Grow a Garden Without Soil Using Hydroponics

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without using soil. Most often water is used in hydroponic gardening, hence the name. Certainly, there are more technically precise explanations. However, the average gardener doesn’t actually require more knowledge than that.

Perhaps you’ve wondered how you can grow plants hydroponically without soil. It’s generally believed that plants need soil. It provides nutrition, physical support, energy and water. These are all required in order for the plant to thrive. However, it can obtain these elements from other sources as well.

Water is an absolute essential for any plant. But they don’t have to get it from soil. Many plants grow wild in rocks or sand, and even floating on a body of water.

Plants also need energy in the form of sunlight and heat. But sun warmed earth isn’t the only source of energy. Sunlight works directly on leaves the same way it does for plants in the soil. Photosynthesis, essential to a plant’s wellbeing, will take place just as long as the top part of the plant gets sufficient light. Some plants flourish even with no light at all. They will, however, still need some energy to power their natural growth processes.

Most commonly grown plants require some sort of support to hold them up. Planting them in soil is the most common and effective means of achieving that. That’s why the roots of a plant spread, and its stems are able to resist strong winds. However, there are other options for supporting your plants. For example, string interwoven on a supporting frame or popsicle sticks attached to the top of a glass will work just fine.

Nutrients are another of the important elements for a healthy plant. These include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and various trace elements. In a natural environment, the plant will take in these nutrients from the soil around it. But there are other ways to provide these important nutrients to your plants.

Submerging the plant’s roots in water that contains a liquid nutrient solution is a popular method. Some hydroponic systems feature a grow tent that is able to hold in moisture. The roots are sprayed frequently with a nutrient solution that soaks them thoroughly. This practice has similarities to aeroponics, another method of soil-less gardening.

Attractive and thriving plants can result from hydroponic gardening. There are many kinds of plants that can thrive above ground. Just make sure you provide for their needs.

Using a Greenhouse for Year Round Hydroponic Gardening

A greenhouse is a great thing both for hydroponic gardeners as well as those who grow in soil. Generally speaking, a greenhouse has the same advantages for either. However, hydroponic gardening is especially well suited for a greenhouse setting, since temperature, airflow and light are more easily controlled.

Welsh onions, peas, strawberries, plus other plants grow quite well in a hydroponic greenhouse. Orchids and other flowers are also well suited for greenhouse gardening.

Hydroponic gardeners find controlling light to be particularly challenging. Since the plant is grown in water rather than soil, algal growth can be an issue; however, preventing light from getting to the surface of the water is easy in a greenhouse, since light can be controlled with shades and shutters.

Of course plants grown hydroponically need lots of light in order to thrive, just like those grown using soil. Greenhouses do not have more light for growing than you would find outside. Because the light is filtered and diffused within the greenhouse, the grower is able to provide a more warm and consistent light for growing. The plants are protected from cold weather, but given ample sun.

Northern climates in winter will have low temperatures of course, but they do get several hours of full sun per day. Be sure that your greenhouse has a translucent polycarbonate wall as it will keep the ideal temperatures for growing plants inside even while it is cold outside.

Since a consistent temperature is necessary for plants grown using hydroponics, just like soil grown plants, you can easily use vents and fans to prevent the temperature from rising too high.

Using a greenhouse lets you make the best of your gardening opportunities. Some may not have a greenhouse and may choose to grow plants inside the home, but not everyone has the room for that.

A greenhouse is the ideal way to make the most of natural light and a watering system can be installed with ease. Not many homeowners have the space to have high pressure sodium lights or LED grow light panels installed for their vegetables, or the option of running irrigation systems through their guestrooms!

With a greenhouse, the systems can be moved where they are best for the plants, making gardening easier for you. Proper controll of water and light is critical to the success of hydroponic gardens, more important than for soil gardening that is naturally self-regulating.

It is very important as well as easier to set up a feeding system in a greenhouse for hydroponically grown plants. Plants will gain most of the nutrients they need easily when they are planted in good soil. Yet in a hydroponic garden, the gardener must arrange for all of these nutrients to be delivered properly.

pH levels are also something to be considered. When in a hydroponic setting there is greater probability in the shifting of the pH. Acid and alkaline levels can shift rapidly when growing in water. However, in a hydroponic garden a gardener can more easily set up automatic pH controls.

You can buy a greenhouse pre-built or you can make one of your own. These are a great investment for anyone interested in indoor hydroponic gardening. There are a variety of sizes, with modules that allow it to expand as your garden does.