You’ve come to understand that growing your own food through hydroponics, a technique that requires low water and little space, is smart, ethical, and fun. Perhaps you’re the handy type, and you’ve cobbled a water garden together from spare parts lying around your home. Perhaps you’re a big spender, with a fancy all-in-one system complete with all the bells and whistles (and lights and pumps). Either way, you’re going to need the right hydroponics supplies to make your investment of time and energy pay off!
A Hydroponic Garden
As the world changes, we find ourselves drawn to the idea of self-sufficiency and believe that sustainable agriculture is not a luxury, but a necessity. It’s no surprise, then, that hydroponics supply companies are blossoming around the world. If you’re just getting started, you’ll have literally hundreds of products from which to choose. Ambitious gardeners can spend thousands of dollars on the perfect rig, but setting up may cost you next to nothing in hydroponics supplies, if you can repurpose containers, timers, pumps, and lights you may have around your home. You will need a vessel that holds the medium in which your plants grow, and a system to deliver nutrients to your plants (typically via a pump controlled by a timer, although this can be done by hand). Or, consider a happy medium: research hydroponic supplies and find an inexpensive system that comes complete with the basics.
Lights
Many hydroponics rigs are already supplied with built-in lights, but not all are. Plants must photosynthesize light energy into chemical energy to survive, so if you’re gathering hydroponic supplies, you’ll have to consider how much light your plants need. While it’s possible to grow adequate crops using only the natural light of the sun, not all growers have sufficient access to this resource. Even if they do, many people find that supplementing sunlight with artificial light produces the best yield! You can choose some combination of sunlight, fluorescent grow lights, metal halide lamps, and high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps, or pick the one that’s best for you. Some growers find that HPS lamps really complement sunlight. Others like to germinate and sprout seeds under metal halide and switch to HPS for the budding and flowering stage. If this is your plan, a conversion lamp will allow you to switch easily between the two types of lights.
Medium
Rockwool, Perlite, vermiculite, coconut husk, sand, and even gravel are all popular choices for growing media and readily available online or in a hydroponics supply shop. Consider the needs of your crops: would they prefer a more porous medium, to keep them oxygenated, or will they be happiest in a sand medium that matches their natural habitat? Some media are reusable, provided you sterilize them before planting new crops. It may be time-consuming, but it saves you money on hydroponics supplies. Of course, if you’ve chosen an aeroponic garden, you won’t need any media at all, just a box full of air!
Nutrients
All plants require a combination of thirteen essential nutrients, many of which occur naturally in the soil, which makes nutrients a crucial element of your hydroponic supply. Since your roots will never touch soil, it’s critical that you feed them a complete nutrient solution formulated just for hydroponic gardens. Most commercial solutions are clearly labeled as “grow” formulas (for young seedlings) or “bloom” formulas (for mature plants). They are sold as concentrates, so the gardener is responsible for mixing them in the proper solution. The ratio will depend on your medium, the density of your crops, and the overall health and condition of your garden, but the manufacturer’s label should guide you true in this matter.
Seeds
Without seeds, the rest of your hyroponic supplies are meaningless! Your hydroponic garden is the ideal place for germination; you have complete control over the temperature, lights, and nutrients, and you can protect your little sprouts from pests. You’ll know that their young roots are strong and safe. When choosing seeds, consider which fruits, herbs, and vegetable your family loves, but don’t be afraid to try new things, too. You already know your kids love strawberries, but have they even tried kale? Home gardening is a wonderful opportunity to expand your horizons. Do your homework so you know how long each seed will take to reach maturity, as well as the plant’s temperature, light, and nutrient requirement. Then you’ll know just what to expect from the most important hydroponics supply: your crop!
© 2011 CityGrown. All RIghts Reserved. Site Design by KFP