All You Will Ever Need To Know About Hydroponic Systems
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil by instead using a nutrient and mineral rich liquid solution
. Using hydroponic systems to grow nutrient rich food at low cost is no longer limited to lab coated scientists. Today, anyone can produce herbs and vegetables using hydroponics. Some benefits of growing hydroponically are: No weed growth (no soil = no weeds!), faster plant growth and higher yields.
There are a number of other reasons to grow your food hydroponically. Hydroponics can be used in areas where standard in soil gardening/agriculture cannot be used like:
Densely populated urban areas where space is limited
Arid desert regions or
Areas with substandard soil conditions (i.e. improper pH, nutrient deficient & rocky or stony soil).
You can purchase hydroponic systems, as kits, in various sizes and configurations. Purchasing a starter kit is a great first step, then after gaining experience larger and more advanced systems can be purchased.
Choose a starter kit that includes the following:
Grow light with lamp and reflector
Nutrient reservoir, pump, pots, top tray and dripper(s)
Timer
Nutrient media
Fan and fan controller
Read the directions to your kit thoroughly prior to setting up your system. Remember, plants grown in hydroponic systems absorb the needed nutrients as ions, so make sure your nutrient mix maintains a pH level of 5 to 6. Steady temperature is a must for growing plants hydroponically and since most hydroponic gardens are indoors the ideal temperature of 22 to 25 Degrees Celcius is fairly easy to maintain. Temperatures change depending on the different types of plant you are working with and the type of grow lights you are using.
Let your plants breathe. Humans inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide (CO2). Plants do just the opposite. The standard room will have 300-400 ppm (parts per million) of CO2 in the air. Some plants have shown accelerated growth when kept in rooms with CO2 levels near 1400 ppm. You can either dedicate an entire room to your hydroponic garden which will require room ventilators or you can purchase a kit that includes a tent with a fan. Tents help keep the CO2 levels higher for your plants without the added expense of a room ventilator. If you choose not to supplement the CO2 levels in your hydroponic garden make sure that the area you use has good air movement to allow fresh CO2 to your herbs and vegetables.
Feed your plants well. Nutrients are necessary for healthy plants so you must give them the proper levels and types. Basically there are two types of nutrients you should consider for your hydroponic garden, macro nutrients and micro nutrients. Macro nutrients are calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and sulfur. Micro nutrients, which we only need in very small (trace) amounts are boron, copper, chlorine, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc.
If you either under or over fertilize you may seen symptoms like burning, yellowing and curling on the foliage of your crops. You can purchase the nutrient mix you should use at the same place you purchase your kit. Different stages of plant growth require different levels of nutrients. For example, during the plant developmental stage of growth, higher concentrations of nitrogen are required but when blossoms or fruit begin to appear higher levels of phosphorus are preferred.
Testing equipment is a necessity when growing plants hydroponically. All-in-one test meters can be purchased but must be calibrated with the proper calibration fluid. Testing for pH, ppm, temperature and humidity are necessary for your plants to thrive.
Find some good books on hydroponics and learn as much as you can. Follow the instructions in the kit you purchase and most of all, enjoy your hydroponic garden!
by: Lawrence White
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