Nutrient and Feeding Guidelines for Hydroponics

Nutrient and Feeding Guidelines for Hydroponics

Nutrients supply plants with the chemical elements they need for their vital biochemical processes. While Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are generally the top three, there are many more which are aide the process. Magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca) and several more perform essential roles in the life of hydroponic plants, just as they do in soil-based gardens.

Though nitrogen makes up about 79% of the air we breathe, plants require it as a supplement as it promotes leaf growth. The N2 molecule in air is very stable and plants don't break it apart to use single nitrogen atoms. Phosphorus helps to promote root growth. Potassium aids in disease resistance owing to its role in enzyme formation.

The other elements perform a variety of functions. For example, Calcium help delivery of ions to various parts of the plant and makes up part of the cell walls Chlorine (Cl) is a component of chlorophyll, an important participant in photosynthesis. And Iron helps make up the hemoglobin molecule, which, like animals, helps to transport oxygen needed for cellular respiration.

If you're just starting out, there are pre-made solutions available which contain all the essential nutrients and are very easy to work with, provided of course you are careful about dosage. For very young plants, such as small cuttings or those that are just germinating, 1/3 teaspoon of calcium nitrate dissolved in a gallon of water is about right, for example. Flowering plants generally require a slightly higher dose.

Other factors, like temperature and water, are crucial factors when it comes to feeding. Both the solution and water should generally be kept at room temperature with most hydroponic gardens.

Nutrient feeding with dry plants shoudl generally be avoided as nitrogen burning may occur. That's rarely a problem with hydroponics, but one 'branch' known as aeroponics, where the plants are grown in air, can suffer that problem.

Setting the tap water you plan to use with your plants to sit overnight will help evaporate excess chlorine, as chlorine evaporates more quickly than water does at room temperature. Mineralized water is preferable to distilled since it will contain calcium and other useful elements.

Regulate the pH to keep it as near neutral as possible. As plants take up nutrients they'll tend to make the water alkaline. Add tiny small amounts of sulfuric acid to move it back to neutral. Sodium hydroxide will help shift excessively acidic water back to a neutral pH. A testing kit will help, as it will allow you to precisely measure pH levels.

Generally speaking, plants grown with hydroponics will be more sensitive with nutrient levels and are not as resilient as plants grown in soil. In a soil garden plants can absorb or shed compounds. With hydroponics, compounds are shed into the water supply, which doesn't move them away from the plant. Tis simply means the hydroponic gardener needs to be a bit more careful to maintain a healthy crop.

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