When gardening hydroponically it is important to gain a good idea of the type of plant growing system you will be using. The type of system is largely dependent upon which plants you will be growing. Below are some of the systems and techniques used for hydroponic gardening.
One of the most frequently used hydroponic techniques is deep water culture. Essentially this plant growing system keeps the plant roots in a nutrient rich solution. This technique is best used with small or medium sized plants that will grow well together, an example would be herbs, flowers and even lettuces.
If you are planning on growing larger plants then the nutrient film technique is likely to be a better option. The principle is much the same as deep water culture as the plants are fed using a thin film of solution that flows over the plant roots. It is important to remember however that when growing larger plants, they should be adequately spread out to ensure each plant receives all of the nutrients they need.
The expandable drip plant growing system is predominantly used for large plants. Whilst similar to deep water culture this technique uses plants in a growing medium within a basket. Water and nutrients are constantly dripped through the growing medium ensuring that plants have a supply of nutrients at all times. Typically excess water is recycled in the system to save money. Plants that thrive using this system include tomatoes, peppers, pineapple and other tropical plants.
Similar to the drip technique is the ebb and flow growing system, this works by temporarily flooding the plant's grow tray with the nutrient solution so that it receives its nutrients. The solution is then pumped away back to the reservoir for it to be used again. This is a flexible plant growing system that is suitable for a wide range of plants and also growing mediums.
Finally is the beginning of the journey for all plants, propagation. Hydroponic propagation systems can be used with either seeds or cuttings. In many systems the nutrient solution is actually pumped through a device that either sprays the plants or creates a mist. This mist provides the right levels of water, nutrients and humidity for the plants to flourish, take care however to ensure the system allows for enough oxygen for the growing plants. Naturally propagation kits are for short term use as once any plants have developed they should be moved to one of the systems listed above.
No comments:
Post a Comment