. No lab conditions, no aspirational specs.
Jo built this in a weekend. You can too.
Kratky, DWC, NFT, and ebb-and-flow, each with a documented build from someone who completed it. Parts list, total cost, and what they'd do differently.
[beginner] · Under $100 · Weekend build
Alex's $22 sensor, 3 months, zero dead plants
The exact ESP32 moisture sensor setup Alex T. (software developer, NYC) has been running since February. Wiring diagram, Arduino code, and real-world uptime data included.
[intermediate] · $12–$30 · 2 hour build
Jordan's $50 DWC lettuce setup, it actually works
The structured beginner path, from zero experience to first harvest, with real costs from Jordan M.'s Portland apartment setup. No filler, no enterprise pricing.
[beginner] · Free · 30 days to harvest
[ 02 ] Process.log
The path Jo, Alex, and Jordan followed
Four steps, documented by people who completed each one. Whether you're growing in a closet or planning a rooftop setup, this is the sequence that works.
Pick your system
Kratky for minimal setup, DWC for faster growth, NFT for scale. Our comparison guides include real build outcomes from each system type.
Compare with real data →Follow the build guide
Step-by-step instructions with itemized parts lists. Every cost figure is real, from someone who bought those parts recently, not a year ago.
Start with real parts →Add automation
The same setup Alex T. uses: ESP32 + soil sensor, $22, live for three months without failure. Real wiring, real code, real uptime.
See Alex's setup →Harvest and scale
Jo started with a Kratky jar. Jordan went to a full DWC system. The beginner path documents what each scaling step actually requires.
Follow the full path →[ 03 ] Method.md
Why these guides produce results
Three editorial commitments that separate documented outcomes from aspirational content.
Written by builders
Every guide is written by the person who built the system, not by a content writer paraphrasing other articles. Jo, Alex, Jordan, and others contributed their actual build logs.
// Real experience. Real results.
Costs documented, always
Jordan's $50 DWC. Alex's $22 sensor. Jo's $18 Kratky starter. Every guide leads with itemized real-world costs. No guessing what "budget-friendly" actually means.
// No hidden costs. No enterprise pricing.
Hardware meets horticulture
Alex's sensor tutorial includes both the ESP32 wiring and the plant science of why it works. sudo.farm covers the full stack: firmware, electronics, and grow methodology together.
// The tech-curious grower finally has a home.
[ 04 ] Build.log
From the builders themselves
Three people who started exactly where you are — no farming background, just technical curiosity and a willingness to follow a guide.
// Kratky method · Atlanta, GA · Weekend build
"I had zero farming experience but I can configure a Raspberry Pi. sudo.farm was the only resource that treated those two things as compatible. Built my first Kratky setup in a weekend — mason jars, lettuce seeds, a grow light. First harvest 28 days later. I've since scaled to a 6-site DWC system."
Jo Mulligan
Started: Kratky weekend build · Now: 6-site DWC · Atlanta, GA
// ESP32 sensor · NYC · 3-month uptime
"The ESP32 soil sensor tutorial was exactly what I needed — clear wiring diagrams, actual code, and an explanation of why it works. My plants haven't died in three months."
Alex T.
Software developer · NYC
// DWC build · Portland · $50 total
"Finally a resource that doesn't assume I want to spend $2,000 on a commercial system. The $50 DWC guide is the most practical thing I've found — and it actually works."
Jordan M.
Small-scale grower · Portland
[ 05 ] Library.md
Find your build category
9 content clusters, each with documented builds, real costs, and outcome data.
DIY Hydroponics
[beginner–advanced]
Smart Irrigation & IoT
[ESP32 · Arduino · sensors]
Beginner Farming
[first harvest · basics]
Hydroponic Crops
[strawberries · herbs · greens]
Microgreens
[fastest first crop]
Nutrients & Science
[EC · pH · nutrients]
Urban Farming
[small space · apartment]
Indoor Growing
[grow lights · environment]
Open-Source Tools
[FarmBot · OpenAgToolkit]
$ sudo grow --help
Join them. Start your first grow system.
Jo's Kratky setup took a weekend. Jordan's DWC cost $50. Alex's sensor has been running for three months. Your build starts with the same guides they used.