| GENERAL QUESTIONS |
| What is "Hydroponics"? |
| Hydroponics is simply the science of growing plants without soil. |
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| Is growing hydroponically hard to do? |
| Not at all. If you can read and follow simple instructions, you can
set up
and operate a hydroponic system. It is just a matter of having the right
growing
conditions, equipment and fertilizers. |
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What is involved in taking care of a hydroponic system? |
Once you get your system up and running, it will pretty much take care
of
itself except for some simple maintenance. Once weekly up to 4 or 5 times
per
month, you will "top off" your hydroponic system. This means that you will
replace the nutrient solution that your plants have used with additional,
solution.
After topping off your reservoir six to 10 times, it will be time to
change out
the solution completely by draining or pouring off all of the old solution
and
replacing it completely with fresh nutrient solution. The frequency of
topping off and changing your reservoir will depend on what you are
growing and what stage of growth the plants are in. For example, tomatoes
in full production will use solution more quickly than young tomato plants
or non-fruiting plants such
as salad greens. For more exact nutrient management and even faster
growth,
nutrient test pens are available. You would want to test your pH levels
and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) levels. ph and TDS are very important
and should be tested every 2-3 days. |
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What is pH and how does it apply to hydroponic growing? |
pH is a term used to describe the measurement of how alkaline or acid
something is-in the case of hydroponic gardening, how acid or alkaline the
nutrient solution or growing medium is. Plant nutrient uptake-what
nutrients
the plant takes up and how much-is dependent on the solution being within
a
certain pH range, most often around 5.5 to 6.2 pH is the best pH for
highest
nutrient availability. Hydroponic nutrients developed for the hobbiest are
pH buffered for excellent nutrient uptake over a wide pH range, so exact
pH
control is not critical. However, your plants will grow faster and be
healthier if
you keep your solution's pH close to the recommended range, 5.5 to 6.2.
With some nutrients, you will find that your pH range is automatically
where
it needs to be with no adjustment necessary. If you discover you need to
adjust
the pH of your nutrient solution, you may do so by adding a few drops of
pH up
or down, then re-testing to make sure the adjustment is complete.
Remember, pH adjustment solutions specifically for hydroponic use are very
inexpensive
and will provide much more stable adjustment than household products such
as vinegar or baking soda. Stability is important, because overuse of pH
control
products can affect your plants, too. |
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What plants can I grow in my hydroponic system? |
| Just about any plant will grow faster and healthier in
your hydroponic
system. For indoor food production, you will get more yield for the space
by growing in hydro as opposed to soil. |
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What are the benefits of hydroponics? |
| A well-tended hydroponic system will yield up to 50% more
than a soil-grown
garden. The secret is direct feeding to the plant's roots-resulting in
smaller root systems and faster growth. Other benefits include better
quality produce due to optimum nutrition; no soil-born pests or disease;
no weeds. |
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| Hydroponics or Soil? |
| Hydroponic gardening means growing a plant without soil.
Instead of growing
a plant in the dirt, the plant is fed a nutrient mixed with water, which
allows the plant to grow much faster than it normally would, resulting in
a larger
harvest of vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers. If you are growing in
soil, It's
important to provide a large enough container for the plant. One rule of
thumb would be, to have one gallon of soil per foot of plant growth, or
one gallon per month of growth, whichever is larger. |
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