Mitsein

Plants, growing in the containers, will develop two types of the roots: the upper one, which will uptake plant nutrients from the upper part of the medium; and the lower roots, which will reach the lava rock part of the growing medium.

The upper root system is primary; it includes web-like thin roots that look similar to those that develop in the plants grown in the standard soil. They absorb multiple nutrients, thus ensuring the flourishing of a plant and its normal growth. The lower roots that are secondary will grow in the lower part of the medium (which can be lava rock, sand, gravel, perlite or pumice). These look typically to the hydroponically grown plants: long, rope-like, and stringy. These roots mainly absorb water; in addition, they receive much oxygen between watering cycles, which leads to the improved nutrients metabolism and faster growth.

These days hydroponics gardening gains more and more popularity in different parts of the world. More and more people become fascinated with this way of plants growing. Due to the constantly increasing interest in hydroponics, new methods and techniques of this gardening type appear. They are all aimed at the easing of the process of plants growing, improving the fruits, vegetables, and greens quality and taste, as well as at the making the whole process as eco-friendly as possible. Indeed, the new techniques try to solve the problem of hard-to-dispose used materials (as rockwool) and chemically-laden water and other wastes. Moreover, the primary goal of today hydroponics is to use exclusively organic materials, which offer the benefits in the crops quality and work of a gardener. 

Not so long time ago gardeners were amazed by such hydroponics methods as Nutrient Film/Flow Technique, Ebb and Flow, Aeroponics, and even Semi-Organic Hydroponics. These days the leader of this gardening is Totally Organic Hydroponics, which major benefit is the possibility to grow 100% pure organic garden plants.

We welcome everyone, who is willing to grow herbs, plants and flowers inside the house. It is so easy to get lost among the large number of sources about the indoor gardening; that is why, we will do our best to give you the most important and easy to understand information before you start.

HOW TO CHOOSE A PLACE FOR HYDROPONIC GARDEN?

The very first and the most important task for you to do is to choose a place in your house, where you will make a garden. Actually, any free space, whether it is a closet or a basement, will do. You will need 250 Watt – 400 Watt high pressure sodium or halide light for not less than about 6 feet (150-180cm) of grow room height to avoid the growing place overheating. These lights are enough to properly light up the space of about square meter.

 WHAT DO I NEED TO START INDOOR GARDENING?

Hydroponics belongs to those avocations, which, along with requiring much time, knowledge, and skills, will need good equipment to be successful and satisfying. Here belong inert hydroponic media, hydroponic system, either natural or artificial source of light, hydroponic nutrients and, actually, plants. 

COULD YOU, PLEASE, EXPLAIN WHAT HYDROPONICS MEAN?

Hydroponics is an art of growing plants using a nutrient rich solution instead of soil.

ARE THERE ANY REQUIREMENTS TO THE PLACE FOR HYDROPONICS?

The trickiest and the best thing about hydroponics is the possibility to grow plants everywhere: inside or outside the house, as well as in a greenhouse. To tell the truth, any plant can be grown with the help of hydroponic method, though some herbs may require more skills from the gardener to grow well.

 WHAT DOES AEROPONICS MEAN?

Aeroponics is another way for the gardeners to get rich crops. In this case the infusions of oxygen into the nutrient solution are used to hasten plants growth.

ARE HYDROPONIC PLANTS ORGANIC OR NOT?

For the time being, the question whether hydroponics is organic remains debatable for many people. However, a large number of gardeners are definitely the advocates of this statement. Hydroponics uses the methods of direct supplying all the necessary minerals to the plants without growing them in the soil. It is a proven fact that the yields obtained in this case are much richer and of better quality than those received from any other organic method of plants growing. 

WHAT IS THE KEY BENEFIT OF HYDROPONICS OVER SOIL CULTIVATION?

Having the possibility to adjust the rate of nutrients required for plants optimal growing, hydroponic gardeners manage to achieve the best growth rates and increased crops volume for the shortest period of time.

IS IT TRUE THAT HYDRPONIC PRODUCTS HAVE DIFFERENT TASTE THAN THE SAME PRODUCTS, GROWN ON SOIL?

Taste, flavor, and nutrition rate of hydroponic produce often surpass those of the soil grown produce, due to the fact that nutrients, necessary for the plants, are easily accessible for them at the time when plants need them the most. 

WHAT MINERAL ELEMENETS IN PARTICLUAR ARE NEEDED FOR PLANT GROWTH?

To succeed in the plants growing a gardener should know what elements are essential for the plants. Here belong those provided by water and air: oxygen (O), hydrogen (H), and carbon (C); several others are available for the plants from soil or growing medium: calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S) and potassium (K); as well as some others, determined as essential not so long time ago: zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mb), copper (Cu), chlorine (Cl), manganese (Mn) and boron (B).

Temperature is a gauge for optimum production for every plant. When plants are exposed to extreme ranges of temperature, stunted growth and poor fruit yields are the result. Plants have specific temperature ranges for their ideal growth. Warm-season vegetables and most types of flowers have 18o C and 260 C as an ideal temperature range. Cooler season vegetables like lettuces have a 10o C to 18o C range.

Garden Climate Controller

Environment greatly affects plant growth. Environmental factors such as temperature, climate and CO2 levels are just examples. Garden climate controllers give you control over this variables and keep them at ideal ranges for optimum growth of plants.

Basic Garden Climate Controller

The cheap and basic garden climate controller usually control temperature and humidity and turn exhaust fans when needed. CO2 controls could be installed together with them for a small additional charge. This combination is more economical allowing you control over all environmental factors without spending hundreds of dollars for more sophisticated setups not needed. Indoor hydroponic garden systems can be maintained with this basic setup.

Complete Garden Climate Controller

Complete control over CO2 system is another advantage presented by the use of the complete hydroponics garden climate controller. Controllers also allow for coordinated infusion of carbon dioxide with exhaust fans giving minimum waste of CO2.

Other “extras” found with garden climate controllers:

Additional outlets activates when lights are off allowing a “night mode” setup.

Flood Sensors that prevent common gardening mishaps by shutting down the system.

Photo sensors recognize natural sunlight and power ups the “night mode.” This makes the setup more efficient and economical as grow lights are only utilized when needed.

The use of organic plant nutrients instead of the man-made chemicals in the hydroponic garden eases the work of a gardener. The matter is that the absence of synthetic chemicals eliminates the problem of ppm amount and pH balance of the water. If there is no need to calibrate nutrients, to check pH level of the water, and calculate fertilizer’s amount, a beginner of the hydroponic gardening will definitely make no mistakes, which means many problems may never occur.

A dual root growing system is made by special composition of the medium in the container: the upper part of the medium is soil or soil substitute, and organic nutrients can be supplied directly to this upper part; the lower half of the medium is some porous material, which retains water, but to which no nutrients are supplied. 

Creating an organic hydroponics system, a gardener may use a standard hydroponic grow container, though a coir fiber container will suit too. The preferred material to put at the bottom of the box is lava rock, which perfectly keeps water. Lava rock is then covered with a thin layer of loose rockwool or coir fiber to divide both medium layers and prevent them from mixing together. The upper half of the container should be filled with a mixture of 1/3 potting soil, 1/3 coarse grade horticulture perlite, and 1/3 large-sized horticulture vermiculite. Such arrangement ensures the upper capillary action of water and protects the bottom of the grow bed from the occasional mixing with any organic particles. 

Using a standard plastic hydroponic grow container one should place a plastic screen lining inside the grow bed, fitting it well at the bottom and on the walls of the container up to their top, also with the aim to protect the water from the small particles in the medium mixture. It is also possible to use a hydroponic container with tiny holes.

One more good choice for the use of organic gardening methods in hydroponics system is coir fiber containers. The filling is the same as described above with the thin layer of loose or strand coir fiber between the two types of medium. 

Such box is then set in the grow bed. Note that the level of the pumped water should be a bit lower than the soil mixture. The secondary root system will be submerged into the water along with lava rock and promote the capillary water flow up into the soil. The lower half of the medium may be watered on a regular hydroponic basis, while the upper one can be moistened just once a day. 

This system allows a gardener to supply nutrients right to the upper part of the medium, where they are vitally important. At the same time, the whole medium structure will be perfectly moistened by the pumped water and the plants will also have constant supply of oxygen and CO2, drawn into their root systems. Finally, proper amount of CO2 will improve the absorption of nutrients by the upper parts of the roots. 

Grow Light Reflectors

Often neglected as to their importance, grow light reflectors play a major role in a good indoor hydroponic garden system. Light plays a great role or the most important role in photosynthesis. The use of grow light reflectors in your garden enhances light distribution and ensures uniform distribution. Discounts on quality grow light reflectors are easily available and a super cost effective way of improving your personal garden productivity and efficiency. With effective planning, the use of the right lighting system together with grow light reflectors greatly expands your garden area.

Size and shape are important factors when considering the right grow light reflector. Grow lights and their configuration and personal preference for the amount of light needed to grow your plants are taken into consideration. Horizontal placement of the lights and reflectors are effective ways of mounting this system. Garden size also determines what shape and size of grow light reflector to be used. Smaller grow light reflectors produce higher intensity light beams because of their shorter travel distance.

 Air-Cooled Reflectors

 For additional ventilation and heat control, air-cooled reflectors are used. Indispensable for those gardens cramped in small spaces because of the amount of heat generated by grow lights. It maybe difficult or close to impossible to maintain proper ventilation in such enclosed garden by the use of external fans. Usual setup for indoor hydroponic gardens includes grow lights with air-cooled reflective hoods covered by glass heat shields. This allows the light source to be placed closer to the plant canopy ensuring better light penetration. Gardens with no special cooling requirements also gains to benefit from its installation. This is the ideal setup of an indoor hydroponic garden system; investing a little more provides maximum garden performance and enjoyment for gardeners and hobbyists.

hydroponic plants receive all the nutrients they need for growing and fruiting from the growing liquid with all the nutrients dissolved in it. Hydroponic nutrients are available in great variety at specialized hydroponic stores. By the way, both chemical nutrients and organic nutrients can be used for the needs of hydroponic gardening. The only thing to remember is that organic fertilizers require more skills, time, and attention to use them effectively.

Hydroponic gardening allows anyone to grow organic vegetables, fruits, and flowers. A little research, learning and training, combined with enthusiasm, will soon bring the first success in hydroponics to you.

Today, there are many ready-made hydroponic systems available on the market. They are not too expensive, but such systems can really help to make an easy start in hydroponic gardening. For the beginning gardeners it is even recommended to choose simple inexpensive hydroponic systems – they are enough to give you the necessary experience. Of course, you can always build you own system to suit all your particular growing conditions and requirements, when you have enough experience and understanding of how hydroponic system works.

If organized properly, hydroponics gardening can even be easier than traditional plants growing. For example, with hydroponic system it is much easier and less time-consuming to test and maintain the necessary pH level in comparison to the regular soil gardening, where even the pH level testing can be a very challenging task, not speaking about maintaining it on the required steady level.  

After all, it is necessary to remember, that in spite of the fact that hydroponics differs significantly from traditional gardening, it is nothing but an alternative approach to grow the same fresh, tasty, and healthy food. Just spend some time to research the topic, evaluate all the benefits of hydroponic gardening – and you will see that there are many advantages offered by hydroponics. Growing healthy organic vegetables without polluting and exhausting fertile soils is definitely one of them.

When Starting your own organic hydroponics gardening setup, you should remember that you will need to arrange two beds or layers in your hydroponic garden. The upper bed is, actually, a box to keep the plants in. This box should contain a growing medium for the plants to grow in. You can use perlite, coconut fiber, lava rock, Styrofoam pellets, rockwool or vermiculite for this purpose. The main thing about medium is that it should be able to keep a small amount of moisture for a long time. Experts assure that lava rock is best in this respect.

The lower bed is necessary to keep the water with the dissolved nutrients in it. The water is pumped with the help of an aquarium pump to the upper bed in order to water the plants. This procedure is repeated several times a day at equal intervals, being controlled with a timer.

Gardeners sometimes find it difficult to maintain the pH level of the water, its nutrition rate, and the ration of nutrients at the right level. These are, actually, the key factors, due to which a hydroponic garden or an organic hydroponics prospers. If these three crucial things in gardening are kept in balance with the help of Organic fertilizers, such technique of plants growing is called an Organic Hydroponic Garden.

Organic fertilizers are better for the plants than the chemical ones, as the latter are capable of burning the roots if used in higher concentrations.

When water solution is pumped to the trail with plants, it is partly absorbed by the medium and by the plants roots till saturation point. Consequently, the pumped water, returning back to the reservoir, contains lesser amount of parts per million (ppm) than before. 

Organic nutrients make hydroponic gardening easier, as they do not contain any chemicals, which can change the pH level or ppm of the solution. As a result, many problems, listed among the most common ones of organic hydroponic gardening, get solved on their own.    

It is a common knowledge that the upper part of a plant’s root uptakes nutrients, while the lower one absorbs water. To increase plant’s saturation with nutrients, it is possible to directly add them to the upper part of the roots, which, in the long run, will result in the more efficient organic hydroponics. To introduce such technique into your organic hydroponic garden, you should develop an organic hydroponics system.

The container can be similar as in the hydroponics gardening, or it can be a coir fiber container. It should be half filled with lava rock at the bottom. Then it is preferably to use a medium divider (e.g. coir fiber). The upper part of the tray should contain a mixture of 1/3 horticulture perlite of coarse grade, 1/3 potting soil, and 1/3 of large horticulture vermiculite.

When all this is set, it is necessary to place this container in the grow bed, with water level being a bit lower than the mixture of soils. Such arrangement will ensure the higher efficacy of the organic hydroponic gardening.

Lava rock with the secondary roots of the plants will be submerged in the water, and it will also serve to make this water flow up and moisten the soil mixture. At the same time, the upper layer of medium will be free to absorb the nutrients added directly to the primary roots.

Such hydroponic system saves a gardener from constant controlling and maintaining of the pH level and ppm of the growing medium. Nevertheless, beware of adding too many liquid nutrients to the soil layer: they may leak into the lava rock layer and disarrange your organic hydroponics gardening.

Hydroponics gardening or growing plants in the growing media other than soil has been known to humans since ancient times. It is known that during the times of King Solomon, people practiced soil-less gardening, which later became known as hydroponic gardening.

The word “hydroponics” is derived from two Greek words: “hydro”, which means water, and “ponics”, which stands for labor. The principles of gardening without the use of soil were developed many and many years ago. Since then this type of gardening demonstrates certain valuable benefits in comparison to traditional growing plants in soil. One of the key benefits is that hydroponic plants grow 30-50% faster than plants, grown under the typical conditions in soil.

Traditional organic gardeners have always demonstrated certain level of contempt for hydroponics as the type of efficient and successful gardening. The followers of the traditional soil gardening consider hydroponics to be a kind of chemical gardening. Organic gardeners have always been pretty pessimistic as to supplying their plants with a balanced and calculated set of chemicals, which is a common practice among hydroponics gardeners. However, such an attitude of wide publicity and professional gardeners to hydroponics had changed after Steve Fox demonstrated his achievements in hydroponics gardening.

One of the key components of hydroponics gardening is growing media, an inert material, which unlike soil, does not supply any chemicals or nutrients to the plant. There are multiple types of growing media used today. The examples are sand, gravel, coconut fiber, perlite, and vermiculite. Amazingly, but even air can be used as a growing media for growing hydroponic cultures under the certain conditions.   

The undeniable benefit of hydroponic gardening is that it protects the fertile soils from exhaustion. Besides, it does not presuppose the use of chemical pesticides and other chemicals, which are extremely harmful for the environment. In general, hydroponic gardening may ensure greater yields and, at the same time, let the fertile soil regenerate itself for further organic farming.

Though hydroponic gardening also uses some of the chemicals to feed the growing plants, all the chemical plant fertilizers and nutrients are contained within the enclosed area of hydroponic greenhouse and do not spoil the open air, water or fertile soil.

Hydroponics otherwise known as indoor gardening has been steadily growing in popularity as a hobby. People, young and new have started turning those empty spaces to their own personal gardens where they could grow what they want and when they want. Imagine yourself in the middle of the desert or that freezing cabin somewhere in the Arctic and be able to grow roses all year round. So if you ever decide to pick up that seed and decide what plant to grow at the convenience of your home or backyard, this guide would help to answer your questions from A to Z. Hydroponics or indoor gardening requires skills and know how, but the rewards in the end like watching that flower bloom or that seed turn into a glorious blossom is reward in itself. So let us walk you through this and answer all your questions in this indoor gardening guide.

Advantages of Indoor Gardening (Hydroponics) over Traditional Gardening

Many people have turned to alternative of indoor gardening. It is more efficient and economical if done properly than traditional soil gardens. Here are just a few advantages of indoor gardening:

Environmental factors such as temperature or soil and weather conditions do not affect hydroponic or indoor gardens as they are sheltered from such elements with fan and climate controllers for example.

Soil based gardens increase the risk of disease as they are ideal habitats for bacteria and microorganisms.

Soil based gardens also present the troublesome work of weeding out undesired vegetation and soil maintenance through fertilization and tilling.

Space consideration is also a factor as a large number of plants could be grown in such confined and odd spaces where creativity is the only boundary.

Scientifically, vegetables and fruits grown through indoor gardening (hydroponics) contain bigger amounts of vitamins and minerals, and are better sources of nutrition.

Indoor gardening (hydroponics) systems are fairly simple. It is tailored to the individual as to what he needs and what he wants. Simple setups for ordinary hobbyists could be turned into complex ones to more season and professionals as they desire. Indoor gardening has no specific person in mind, the love for gardening and growing plants is what is common to hydroponics hobbyists. Proper planning and design together with that you as a hobbyist needs is what makes a successful project. It may seem to require a little effort and expense at the start but the benefits and fruits of indoor gardening far outweigh the costs and effort. It only takes one simple setup if done right and the benefits can be harvested all year long.

Choosing Indoor Hydroponic  Systems over traditional Gardening

Hydroponic Systems present numerous advantages for the gardener, freedom from uncontrollable environmental factors such as the weather, soil condition and time of year presents the most obvious reasons. Different types of growing mediums allow for those who plan to grow fruits or vegetables, better tasting and more nutritious products is the definite advantage. Production is also increased so those who plan to use indoor gardening (hydroponics) present a better yield thus is it more financially rewarding.

Numerous systems ranging from simple to complex can be tailored to each individual’s specific need.  Setting up complex systems for a business for individuals who want to make it their livelihood or for that individual who lives in an apartment with a limited space presents no difficulties. It is only an individual’s desire and imagination that limits indoor gardening (hydroponics).

Hydroponics gardening is great for anyone who wants to do some gardening but may not have the space or a lot of experience.

Hydroponics gardens are different from regular gardens in that there isn’t any soil involved, which makes them great for indoors.  The word begins with hydro for a reason!  Hydroponics gardening  isn’t anything new, either, as it’s been around since as early as 600 BC.  The other wonderful thing about hydroponics gardens is that they can be grown anywhere.  For example, NASA uses indoor hydroponics gardening for growing produce during lengthy missions.  Lettuce is also being grown on U.S. submarines.

To get started with hydroponics gardening, you will need to germinate seeds just as you would for any other type of garden.  Then you choose a growing medium.  The medium can be anything from composted bark to peat moss to sand to nutrient-enriched water.  You can also purchase kits that have everything you need to get your hydroponics gardening started—and growing.  For the beginner, this is probably the best way to go, as you can get everything you need along with expert advice.

The benefits of gardens grown using the hydroponics gardening method are many.  They allow you to grow your produce organically, without harmful pesticides or fertilizers.  And since water is re-circulated in a specialized system, you also conserve water.  This is great news for people who live in drought-stricken areas or in places where water is scarce. Even in these places hydroponics gardening is possible.

Hydroponics gardening is also very low-maintenance.  Because the produce is grown in water, you don’t have to do any digging.  Even better, with these gardens, there’s no weeding involved either.  Plants grow faster, too.  Thirty to forty days from seed to fruit or flower is average.  This is 30-50% quicker than plants grown in soil.

Also, hydroponics gardening makes it possible to grow produce year-round.  This means you can enjoy fresh vegetables and fruit anytime of the year without paying outrageous prices for them.  Plus, since there’s really no telling just how fresh the produce is in your local market, you’ll never have to guess about freshness and purity again.  You’ll know because you grew it yourself under circumstances you control.

This is an important advantage that hydroponics gardening has over traditional gardens.  When you grow plants in soil, even under the best of circumstances, you don’t know for certain that your plants are truly getting the nutrients vital for them to grow.  In gardens grown hydroponically, you know your plants are getting the very best nutrition right at their root system.  This not only ensures the highest quality possible, but it also takes the guesswork out of your hydroponics gardening.