Feb 22nd, 2009
Vegetable Gardening via Hydroponics
The word hydroponics was derived from the Greek word hydro meaning water and ponos meaning labor or water-working. Hydroponics gardening involves growing plants with their roots in other nutrient solutions and without soil. If you thought you would never be able to have a garden due to space restrictions and location of where you live, you have just found the answer to enable you to be a hydroponics gardener.
Hydroponics gardening can be as simple as regular gardening. Both of them necessitate sufficient water, temperature, light, and humidity. However with hydroponics no soil will be used. Instead a soil substitute contains the roots while nutrients for the plants are provided via the water.
This is one of the major considerations in hydroponics gardening since it sustains the plants. One has to make sure that this nutrient solution maintains a pH level of 5 to 6 after dilution. In hydroponics gardening, the plants should be watered more than three times a day. this is usually done using a pump and timer.
If your hydroponics garden is located indoors, the most suitable temperature is between 71 to 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Naturally this temperature may vary depending on the variety of plant you are working on,e.g. tropical plants.
Place your plants somewhere they can receive ample amount of light. Otherwise you must use artificial light. High pressure sodium lights or bulbs are a viable substitute for natural light.
High humidity is beneficial. When the room’s temperature rises, the air will be able to hold the sufficient amount of moisture your plants will need.
A hydroponics system can be fully automated. Since it is water-based, the gardener has no soil to dig or weeds to pull. In addition the water may be used again to prevent waste. With hydroponic gardening, an excellent yield of quality plants can be easily achieved.
Indoor hydroponic gardening is not that hard and plants respond well to this method of growing. Home hydroponics systems and DIY kits are are readily available in most hardware stores.
