How To Build A Hydroponic Garden
Keeping a garden has many excellent benefits. For one thing, you’ll have access to fresh produce or herbs, and even if you only have a small garden, being able to eat something that you grew with your own hands is always rewarding. For another thing, gardening is an excellent hobby that combines learning about plants, soil, and much more.
But, while gardening using soil might be what we all know, this tried and true method is not the only way to make plants grow. Hydroponic gardening is a more recent and lesser-known gardening method that involves growing plants without any soil.
Maybe you’ve heard about this kind of gardening before, or perhaps it’s entirely new to you. But, there are some benefits to it. These gardens are beneficial if you’re living in a smaller space and don’t have your own plot of land to use.
So, if you’d like to get into hydroponic gardening, this guide is here to help you get started.
The Two Kinds Of Hydroponic Gardening
Before you start, it’s helpful to know the two main methods of this kind of gardening.
- Roots emerged in water: This involves placing the plant roots into water that’s been enriched with nutrients.
- Roots in a growth container: The second method involves placing the plant roots in a container without soil. However, the jar is filled with other elements, such as coconut fiber, sand, and perlite. This container is then put into water.
Remember that you can technically grow most plants using these methods, but they are usually better for specific varieties. Many people use hydroponic gardens for growing their herbs or vegetables.
Benefits Of Hydroponic Gardening
While one of the main pros of gardening without soil is that you don’t need large amounts of dirt or a significant portion of land, there are many other advantages, including:
- More bountiful harvests
- Plants that grow faster
- Not as many issues with pests
And, because you don’t have to go outside, you won’t have to fight with the weather conditions.
Getting Started With Hydroponics
There are many resources for hydroponics, including videos and social media groups. One of the easiest ways to start this hobby is to purchase a hydroponics grow kit. There are many options that help you get started, and they’ll include everything you need.
While many hydroponic systems will detail how to get started, there are some tips to keep in mind.
- Quality of water: Because there isn’t soil, water quality is crucial for hydroponics. Ensure you have hot water tested for the amount of total dissolved solids, and also check the hard water levels. Anything about 200 PPM might not work well. You can use distilled water if your tap water isn’t good enough.
- Fertilizer options: The simplest way to begin is to start with hydroponic fertilizers. These are made specifically for this gardening, and you won’t need to measure or mix ingredients.
- Temperature range: The temperatures for each plant can vary greatly. You’ll want to research depending on the varieties you grow.
- Ph levels: Finally, get meters to test the acidity levels. Just like with temperature, the ideal PH will vary from plant to plant.
Of course, as with any new hobby, it can take time to learn the ins and outs. There is a bit of a learning curve for hydronic gardening and systems, but it’s not necessarily more complicated than learning to grow plants in soil. The best approach is to have fun with it and take it as an experiment.
