Jun 26th, 2009
Hydroponic Growing Systems Reviewed for Your Choice
Hydroponic gardening is a great advance toward sustainable agricultural practices for the future.
Hydroponic gardening eliminates soil borne pests and diseases and maximizes water and nutrient uptake by the plant. Quite massive outputs of crop is achievable from small areas using hydroponic techniques. For commercial and home use the method can be done in a number of ways.
These systems include the Rockwool Based Systems, Aeroponic Systems, the Ebb and Flow System, the multi- flow system and Continuous Drip Systems. As a hydroponic guide; systems come in all shapes and sizes and can be adapted for nearly any budget.
Nutrient Film Technique, or NFT, is another popular system. Planted in troughs the plants are retained in planters with the nutrient in the solutions continually watering them.
The combination of a small storage reservoir and a submerged electric pump ensures a constant recirculation of nutrient delivery i to where it is needed.
Film of nutrient methods are used at the large commercial scale overseas, in the UK, and in the United States A crucial success winning aspect when choosing a system is the selection of the correct trough size particulalrly when using the Nutrient Film technique.
Large commercial systems use wider troughs with greater flow capacity.
Aeroponics is an amazing system related to hydroponics and in this method the roots are simply suspended in the air and usually in 3D. They are excellent for growing herbs and leafy vegetables. The plants are held in web pots with neoprene inserts to support the plant.
Varying hole designs in the top cover provides the proper spacing. and looks good.
These so called aeroponic hydroponics are also great seedling producers.. The little plants when big enough to prick out are removed from a rockwool equivalent of a traditional seed compost and trensfeered to web pots.
Aeroponic systems are also very popular at NASA research centers and other educational facilities around the world.
The Europonic System is modeled after commercial systems that are used in Europe. The system starts with an entry level system offering three trays each holding eight plants. The system is expandable to 5 trays for those that so desire.
A nutrient solution is pumped from a thirty-gallon reservoir to individual emitters at each plant. Continuously the nutrient solution can be seen to flow to the roots and over them and back to the storage tank.
Rockwool, or mineral wool, is the most popular and highly used hydroponic container gardening medium. It comprises spun material fibres and the high surface area provides good water retention and holding features. It is also ideal for cutting and making into many different shapes and forms to assist in differing growing projects.
In the so called Europonic system you will find two rock wool slabs per tray. Rockwool is easily able to support a relatively extensive root system so the Europonic System is ideal for vine crops such as tomatoes, cucumber, and peppers, plus large flowering plants.
For the continuous drip systems, just one pot has a 2 gallon reservoir below it. Unfortunately, it does not provide a practical method for commercial growing.
Hydroponics users also like ebb and flow systems.
They are good for crops such as lettuce, pepper plants, miniature tomatoes, and potted flowers. Ebb and flow systems can also be used as an herb garden to provide fresh basis, thyme, and oregano year round. Ebb and flow systems do have their faults and one is how do you stop crystaline fertilizer salts gradually building up in the growing media?
What happens is that evaporation causes salt concentraion to rise. If this build up too high it will be toxic to the system in the media. It is best to flush the system with pure water periodically to take away any toxic salt buildup.
Other articles you might like;
- Edible Flowers in Your Garden
- Vegetable Gardening For Beginners – 6 Easy Tips To Start You Off
- New Rock Bucket Adds Strength And Versatility
- Indoor Bonsai Trees
- Kitchen Design And Lighting Ideas
