Starting Your Own Hydroponics Garden
Hydroponic gardening is a great way to quickly grow happy, healthy plants. There are many different types of hydroponic gardens, including DIY ones. But this often means a lot of guesswork, constant monitoring and plenty of trial and error. It can become overwhelming and frustrating. Luckily, there is hydroponic equipment available that makes hydroponic gardening at home almost effortless.
How is a Hydroponic Garden Different from an In-Ground Garden?
If you hadn’t taken a clue from the “hydro” part of hydroponic, this type of garden focuses on using strictly water to grow the plants. It often involves a flooding and draining process, and if done manually will require constant attention and monitoring.
This would usually consist of placing seeds in small pots with many drainage holes. They are then filled with a growing medium like gravel or cotton and placed in a water-tight tray that you would flood and drain on a regular basis with nutrient-supplemented water. But if you choose the right hydroponic equipment, this process will be much simpler.
Of course, in-ground gardening involves putting the plants in soil and watering occasionally. So, if in-ground gardening seems so much less complicated, why attempt hydroponic gardening at home?
Hydroponic Gardening at Home
Well, it turns out that there are a lot of benefits to using a hydroponic system versus an in-ground one. The first is the ability to grow more plants in a tighter space. You can put the plants much closer together in a hydroponic growing system than in your garden. Also, if done correctly, the plants are often much healthier in a hydroponic system because the water, air flow, pH and nutrients are so closely controlled.
And this one is a biggy: no weeding. In a hydroponic system, the controlled environment doesn’t allow the production of weeds. Anyone who has taken care of a traditional in-ground garden can appreciate the massive amount of time this would save.
Given all the benefits of a hydroponic garden, it seems like a no-brainer. However, some people are still hesitant because it seems too daunting, and they are not sure how to get started. But getting started is as easy as having the right equipment.
What Hydroponic Supplies Do I Need Before Starting?
If you’re making a DIY hydroponic system, the possibilities are seemingly endless. It will include a waterproof tray with small pots or some type of suspension system for your seeds. If using pots, you’ll need a growing medium and nutrients to add to the water.
If you don’t want to mess with all of that, you can invest in hydroponic equipment that will take the guesswork out of the entire process. There are complete kits that you can purchase that will automatically monitor watering, drainage, aeration and nutrients. These kits are great for beginners and experienced gardeners alike and are well worth the investment.
