Hydroponic Nutrient Basics Plants need nutrients to survive and thrive. In hydroponics, we need to put the perfect balance of nutrients into our systems or our plants just won’t make it. We don’t get any help from the soil which naturally has some of these nutrients, it’s all up to our fertilizer. Before I break …
When you think “hydroponics”, the first vegetable that comes to mind is probably lettuce. Leafy greens, and lettuce especially, are perfectly suited for hydroponic systems. They grow fast, produce well, and have a small footprint in your grow space. Lettuce is the perfect first plant for hydroponic newbies beginners. There isn’t anything tricky or fancy …
What can be grown in hydroponics? Virtually any plant can be grown in a hydroponic system. However, many plants only grow well in specific hydroponic systems, and some plants just don’t grow particularly well in any. Leafy greens and most herbs are perfect for almost any hydroponic system. Vining crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers …
What Is NFT Hydroponics? NFT, or nutrient film technique is a kind of recirculating hydroponic system. The nutrient film technique gets its name from the very low-flow irrigation that feeds the plants in the system. Water is pumped into a flat channel slowly so that a thin “film” of nutrient solution is constantly present. How …
Generally speaking, there are two types of growing media. One kind is loose, sold by weight. For example, perlite, potting mix, peat moss, and compressed clay pellets, fall into this category (read more about growing media). The other kind of growing medium comes as individual cubes or cylinders. These are called starter plugs. You may …
In hydroponics, we don’t use soil, we use other kinds of growing media. Hydroponic growing media contains no nutrients. All of the nutrients and minerals growing plants need are supplied through water mixed with hydroponic fertilizer, known as nutrient solution. In the purest forms of hydroponics, nothing but the nutrient solution is used—the exposed roots …
Dutch buckets are a favorite tool of many hydroponic growers. They are easy to build, scalable, and great for growing many kinds of fruits and vegetables. I’d like to show you exactly what a Dutch bucket hydroponic system is, what it looks like, and how to build one yourself. Let’s get right into it! What …
The Kratky Method is a system for growing plants hydroponically. Developed by horticulturist Bernard A. Kratky of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the Kratky Method is by far the simplest and easiest hydroponic method. For folks just getting into hydroponics and those of us who want delicious, fresh vegetables without breaking a sweat, the …