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Latest Blog PostsHow The Size Of Vegetable Seeds Affects Planting Avoiding Weeds In Your Vegetable Garden Growing Vegetables In Small Spaces Creating An Effective Raised Bed Design ...view the rest of the posts on Growing Vegetables Blog. |
Hydroponic Gardening Takes Dirt Out of the EquationYou can grow fresh vegetables without the aid of an actual garden or even dirt. Hydroponic gardening allows you to grow vegetables year round in doors. Many commercially produced organic fruits and vegetables are grown through greenhouse gardening that uses hydroponic techniques. The word “hydroponic” is a Latin term meaning "water working." When cultivating plants hydroponically, nutrients and oxygen are delivered directly to the roots through water. To try a hydroponic garden at home, you will need a hydroponic chamber or your own small greenhouse with grow lights or plenty or natural sunlight, and a hydroponic irrigation system. Small hydroponic greenhouse chambers can grow plants from seed to harvest right from your indoor garden bench or table. The units can grow anywhere from one to 24 vegetable plants at a time. Do Your Research Before You Buy EquipmentHydroponic chambers and filters can be expensive so take time to study this gardening technique before you invest in equipment. Visit a local nursery, greenhouse equipment company or garden supply store to find books and information about hydroponics. Go to local greenhouses and online message boards to get advice and gardening tips from experienced hydroponic gardeners. Hydroponics removes the mess of indoor gardening. Plants are cultivated either directly in nutrient-enriched water or in fiber, sand or stones. These growing media gently anchor the plants in place while allowing the water, which is the key to hydroponics, to flow freely around the roots. Plants grown in hydroponic greenhouses or chambers often have higher yields and increased nutrient values compared to plants grown in soil. Hydroponic plants don’t have to put any energy into developing a root system, since the oxygen and nutrients they need are so readily available. In one form of hydroponics, plants are actually suspended in a chamber where the humidity is kept at 100 percent. These aeroponic gardening chambers gently mist plants with nutrients. |