Hydroponics - Why Not Start Your Own Hydroponic Garden?

Hydroponics is the cultivation of plants in a nutrient rich solution rather than in soil. It involves growing plants inside without using real sunlight. The word hydroponics comes from two Greek words, meaning "water working".

If you enjoy gardening, but have limiting factors such as very little gardening space, problems with pests or unsuitable weather conditions, then hydroponics could be the answer for you. For many people, the thought of successfully gardening indoors all year around has only been a dream. However, with hydroponics this is possible.




General hydroponics is a hobby many people are picking up today. Hydroponics is simpler than what most people think, and is proven to have several advantages over regular soil gardening. The following are some of the many benefits of growing plants using hydroponics:

Less space is required, and plants can be grown closer together. Growing plants with hydroponics is possible almost anywhere.

Less water is required as there is no soil which soaks it up before it reaches your plant’s roots. Hydroponics is great in areas where there are water restrictions, as less water is lost to evaporation. When you water your regular garden plants, approximately 10% of the water actually makes it to the plants.

No pests or diseases. You don't have to worry about pest control, and because your plants are grown indoors, there are fewer problems with diseases such as mould and fungi.

Reduced maintenance time. Once your hydroponics system is set up, all you need to do is change the nutrient solution on a regular basis. This only takes a few minutes. There is no need for any weeding.

Types of plants grown with hydroponics:

Nearly all plants can be grown using hydroponics. The most common are vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and peppers. Other plants include flowers and herbs.
Although hydroponics is possible for most plant species, a limiting factor is the amount of physical support required. If you are growing climbing plants, you will need to provide them with extra support.

Hydroponics supplies:

Hydroponics gardening supplies can be found at most good gardening stores nowadays. Before visiting your local store, it is a good idea to do some research online first, so you know what you need. You can also purchase supplies online.

Your grow lights are one of the most important factors for hydroponics gardening. Hydroponics stores sell individual parts as well as complete growing systems. These will include the hydroponics and lighting systems, fans, and timers, etc.

In conclusion, a hydroponics system will initially take a bit of time and effort to set up, but in the end it will be well worth it.

By Susan Fielding

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What to Expect When Attempting your own Hydroponic Garden

In order to know what to expect when attempting your own hydroponic garden is to know what a hydroponic garden is. Once you understand what this type of gardening entails, you will be more aware of what to expect when constructing a garden of this nature.

Hydroponics is the practice of growing plants in water without soil, and with the proper nutrients added. This process became considerable popular in recent years, and has been done experimentally for over a century. In the year 1929, new studies regarding the feasibility of hydroponics for growing commercial crops have taken place as well.

Nowadays, many home gardeners and farmers use this technique. This method enables plants to be grown closer together in a field, which helps increase the yield of crops. Not only that, but also several crops can be grown in the same hydroponic growth tank.

As far as what to expect from the process of using the hydroponic technique, you will experience both the advantages and disadvantages of growing crops in this manner. One major advantage of hydroponics (besides conserving space) is that it virtually eliminates all weed and pest problems. It is another form of pesticide-free gardening, in some cases.

The major disadvantage of hydronponics is that the equipment used to garden using this methods is very expensive. You will also need to be prepared to provide extensive physical support for your plants when grown by this method. However, this growing method for the most part can benefit many gardeners and crop producers in many ways, if they know how to do it correctly. Those who are successful at this type of gardening can expect nothing but a rich harvest.

Another big advantage for small-scale hydronponic gardeners is the opportunity to grow plants year-round. This can be accomplished by the use of indoor lighting. The correct type of lighting that you would need for growing plants indoors using the hydronponic method would be a High Intensity Discharge (H.I.D.) light. These types of lights are designed to give off the correct spectrum of light waves, which are perfect for growing plants indoors-and in water no less.

The basic hydronponic growing system includes a variety of other components as well. For example, hydroponic-grown plants are held upright by wire supports or are rooted in substances such as sand or gravel. Furthermore, the growing environment for hydronponic-grown plants needs to be as sterile as possible for best results.

To get you started on using the hydroponic system you will need to keep in mind a few tips. For example, if you want to plant a spring garden, there are some things you will need to know, such as the effect of germinating your seeds ahead of time.

In order to germinate your growing seeds you can grow them a month early with an indoor grow light, and wait until after the last projected frost date to transplant it. Even if you decide to transplant your indoor plants outdoors, you will enjoy a longer production and/or blooming season.

The nutrient solutions added to plants grown by the hydronponic method require the correct concentration of various nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, and other nutrients that most plants need. One recommendation for growing plants indoors is to add liquid seaweed to them, which also supplies necessary ingredients to plants.

Other names for hydronponics are soilless culture, chemiculture, and water gardening. This type of growing has impressed many people during the experimental phase and is becoming more and more of a successful form of gardening. It is one way of producing organic foods on a larger scale as well.

Now that you know a little more about hydroponics and what to expect from attempting to construct a hydroponic garden it may be time for you to try it for yourself. You have plenty of free resources available to you online to help you get started. In addition, you can refer back to this article.

If you ever have any questions about the hydroponic growing process you can contact gardening or farming expert. They will help direct you to all the information and resources that you need to help you along.

To find out more about hydroponics see: Homemade Hydroponics

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