Hydroponics Planting

In many ways, hydroponics gardening can be very challenging especially to the beginner. After all, you are working with a different medium than the traditional soil so there are certain things that must be remembered. Still, with the right supply of information, you will be able to harvest your first successful crop.

Water Supply

In hydroponics, water is the most important determinative factor in your success simply because it is the carrier of nutrients and the medium upon which the plants will grow. Thus, you have to ensure that the garden has sufficient amounts of water supply pumped to it daily, so to speak. Otherwise, the roots will dry out and the plants will die a premature death.

• However, not just any water will do as good quality must be maintained. As such, you should maintain the right balance between alkalinity, salinity and nutrient content like nitrogen, potassium, calcium, sulfur, phosphorous and magnesium. There are water meters for this purpose so take advantage of them.

• Also, keep in mind that some plants can quickly alter water quality that may lead to fungal and bacterial contamination. You have to employ practices like chlorination and activated carbon filtration to remove the risks for plant infection.

Light SupplyYet another important component of hydroponics gardening is adequate lighting. Plants need light to grow to full fruition, thanks to chlorophyll production and protection from the cold.

There are two basic ways with which heat can be provided - natural sunlight and artificial lights. Of course, natural sunlight is preferable for obvious reasons. Most plants need 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight to grow.

However, if natural sunlight is not possible, you should install artificial lights around the greenhouse. You can use incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lamps, halogen bulbs, HID lamps and plant growth lights for this purpose. Or if you want to save on lighting costs, you can always just cultivate plants with medium to low light requirements such as philodendrons or Boston ferns.

Oxygen Supply

You also need to ensure that there is adequate oxygen supply flowing through your hydroponics garden especially when you are cultivating plants in an exclusively indoor setting such as your basement or garage. If this is the case, you can supply sufficient supply of oxygen to the plants by bubbling air through the water solution.

Also, you should ensure that the temperature range in the hydroponics garden is just of the right degree. This is usually pegged at 75 degrees Fahrenheit although it can be lower or higher depending on the type of plants being cultivated and the season.

Nutrient Supply

Although you can make your own hydroponics nutrients, we recommend commercial types simply because these have been proven to be effective through years of research and development. Plus, it is more convenient, thus, allowing you to concentrate on other aspects of the garden.

The choice of nutrients will depend on the types of plants you are cultivating as well as the stage they are in the growth cycle. You may also have to experiment with the proportions and feeding schedules so as to maximize the results.

Hydroponics gardening can be as easy as pie. It just takes time, patience and practice to get the best results, just like you would with traditional soil gardening.

Whitney is the owner of Mini Greenhouse Kits, a company that manufacturers and distributes compost bins, greenhouses, hydroponics, and other green living products.