Author: Candice Pardue

Hydroponics is a food science that has been experimented with for thousands of years, however, people are just beginning to realize the tremendous value that hydroponics has to offer.  The science of growing plants without soil has quickly grown over the past forty years, and is now being cultivated for use in many different situations.

The Key to Healthy Hydroponics

A healthy start to hydroponics is acquiring the right combination of ingredients and tools for successful growth. Any gardener will agree that having the right tools makes life easier, but also enables the gardener to care for his garden properly and in a timely manner.  The same holds true for hydroponics.  To grow healthy plants using hydroponics, the right ingredients and tools will make all the difference.

Below is a list of the required ingredients and tools needed for healthy hydroponics, and why each is vital to growth and success:

Appropriate Lighting

Indoor garden lighting is required for healthy plants. There are various types of lighting systems available in the hydroponic markets.

HID (High Intensity Discharge) lighting is the type of lighting used to change electricity into light that plants can use efficiently.  Plants then, in turn, use the light they receive along with nutrients to produce an energy source that enables them to grow in a healthy manner.

Nutrients and Water Source Supplies

Hydroponically grown plants need a food and water source. Just like in a "soil" garden, an irrigation system of some sort should be developed to get the appropriate nutrient-rich water and plain tap (or distilled) water to
the plants.  This can be done using several different methods, including spraying by hand, the drip method,
sprinklers and mist.  The amount of water applied can be adjusted as needed using any of these methods, depending on the size and type of plants you're growing.

pH Control and Its Importance

The pH control in hydroponics is much easier than with soil gardens.  What is pH?  It's the hydrogen-hydroxyl ion
content level of a solution, in technical terms.  If a solution contains more hydrogen, which is a positive ion, than hydroxyl, which is negative, then it is considered an acid.  When this scenario is reversed, the solution is called an alkaline (or base).  Pure water is considered neutral because it has the correct balance of each.  Water that is less than pure can be imbalanced, which might cause the plant to be unable to absorb some of its essential elements that it requires for good health.

Keeping the pH balance at an even level, and also monitoring to see how it affects the plants will ensure healthy growth in hydroponics.

CO2 Control

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) provides up to seventy-five percent of the plant's nutrition.  Therefore, controlling the CO2 in your growing area is very important.  To keep the CO2 level well-balanced, there are analysis kits available, CO2 injectors or CO2 generators, which run off natural gas or liquid propane tanks.

Temperature Control

Controlling the temperature in your hydroponics growing environment is also important.  The correct temperature for growing hydroponically is between 65 and 85 degrees F.

You can keep a check on the temperature using an indoor/outdoor thermometer.  When temperatures become too warm, this can be controlled using fans and ventilation.

Plenty of Oxygen

Plants need plenty of oxygen to grow.  This is why ventilation is important to allow outdoor oxygen to reach your plants.

Humidity Level Control

Humidity levels can become very high in your hydroponic growing area due to consistent watering and the enclosed environment.  There are monitoring devices to help you keep a check on the humidity level.  This is another area where correct ventilation and fanning helps.  Your plants can either become saturated or too dry, and neither is very healthy.

Using a combination of the right tools and ingredients will enable you to be successful with your hydroponic garden experience.  It's a simple process and requires very little maintenance once your system is set up. Hydroponics is a fun, affordable way to grow your plants or vegetables, and also a great space saver!

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