The Basic Understanding about What Is Deep Water Culture

The best definition about what is deep water culture is its characteristics as the most effective and efficient kind of hydroponics planting system. it requires a very low budget and maintenance at the same time. What’s more, it is also very easy for beginners.   Even so, expert gardeners still apply this method for the fastest process of cultivating and harvesting.

However, there are certain kinds of Deep Water Culture plantation systems that users have to find out.  It is true that this method doesn’t use any kind of growing media. The method allows roots to suspend over a reservoir that has a water-based plant solution that is oxygenated and rich in nutrients.

What is Deep Water Culture and Its Overall Performance

Many gardeners are deeply falling in love with this method, thanks to its efficacy of nutrients and oxygen absorption to the roots. Besides, roots also get a good exposure to water that enhances their growth very well.  This planting method allows an easy supply of oxygen through the collaboration of air pumps as well as air stones.  Both components work together for aerating solution that can dissolve bubbles.

As the name implies, water is the soul of this system.  Unlike common plants, water is the key to growing the roots instead of soil.  Certainly, the water is placed within a reservoir should be oxygenated and filled with nutrient-rich solution to ensure the best growing progress.

The reason why the water should be oxygenated is that the submerged roots within water constantly need a good amount of oxygen. Instead, they will not grow well or even die.

Another important element that this planting system needs is the rich nutrition within the solution. It replaces the function of soil which becomes the nutrient source for common plants. It doesn’t only ensure maximum absorption, but also reduces hassles in washing plants, particularly for green-leaf vegetables like spinach, lettuce, and so forth.

Excellent Benefits Of Deep Water Culture

This method is indeed full of benefits, whether it is for beginners and advanced gardeners. The first benefit is definitely the use of water.  Just like a common hydroponic plantation system, this method boasts effective water conservation because there is no soil that can absorb water too much.  With such a method, there will be a higher amount of nutrition that roots will suck up from water-based nutrient solutions.  Water also ensures that roots get lots of oxygen.

Unquestionably, there will be a great impact on maintenance costs. There is no land preparation and pH testing at all. Besides, gardeners can rest assured that the watering system works automatically. Gardeners can save much time and money in applying the deep water culture cultivating method.

So, everyone who is wondering what is deep water culture should understand its overall performance.  It is easy to summarize that DWC ensures high-quality crops yield within a very shorter time than those from the conventional soil-based plantation system. With the very easy setup and low cost of preparation and maintenance, deep water culture is highly recommended for every modern gardener.

What are hydroponic system in a nutshell?

Maybe you’ve been wondering about what are hydroponic system that you can do? There is suddenly a rush of articles and advertisements on various media about hydroponic farmers.

If you want to grow some plants but have no time to do regular gardening, then you should try your hands on hydroponics. You don’t need a lot of space and the materials are affordable.

So, what are hydroponic system?

In laymen’s terms, hydroponic is planting without soil. To replace the soil, the farmer uses other mediums such as wood fiber and pumice stones. The key for the hydroponic system is by having the water filled with nutrient solutions to help the plant to grow.

The nutrient can come from fertilizers, manures, and other types that you can get. Of course, you need to put the plant types into account. As long as you are patient and keen enough to continue on the work. You can grow almost any plant using this system.

In a nutshell, there are two hydroponic systems. The sub-irrigation and the top irrigation. The difference between each system lies in where the water is in the process.

The sub-irrigation means that the plant is floating above the water level. being suspended and the water is right below the root. While the top irrigation is akin to dripping or sprinkling the water.

Each system is the basis of other techniques such as wick, run-to-waste, aeroponic, deep water culture, and many others. A farmer may combine several techniques to get the best result for their plants.

Why is it so popular lately?

To be fair the hydroponic system has been around for many decades. It’s not only recently popular. But the recent trend on urban farming brings hydroponic back to the spotlight.

You can see a lot of rooftops converted into a small garden. This is a refreshing breath of fresh air in concrete and glass-filled cities. Many urban farmers use this method to promote the local produce.

Another benefit from hydroponic is the massive reduction in water consumption. Hydroponics uses almost a quarter less than the regular planting method.

This may come as weird since water is one of the main elements here. But there are several methods on hydroponics such as aeroponics and deep water culture. But even with the deep water culture, you will use less water than in a regular garden.

Hydroponics can be the solution for areas with yearlong drought. As we know, some countries are suffering from a lack of water.

There are so many plants that you can grow using hydroponic. As a beginner, you may want to start with herbs like rosemary, mint, and rockets. As you get better, you can start growing lettuces, tomatoes, and strawberries. And before you know it, you will have a mini garden without having to expand your house.

And now that you know what are hydroponic system is in a nutshell. Good luck with your effort to start growing your plants. It may take some time to get used to it, but the result pays it off.

How to Tell The Difference between Aeroponics and Hydroponics

The difference between aeroponics and hydroponics is actually very few, though each of them shares lots of benefits. Yet, both planting systems are very common and become the most favorable ones.  While they are highly beneficial for owners, they are applicable to different kinds of environments.  This is why owners need to ensure whether they have to choose either hydroponics or aeroponics for their planting techniques.

The Difference between Aeroponics and Hydroponics; What to Take Into Consideration

Hydroponics planting system is the method of growing plants without using any soil. The planting system uses a special medium for plant growth for supporting the whole process. This is the best part of hydroponics in which the growth medium is easy to control throughout the phase of growth.  Many home gardeners prefer this system as a budget-friendly option.

Meanwhile, aeroponics is a plantation system where all the plants don’t use any soil, nor any medium at all.  Crops or plants take nutrition from a solution that contains nutrients in a form of mist or water.  In this case, the plant root gets lots of mist coverage. In this case, aeroponics is actually the split of hydroponics.

Of course, there are differences between both systems though each of them can ensure excellent coverage of nutrients for maximum plant growth.  Home gardeners can choose the one that suits their needs.  The first thing to consider is the setup progress.

For the hydroponic plantation system, the plants will be placed in a tray where the water reservoir stays close in a line to water the plants. This system still uses a pump for pumping the reservoir’s solution to all required plants. The solution will return to the reservoir, thanks to the overflow drain for collecting the unused solution.

Meanwhile, the aeroponic plantation system is mostly designed with hanging-down plant roots. This is to ensure that the plant sits nicely in its place. Each place is designed in such a way that there will be no roots tangled to each other.  The roots get the water containing nutrients that are placed within a reservoir. Mostly, the reservoir is the submersible water pump that pushes nutrients to all roots through pipes.  The water pump produces mist through the misting nozzles, for creating fine mist. This is why some home gardeners prefer this method as it provides droplets that are more effective for certain kinds of plants.

Which Systems Ensure The Best Nutrition Absorption

The fact is that both aeroponics and hydroponics boast excellent impacts on nutrition absorption.  The absence of soil makes roots get nutrients at their best.  Plants on the hydroponics plantation system get nutrients from a reservoir in which they are circulating so all roots will absorb them. Meanwhile, plants on aeroponics get the nutrients from the pumped mist.

It means, the difference between aeroponics and hydroponics lies in the water content. Whichever method that home gardeners want to apply, each of those planting systems ensures the effectiveness of nutrient absorption with the efficiency on water usage.   Many home gardeners even apply both systems on their separated areas, based on the variety of crops or plants.

The best hydroponic vegetables

Several hydroponic vegetables are more popular than others. You sure have heard the same variants over and over again. Lettuces, mints, beans, spinach, cucumbers, and so on. They are popular mainly because they are easy to tend to and have a monetary value.

Now you can see some pictures on Instagram and videos on TikTok of hydroponic farmers showcasing their works. And with the rise of alternative farming, hydroponic is gaining popularity again. Now the question is which vegetable is the best one to have?

Hydroponic vegetables that perfect for beginners

Being a beginner means your options are pretty limited. But don’t worry, as soon as you get the hang of hydroponic systems, you can expand to other plants.

Most beginners will start with lettuce, spinach, and beans. These vegetables are popular because they are the fastest to grow among others. They also require a small amount of care. Long story short, these are your foolproof options.

As a beginner, you shouldn’t be too ambitious and think about growing many vegetables at once. It’s best to start slow and learn about each plant. Keep in mind that the weather situation in your location plays a big part in your hydroponic garden.

Anyway, most people will suggest lettuce for a hydroponic beginner. It’s understandable since they are sturdy and can grow in almost any system. As long as you give the basic nutrients and keep good water quality for the plants, you can see the result in a month.

Don’t be discouraged when some of the plants don’t grow. It happens all the time, but remember that there is always a solution for each problem. You can start small by only having a small patch or several pots instead of a full garden.

Which vegetables are best for hydroponic?

The best vegetables for hydroponic are the ones that you enjoy growing. When taking care of your garden counts as a chore, then it’s when you need to seek other plants to challenge yourself.

Do your research on each vegetable. Understand what nutrients they need, and how long they need to grow. Most vegetables take 30-60 days before you can start harvesting.

Remember that your vegetables may take a while to grow. It’s best to be patient while tending them. Also, remember that some vegetables may need special care. Take bell peppers as an example. The plants require pruning when they reach seven or eight inches tall.

You can alternate between vegetables and fruits to understand which one is more your style. Again, each plant is unique and has different needs. Eventually, it returns to your purpose for growing them.

After mastering growing lettuce, you can start growing tomatoes and bell peppers for a change. And when you have mastered them as well, you can look for other vegetables as a challenge.

In general, the best hydroponic vegetables are those that you enjoy growing and consuming. If you’re a business-savvy person, you may be able to turn this hobby into a company. You may reap the profits in less than a decade.

Three easy hydroponic system tips for beginner

You sure want to know some hydroponic system tips for beginner. It’s okay, since it’s your first time you sure want to make sure that you’re doing it right.

Many people are afraid when starting something, and hydroponic is no exception. They think that the preparations and installations will take a lot of time and are expensive to set. Not to mention the misconception that growing with water in hydroponic means wasting water.

What are the three keys hydroponic system tips for beginner?

If it’s your first time gardening using a hydroponic system, there are three things that you need to know. These are to ensure that your journey to hydroponics starts with the right foot.

  1. Have a solid plan

Before you start anything, you need to have a solid plan. Make sure that you run thorough research about the plant you want to grow. It’s more than just choosing a plant and figuring out the space.

You also need to figure out the budget and how are you going to do the hydroponic garden. You may have the budget to start an aeroponic, but that can be a waste when you don’t understand the basic hydroponic.

Choosing which technique to use is also essential in your plan. Understand that not all techniques are suitable for all plants. Take the aeroponic as an example, you can grow lettuce using aeroponics, but it will be a waste of your time and money to do so.

Don’t forget about the nutrients for the plants. You need to know what they are and the composition for the best results. You can go on a full beginner route for this part. But at least, you need to plan when you will level up and have more complicated plants.

  1. Get the best types of equipment you can get

Remember that best doesn’t mean expensive. It means that they fit your budget. Therefore, you won’t be missing any basic pieces of equipment necessary for hydroponic.

Some of the essential equipment that you may not spare cash on are the water pump and filter. As you know, water quality is crucial in hydroponic.

  1. Light is crucial

Your plants need a regular and healthy dose of light to ensure their growth. That is why light is crucial in hydroponics. Some farmers install artificial lights in their gardens. That is to ensure that their plants are getting enough light and growing at the same pace,

Anything else that I need to know?

For starters, you need to remember that your plant is a living thing. You need to check it regularly to see which stage of growth it is now. And while you do that, don’t skip on checking the water and pH level.

You may be reading so many Hydroponic system tips for beginner that you can find online. But these tips won’t change a thing unless you get up and start planning. Good luck with your endeavor to start a hydroponic garden.

Seeking the best hydroponic nutrient solutions

Understanding the hydroponic nutrient solutions that your plants need requires some basic chemistry skills. It’s simply because you need to do several combinations to maximize the effect.

Many people think that hydroponic solutions as the same soil fertilizers. It’s only fair since they have similar work and can consist of similar ingredients. You can use some fertilizers such as manure as a hydroponic solution.

What are the hydroponic nutrient solutions?

The solutions can be different depending on the plants that you are growing. Each plant needs a different set of nutrients. The general is the same, but you will need to adjust some of them to maximize the growth.

Plants need both macro and micronutrients. As you know, macronutrients are what the plants need in large quantities. They are Nitrogens, Phosphorus, and Potassium.

As for the micronutrients are mainly minerals such as Manganese, Iron, Zinc, Boron, and others. The plants may lack the micronutrients but they can’t be lacking macronutrients.

Remember that nutrients work to boost the plant. Therefore, each plant may have different nutrient needs. It depends on the plant types as well as the stages. Which part you want to boost also matters on which nutrients to have more.

You also need to pay attention to the light intensity and weather conditions. Adjusting the nutrients alone won’t give the intended effects when the weather is not supportive.

If you want to avoid headaches, you can always buy the solutions in the stores. They have all the micro and macronutrients that your plants need. Another option is to go for regular soil fertilizers. But if you do so, you need to adjust the amount used.

Managing a hydroponic garden

The right nutrients are essential in managing a hydroponic garden. Of course, you need to put into account the plant types and medium as well.

Managing a hydroponic garden takes more than just time and gardening skills.

Many things are equally important to the garden. It’s more than just regularly giving nutrients and keeping enough light. You also need to pay attention to the weather and water quality.

Keep in mind that there is always a solution for every problem. If you can’t get enough light, then you need to install more artificial lights in your garden. And when the water quality is low, you can always use a filtration system to improve it.

Also, good to note that each plant is different. Tomato and lettuce are vegetables, but they have different nutrient needs. You need to keep an open mind and be willing to learn for more nutrient combinations.

You will soon understand what nutrients to add when you want your tomatoes to be juicier or redder. Feel free to keep experimenting with your plants and nutrients to figure out the result that you want.

You can always buy ready-made hydroponic nutrient solutions at a gardening store. But remember that you can have some fun managing your garden and adjusting the nutrients for your plants. The satisfaction when seeing your effort comes to fruition is priceless.

Hydroponic Growing Materials

Where to get hydroponic growing materials

You may have been wondering where you can get the hydroponic growing materials. It’s only natural if it’s your first time doing trying the soil-less planting method.

As you know, a hydroponic system uses no soil to plant. Instead, you are using other mediums such as rice husks, sands, wool, and other items. Technically, any material that can absorb water and have enough pore for the air to go through can be a hydroponic media.

Are hydroponic growing materials affordable?

There is a large selection of mediums that you can choose from. And most of them are affordable to buy. Don’t forget that you can get the starter pack that consists of a plastic sheet, short pipes, and net pots.

Still, don’t worry about all this since you can adjust the media and material with your budget.

If you want to do hydroponic from scratch or on a tight budget, you can look for the materials around the house. The key to hydroponic is keeping the water level and adjusting it based on what your plants need.

One thing you need to pay attention to is the average cost. Some materials can be expensive because they are only available in large quantities. If you’re having this issue, you can adjust the material and use another more affordable material.

You can buy these materials at your nearest home depot. Or some of you may be even luckier and have them at home. Planting Hydroponics doesn’t necessarily need a vast space. But it needs thorough care and keen eyes to monitor the growth.

Can we make it ourselves?

The short answer is yes. You can make the growing materials by yourself. Making here means creating the best media for your plants. Sometimes, you need to go through some trials and errors first. That is the only way to find which media gives the best result and costs the least.

You can combine several materials such as rock wool and rice husk, or pumice stone with sand to create a growing base for your plants. If you have time to experiment, feel free to do so.

The beauty of doing hydroponic is that you can swap the growing materials from one with another. But keep in mind that the medium that you use affects how well the plant absorbs the nutrients.

In some cases, experimenting with the mediums can turn your hydroponic garden to be more productive. But of course, you may face failures at times. When that happens, then you need to step back and see if it’s the case of wrong material or wrong technique.

Hydroponic growing materials are everywhere. You can use daily items such as mason jars and old bowls for the container. If you start this as a hobby, you will have a lot of fun finding which medium is the best for your plants. Remember that each material is unique and may not be suitable for the system and plants you have in mind.

All about Hydroponic for Herb Garden

Hydroponic for herb garden is undoubtedly the most effective choice for anyone who has a lack of space for an outdoor plantation.  Controlling plants without or very little soil is much easier. Besides, the yield of plants is much healthier and bigger, thanks to the very low risk of diseases and pests.  Yet, it is important to keep in mind that the nutrient should be adequate because there is very low access to natural soil that becomes the main source of nutrients of common plants.

Hydroponic for Herb Garden; Important Things to Notice

Well, not all kinds of herbs can grow well through the hydroponic method.  Yet, many gardeners have proven that some herbs like lemongrass, ginger, garlic, basil, mints, turmeric, onions are easy to plant with this method.  Obviously, this is good news for everyone who wants to get home remedies from those herbs.

Many people expect to plant those kinds of herbs. Yet, some of them might wonder how they can plant them if they have no yard.  So, a hydroponic garden indoors is the best solution. Herbs still can get the best nutrients from water with good pH balanced. Owners should know the right composition.

Hydroponic for herb should also apply the electric pump system for providing roots with adequate water containing nutrients. Without the existence of soil, then roots will be able to absorb nutrients for creating good quality herbs.   Keep in mind that the growth media plays a major role in the growth process.  Among the most common growth media include cellulose fiber, peat, and many more though they should be designed for hydroponic gardening.

How Nutrient Solution Bring Good Impact to Hydroponic Herbs

Some beginners will need to learn better about the right nutrient solutions. Some of them buy commercial solutions, while advanced gardeners usually create their own compositions.  The ingredients of the hydroponic solution include calcium nitrate, potassium phosphate, potassium nitrate, magnesium sulfate, zinc sulfate, and copper sulfate.  However, inexperienced gardeners shouldn’t even think of mixing them if they are not sure about the right compositions. Or else, they will damage plants.

Unlike green-leaf vegetables, hydroponic herbs require more special attention. This is because different herbs require different nutrient compositions.  In this case, gardeners have to learn comprehensively about the balanced nutrient solution.

Best Systems for Hydroponic Herbs

Basically, all plants can grow well with hydroponic herbs. But, some gardeners may choose among several kinds of hydroponic systems.   The common hydroponic system is the window farms that require pumps and tubes along with containers for growing the plants.  Owners have to prepare a container that contains water. The pumping water then will go through the channel to soak the roots when it is trickling.

Usually, beginners prefer to buy a hydroponic herb garden kit that is ready to use.  The internet offers various kinds of kits that they can choose to avoid hassles.  Such kits are easy to install, even in an indoor kitchen for owners to pick the herbs for cooking or other purposes.  The kits provide the hydroponic urban windowsill garden with very easy maintenance.

How To Grow Hydroponic Onions With The Fastest And Best Result

If it is very simple to grow all plants through a hydroponic plantation system, then it is not less difficult in learning how to grow hydroponic onions. It is easy to plant onions because they are suitable in either low or medium lands. However, the most important thing about growing this plant is adequate sunlight for keeping them free from dampness. It is also crucial to ensure that the plants are not waterlogged as they can rot easily.

Now, planting onion is highly popular through hydroponic techniques. This technique is very popular among gardeners in urban areas. It is also amazing to find out that they can grow hydroponics onions. Say goodbye to hassles in preparing soil because all gardeners need is an adequate amount of water to ensure the growth of those onions.

How to Grow Hydroponic Onions Easily

Growing hydroponic onions is as easy as preparing all the materials required. They include Styrofoam, a 30-cm plastic box, recycled plastic cups, husk, onions for seeds, flannelette, cutter, and hydroponic nutrition. The ingredients of the nutrients can be adjusted based on the planted onion seeds.

Once all the materials are ready, then follow these steps

  1. Prepare a big plastic box as the big pot for several plastic cups. Create a 5-centimeter hole in the lid of the box. Depending on the size of the box, then you can arrange how many holes are in one box. Make sure each hole has a 10 centimeters distance.
  2. Prepare plastic cups. Create a hole at the bottom and on each side of the plastic cup.
  3. Prepare the flannelette. Cut it into pieces with certain measurements to be inserted into the bottom hole of each plastic cup. It is the media for roots to absorb water.
  4. Fill the water box with the nutrient solution that is specifically designed for nourishing hydroponic plants. Usually, gardeners use 5 ml of each nutrient with 1 liter of water.
  5. Next, fill each plastic cup with burnt husk before placing all plastic cups into the holes in the lid of the box. Shower each of the husks with adequate water.
  6. Choose dry, old seeds of onions that contain roots for a better planting process. Clean them and cut the ends with cutters. Then, plant the onion seeds. Each seed within each plastic cup until half of the body is immersed in the soil.
  7. Keep the under the shade that still gets adequate sunlight.

When Onions are Ready to Harvest?

It is important to notice that the maintenance should be very careful if you want to know how to grow hydroponic onions very well. Plants should get enough water and nutrient with the right solution. Checking the water volume and quality is very necessary because it will determine the quality of the harvesting plant. Water sanitation is very important for ensuring that the hydroponic cross-section is free from moss. Moss can interfere with the absorption of nutrients in plants. Onions are ready to harvest for approximately sixty days. For the sake of the best yield, it is important to keep the surrounding environment clean for minimizing the spread of diseases and pests.

The Benefits of Hydroponic for The Much Better Eco-Friendly Movement.

The benefits of hydroponic are numerous that many plant owners can really take great advantages for both the environment and their personal health.  The practice of hydroponic will result in much better output within a very short time.  Of course, it requires the right techniques, based on suitable knowledge in handling the hydroponic plants.  It is important to keep in mind that significant improvement contributes to the environment.

Rare Benefits of Hydroponic that People Might Consider

At first, hydroponic was the first solution for those who want to have lots of plants without any requirement to own a big yard. Yet, during the past decade, it is getting harder to find a house with a yard that is suitable for planting various kinds of plants.  When this system was invented, there wasn’t any serious concern about the water supply. But now, water scarcity seems to be very common, particularly in urban areas.

This is why hydroponic is the most favored planting system that home gardeners adore. Yet, these days, commercial farmers make the most of their spaces to plant as many plants as possible. This is to ensure that all plants grow well with enough water and excellent treatment quality.  In this case, quality relates to the nutrition that plants get.  The watering system enhances the possibility for plants to absorb nutrition very well.

Details about Watering System and Nutrition Absorption Effectiveness

First things first, the hydroponic system is very much versatile for growing plants.  For those who only have a very small yard, they can have a hydroponic plantation system.  There is no need to deal with soil setup that requires more time and cost, particularly in testing the land’s pH level. The versatility is even perfect with the very minimum or zero use of pesticides. With the very easy process of planting and harvesting, the overall startup and maintenance efforts are highly efficient.

The most common watering system among people who apply hydroponic plantation system is by using Nutrien Film Technique.  The film here refers to the very slight water layer. The system applies the plant roots placement in a shallow layer of water.

The circulating water contains nutrients that the plant needs to grow gradually.  There will be certain measurements of the nutrients to apply in the water.  The ability of roots to develop will be much easier they can absorb nutrient better when it is mixed with water.  While plant owners can maximize nutrient absorption, they can also conserve water because they can reuse the system’s water.

Is There any Drawback of Hydroponic?

Some people say that a hydroponic plantation system requires too much electricity. It is true that the watering process requires non-stop electricity usage. Yet, it doesn’t really consume too much energy. The overall cost of a hydroponic plantation system is much lower than a conventional plantation, particularly for the soil setup, soil changing, weeding, et cetera.  Growing plants all year round is much easier indoor, particularly for those who live in four-seasoned countries.  It means the benefits of hydroponic surpass the drawbacks so it is actually recommended for those who don’t have much time in plants maintenance.