Hydroponic Gardening For Beginners

The History of Hydroponics

The word hydroponics originated from two Greek words, "hydro" means water and "ponics" means labor. The idea of  gardening without soil or hydroponics has been around for thousands of years. The hanging Gardens of Babylon and therefore the Floating Gardens of China are two of the earliest samples of hydroponics. Scientists began investigating with soil less gardening around 1950. After that different countries, like Holland, Germany, and Australia have used hydroponics for crop production with amazing results.

The Benefits of Hydroponics

Hydroponics is proved to possess several advantages over soil gardening. the expansion rate on a hydroponic plant is 30-50 percent faster than a soil plant, grown under an equivalent conditions. The yield of the plant is additionally greater. Scientists believe that there are number of reasons for the drastic differences between hydroponic and soil plants. the additional oxygen within the hydroponic growing mediums helps to stimulate root growth. Plants with ample oxygen within the root-age also absorb nutrients faster. The nutrients during a hydroponic system are mixed with the water and sent on to the basis system. The plant doesn't need to search within the soil for the nutrients that it requires. Those nutrients are transported to the plant several times per day. The hydroponic plant requires little or no energy to seek out and break down food. The plant then uses this saved energy to grow faster and to supply more fruit. Hydroponic plants even have fewer problems with bug infestations, fungus's and disease. generally , plants grown hydroponically are healthier and happier plants.

Hydroponic gardening also offers several benefits to our surroundings. Hydroponic gardening uses considerably less water than soil gardening, due to the constant reuse the nutrient solutions. thanks to lack necessarily, fewer pesticides are used on hydroponic crops. Since hydroponic gardening systems use no topsoil, topsoil erosion isn't even a problem . Although, if agricultural trends still erode topsoil and waste water, hydroponics may soon be our only solution.

Growing Mediums

The purpose of a growing medium is to aerate and support the basis system of the plant and to channel the water and nutrients. Different growing mediums work well in several sorts of hydroponic systems. a quick draining medium, like Hydro-corn or expanded shale works well in an ebb and flow type system. Hydro-corn may be a light expanded clay aggregate. it's a light-weight , airy sort of growing medium that permits many oxygen to penetrate the plant's root-age . Both sorts of grow rocks are often reused, although the shale has more of a bent to interrupt down and should not last as long because the Hydro-corn. These grow rocks are very stable and infrequently effect the pH of the nutrient solution.

Rock-wool has become a particularly popular growing medium. Rock-wool was originally utilized in construction as insulation. there's now a horticultural grade of Rock-wool. Horticultural Rock-wool is pressed into growing cubes and blocks. It's produced from igneous rock and limestone. These components are melted at temperatures of 2500 degrees and better. The molten solution is poured over a spinning cylinder, like the way spun sugar is formed , then pressed into identical sheets, blocks or cubes. Since Rock-wool holds 10-14 times the maximum amount water as soil and retains 20 percent air it are often utilized in almost any hydroponic system. Although the gardener must take care of the pH, since Rock-wool features a pH of 7.8 it can raise the pH of the nutrient solution. Rock-wool can't be used indefinitely and most gardeners only get one use per cube. It's also commonly used for propagation.

Other generally used growing means are perlite, vermiculite and different grades of sand. These three mediums are stable and infrequently effect the pH of the nutrient solution. Although, they have a tendency to carry an excessive amount of moisture and will be used with plants that are tolerant to those conditions. Perlite, vermiculite and sands are very inexpensive options, and work charitably in wick systems, although they're not the foremost effective growing mediums.

Nutrients

Most of the rules that apply to soil fertilizers also apply to hydroponic fertilizers, or nutrient solutions. A hydroponic nutrient solution contains all the weather that the plant normally would get from the soil. These nutrients are often purchased at a hydroponic supply store. Many of them are highly concentrated, using 2 to 4 teaspoons per gallon of water. they are available in liquid mixes or powered mixes, usually with a minimum of two different containers, one for grow and one for bloom. The liquids are the marginally costlier and therefore the easiest to use. They dissolve quickly and completely into the reservoir and sometimes have another pH buffer. The powered varieties are inexpensive and need a touch more attention. they have to be mixed far more thoroughly and sometimes don't dissolve completely into the reservoir. Most don't have a pH buffer.

Like soil, hydroponic systems are often fertilized with organic or chemical nutrients. An organic hydroponic system is considerably more work to take care of. The organic compounds have a bent to lock together and cause pumps blockage. Some gardeners directly supplement their hydroponic gardens with organic nutrients, using the chemical nutrients because the main food supply. This provides the plants a stable supply of nutrients without the high maintenance a hydro-organic system.

pH

Most plants can grow hydroponically within a pH range of 5.8 to 6.8, 6.3 is taken into account optimal. The pH during a hydroponic system is far easier to see than the pH of soil.  Many stores sell pH-testing kits for hydroponic testing. They vary in price from $4.00 to about $15.00, counting on the range and sort of test you favor. Testing pH is straightforward and essential during a hydroponics system. If the pH is just too high or too low the plant won't be ready to absorb certain nutrients and can show signs of deficiencies. pH should be checked once every week . It's easy to regulate by adding small amounts of soluble Potash to boost pH, or orthophosphoric acid to lower pH. There also are several pH meters available. These provides a digital reading of the pH within the system. The pH meter cost around $100 and aren't necessary in most cases.

Hydroponic Systems

Hydroponic systems are characterized as active or passive. A lively hydroponic system actively moves the nutrient solution, usually employing a pump. Passive hydroponic systems believe the capillarity of the growing medium or a wick. The nutrients from solution is sucked up by the medium or the wick and passed along to the roots. Passive systems are usually too wet and don't supply enough oxygen to the basis system for optimum growth rates.

Hydroponic systems also can be characterized as recovery or non-recovery. Recovery systems or recirculating systems reuse the nutrient solution. Non-recovery means just what it says. The nutrient solution is put on to the growing medium and not recovered.

The Wick System

The wick system may be a passive non-recovery type hydroponic system. It does not use pumps and has no moving parts. The nutrients are stored within the reservoir and moved into the basis system by capillarity often employing a candle or lantern wick. In simpler terms, the nutrient solution travels up the wick and into the basis system of the plant. Wick systems usually uses sand or perlite, vermiculite mix and a growing medium. 

The wick system is straightforward and cheap to set-up and maintain. Although, it tends to stay the growing medium to wet, which does not leave the optimum amount of oxygen within the root-age. The wick system isn't the foremost effective thanks to garden hydroponically.

The Ebb and Flow System

The Ebb and Flow hydroponic system is a lively recovery type system. The Ebb and Flow uses a submersible pump within the reservoir and therefore the plants are within the upper tray. The system generally works on an easy flood and drain theory. The reservoir holds the nutrient solution and therefore the pump. When the pump activates , the nutrient solution is pumped up to the upper tray and delivered to the basis system of the plants. The pump should remain on for about 20 to half-hour , which is named a flood cycle. Once the water has reached a group level, an overflow pipe or fitting allows the nutrient solution to empty back to the reservoir. The pump is kept on for the whole flood cycle. After the flood cycle the nutrient solution slowly drains backtrack into the reservoir through the pump.

During the flood cycle oxygen poor air is pushed out of the basis system by the upward moving nutrient solution. because the nutrient solution drains back to the reservoir, oxygen rich air is pulled into the growing medium. This enables the roots ample oxygen to maximize their nutrient intake. Rock-wool and grow rocks are most ordinarily used growing mediums in Ebb and Flow type systems. The Ebb and Flow is low maintenance, yet highly effective sort of hydroponic gardening.

Nutrient Film Technique

The Nutrient Film Technique or NFT system is a lively recovery type hydroponic system. Again, using submersible pumps and reusing nutrient solutions. The NFT system uses a reservoir along with a submersible pump that pumps the solution into a grow-tube where the roots suspended. The grow-tube is at a small downward angle therefore the nutrient solution runs over the roots and back to the reservoir. The nutrient passes over the roots up to 24 hours per day.

Oxygen is required within the grow-tube so capillary matting or air stones must be used. The plants are delayed by a support collar or a grow-basket and no growing medium is employed. The NFT system is extremely effective. Although, many new hydroponic growers find it difficult to fine tuning of system. It also can be very unforgiving, with no growing medium to carry any moisture, any long period of interruption within the nutrient flow can cause the roots to dry out and therefore the plants to suffer and possibly die.

Continuous Drip

The Continuous Drip system is a lively recovery or non-recovery type system. this technique uses a submersible pump during a reservoir with supply lines getting to each plant. With drip emitter for every plant the gardener can adjust the quantity of solution per plant. A drip tray under each row of plants, sending the answer back to the reservoir, can easily make this technique a lively recovery type. within the youth of hydroponics, the additional solution was leached out into the bottom. Continuous Drip systems are often used with Rock-wool. Although, any growing medium are often used with this technique, because of the adjustment feature on each individual drip emitter.

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