Dec 8th, 2008
The Important Role of Nutrients in Hydroponic Gardening
Hydroponics can be defined as a method for growing plants in water rather than soil. The principle behind it is that different media bearing all the nutrients of natural soil will support the growth of plants. Therefore, it’s these nutrients which are the most vital component in the hydroponics process. When growing plants in soil, the soil contains a whole lot of essential nutrients, which is the reason why fertilizers usually do not contain all the thirteen nutrients. Therefore, using a specifically formulated fertilizer made for hydroponic systems is required to benefit hydroponic plants.
The amounts and proportions of nutrients a plant needs varies. If you are looking for hydroponic nutrients for your plants, look for the ones with easy to read labels. The best ones are the ones that just say “grow” or “bloom” or some such. With this type of mixture, even a new gardener knows what to pick! Change the nutrients along with the growing cycle of your plants. An additional reason for changing the solution is because a depletion of elements is subject during the growth stage of your plant. At certain times, important elements get depleted faster. In an ideal situation you can swap the solution every couple of weeks. Bear in mind that the proportion of the nutrient solution and the water stays consistent. Damage to the roots could occur if the evaporation of water causes on increase in the fertilizer level.
The hydroponic nutrient solutions available are typically sold in a concentrated form. The grower has to mix it according to the instructions and as per the requirement of the plant. For example, give a diluted form of application for plants exposed to adverse environments such as overheated and crowded conditions or even low lighting. Even plant cuttings which have just been planted will benefit from a solution which has been diluted. You will want to use a normal (regular) solution for any plant which is normal and healthy. You are ripe for a stronger solution if your garden can handle high growth with enough carbon dioxide distribution and lighting. Natural sunlight or good grow lighting like fluorescent grow lights are key. When using fertilizer on your plants you must increase the amount slowly over time so that you to keep the plant from burning up.
Although the concentrate to water ratio is between 150-600 parts per million, most plants require 300-400ppm. Remember that these need to be mixed only with water, and no other part of the solution.
Now that you are aware of the need for different nutrients, you need to know which ones to use. It is important that you know what nutrient you need. You have to first and foremost decide on the growing medium such as stone wool, coco etc. If you’re using coco, be sure to look for coco that offers specific nutrients like canna coco. Super Veg A or Super Veg B would be ideal, and is a great formula for a vegitable in the crop stage.
The nutrient required will depend upon the medium that is to be used. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are all elements that make up the organic or best hydroponic nutrients. Nitrogen is important for leaf vegetative growth. Potassium will aid in the processing of cell production and phosphorus is the agent responsible for developing roots and flowering.
