Are you someone who loves to garden and is always looking for new and innovative ways to grow better food? If so, you are not alone. In 2014 alone, nearly 80 percent of American households were growing their own vegetables.There are thousands of people just like you who are looking for the next best idea when it comes to gardening. One type of gardening that has become incredibly popular in the last decade is hydroponics which essentially is a way to grow plants without soil. Although hydroponics might seem a bit intimidating at first, once you understand the tools and techniques you will be well on your way. Below are just three considerations to keep in mind when switching to a hydroponic system:
1. Lighting - Hydroponic plant systems are different than typical plants in soil because they require a different environment. Part of this different environment involves the plants getting somewhere between eight and ten hours of direct light every single day. This light can be either direct sunlight or from a high intensity hydroponic lighting system. As you can probably guess, this type of plant growing does take a bit of a toll on your electricity bill.
2. Nutrients - Another consideration you will need to make for a hydroponic plant system is making sure the plants are getting the base nutrients that they would typically receive from soil. The exact nutritional pH requirement depends on the plant that you are growing, but a good place to start is to have the pH between 5.5-6 for most plants. If you are unsure about how the pH levels will affect the plant you are growing, just ask an employee at your local hydroponic supply shop.
3. Proper Garb - Because hydroponic plants are a bit more sensitive than typical plants in soil, you’ll need more than just your standard garden gloves and pruning snips for this job. For instance, depending on your particular set-up you will need an indoor and/or outdoor gardening shoe cover so that you are not introducing the dirt from your shoes into your clean hydroponic growing environment. An outdoor gardening shoe cover looks like a type of plastic bag that fits over your shoe and they can be purchased in packages to be disposed of or as reusable sets.
If you are looking to change up the way you garden and try something new, then maybe it’s time to get out of the box and try growing hydroponic vegetables. You never know, you might even like that type of gardening more than typical soil based planting! Just remember to consider items like the lighting, the nutrients, and purchasing items you’ll need to wear like an outdoor gardening shoe cover. With these three items in mind, you’ll already be ahead of the curve.