What is Hydroponics?
Hydroponics is simply gardening in a soil-less medium. The medium is what houses the plants root structure, and comes in many different types. It is a simple and rewarding way to grow your favorite plants including flowers, fruits and vegetables. Plus, when gardening indoors with hydroponics, you get the satisfaction of watching your plants grow year-round since you control the environment. When gardening indoors, the plants grow faster and the yield is increased dramatically.
What do I need for basic setup?
Water system
Light source
Growing medium
Supply of nutrients
Advantages to hydroponics gardening versus traditional soil gardening:
Less mess
No soil pests and disease
Optimum nutrient intake which results in healthier plants
More abundant plant per square foot of gardening space
Faster plant growth rate
Greater yield
What type of light should I use?
Metal Halide Lights are excellent for vegetative growth or the beginning stages of growth. The "MH" puts out a blue spectrum.
High Pressure Sodium lights simulate the autumn sun. "HPS" lights put out a yellow and red spectrum. Using a HPS can increase flowering and yield up to 100% over the same size MH light.
Conversion Bulbs are most commonly used to convert a MH light to HPS (although, there are some new types that do the opposite conversion). When setting up your light, screw the bulb in quite tight and leave light on for up to 1/2 hour for it to "fire up."
Controlling Growth
The seasons are controlled indoors by allowing the plants to have between 14-18 hours of light for vegetative growth (like the longer days outdoors.) When flowering or fruiting is desired, simply reduce the hours between 12-14 hours. (A HPS light will also aid in flowering.)
Temperature:
The optimum temperature is between 70 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit. This may change for different types of plants (e.g. Tropical.)
Humidity:
The optimum range for humidity is between 40 and 60 percent. When temperature increases, the air is able to hold more moisture.
PH:
Measures how alkaline or acidic a nutrient solution or medium is. Having pH between 6.0 and 6.8 is the optimum range (some plants do require a more specific pH.) This can be controlled easily with inexpensive testing devices and pH raising or lowering solutions.
Hydroponic Nutrients:
Hydroponics Nutrients are easily mixed with water to form the nutrient solution (each type of nutrient has simple directions to follow.) The nutrient solution is usually kept in a reservoir that is completely emptied out and refilled between 4 and 7 days. This will use more nutrients but it will ensure that the plants receive all the nutrients they need and will result in more healthy plants. After the hydroponics nutrient is added, the pH is adjusted. Depending on how alkaline or acidic the solution is, pH up or down is added. Generally, it is a good idea to have an extra reservoir to let the water sit uncovered allowing for the evaporation of chlorine. This normally takes 2 or 3 days.
Watering or "Feeding":
Watering or "feeding" is quite simple because it usually occurs automatically. Feeding your plants with hydroponics normally occurs more often (3-6 times a day.) Rather than hand watering plants so frequently, a pump and timer do the work for you. Feeding normally doesnt occur at night or when the light is off.
Flood and drain systems are one of the easiest and most inexpensive types available. The nutrient solution is stored in a reservoir that is kept lower than the tray or table that has the plants on it. Using a simple pump and timer the nutrient solution is pumped up to feed the plants 3-6 times a day. Gravity allows the
nutrient solution to flow back into the reservoir.
Drip systems are another common way to feed plants. Small hoses deliver the nutrient solution through drippers. This allows for varying designs other than a table type design. Figure 2 shows a close-up of how the hose and dripper are commonly constructed. Figure 3 shows how the feeder hose is connected to the larger commonly 1/2" hose which goes to the pump. The pump is resting at the bottom of the nutrient solution.
How does a hydroponic "Ebb and Flow" system work?
1.Light complete system has a reflector, bulb and ballast.
2.Tray holds the medium and water during flooding. Medium, which plants grow in, comes in several varieties. Making your own table to support the tray is often necessary and can save money. Although, many people set their trays or planters on an old table from their garage.
3.Reservoir to hold the water and nutrients.
4.Pump for moving water up to tray. Water drains back through pump into reservoir when flooding is complete.
5.Two timers are necessary to turn light and pump on and off. Feeding occurs 4-6 times a day during the light cycle of 12-14 hrs.
Support for your system
Several of the I.G. systems require that you have or that you construct a support for your grow tray. If you need or want to construct a table and have questions please call.
This is just some of the important information that can be learned about hydroponics. Its enough to have success growing your own flowers and vegetables in a way that is a year round joy and superior to gardening in soil. If you would like to learn more about hydroponics, Interior Gardens carries many books that can assist.
Growing Tips
Nutrient Deficiencies: Macronutrients are the elements plants use most: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). Unhealthy plants usually display symptoms that are due to a lack of one of the Macronutrients (N,P, or K).
Problem: Leaves turn pale yellow.
Cause: Nitrogen deficiency.
Problem: Dark green, soft, weak growth.
Cause: Too much Nitrogen.
Problem: Underside of leaves turn dark green and produce dark spots and eventually slowed and stunted growth.
Cause: Phosphorus deficiency.
Problem: Yellowing at the edge of leaves.
Cause: Potassium deficiency (most likely) , iron deficiency, or imbalanced pH.
These deficiencies are minimized and rare if following the directions on any of the nutrients carried by Interior Gardens.
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