The urban gardener asked:

Hydroponics vs Soil Grown Plants

The benefits, offered by hydroponics, are pretty simple, yet impressive: one can receive 200-1000% increase in yield with only half of time and space requirements in comparison to traditional soil horticulture. Absence of soil also results in protection of growing plants against pests, commonly living in soil. In hydroponic systems, plants receive all the necessary nutrients through hydroponics nutrient solution and never suffer lack of water. As the result, hydroponic plants concentrate of producing fruits instead of growing large roots to extract water and nutrients from the soil. Hydroponic plants have smaller roots in comparison to common plants, which grow in soil. This allows increasing the density of plants in your garden. It is also a proven fact, that food products, produced in indoor hydroponic systems, are cleaner and have longer shelf life.

Usually, hydroponic plants can grow both indoor and outdoor; furthermore, even a loft, cellar, or closet can be turned into a garden with hydroponic system.

There are two major subtypes of hydroponic plants: solution and medium cultures. Solution culture does not require any growing medium for its growing; the only thing necessary is nutrient solution. Among solution cultures aeroponics, static and continuous flow cultures are defined. Medium culture needs a particular growing medium to grow in, for example, rockwool, sand or gravel. In most cases, the growing medium is contained within a reservoir, made from plastic. However, glass, metal or wooden containers are also used. The only requirement to hydroponic container is that it should not let light pass.

History of Hydroponics

Hydroponics as a term was first mentioned in the middle of the previous century to identify a method of plants growing without soil in the special growing medium. However, the method itself has roots in the prehistoric times. The Floating Gardens of Aztecs and those of the Chinese, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, perceived much as the myth only, and the flooding of the Egyptian Nile may now be treated as the very first attempts of hydroponic gardening. Moreover, even ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic records, which are actually documents, not myths, mention the ways of growing plants in water.

Thus, it would be unfair to say hydroponics is a brand new method of gardening: even Da Vinci made much progress in creating what we now call “hydroponic gardening”. At the same time, research of the last decades has significantly explained and improved the nuts and bolts of this agricultural option, actually, reviving it. This process started during World War II thanks to the government financing, and in the 50th of the 20th century it gained worldwide popularity. Just for the record: these days the incidence of hydroponically grown fruits and vegetables occupy about 65% of all those sold in the UK stores, and about 90% of the sold cut fresh flowers are grown with the help of hydroponics and HPS grow lights.

Among the researchers who worked on creating the ideal conditions for plants growing was a Belgian scientist Jan van Helmont, who discovered in 1600 that plants receive elements for the normal growth from water. Robert Boyle from Ireland managed to grow plants in the bottles with water, which is recorded in the documents dated 1666. 33 years later a notable discovery was made by the English scholar John Woodward, who found out that various constituents from different types of soils were also of vital importance for the plants growth. Thus, he made a valuable contribution to the work started by Jan van Helmont. Unfortunately, the absence of the necessary equipment prevented John Woodward from proceeding with his work.

With the development of chemistry the world got to know that plants consist of chemicals obtained from air, soil, and water as food and the materials for the proper growth. This real breakthrough was made by the French scientist Nicolas de Saussure in 1804. Jean Boussingault, his fellow countryman, made much progress in studying plants growth in various types of medium, as quartz, charcoal, and sand. That was he who found out that dry plant material is mainly made of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, received from the air.

Knowing the plants’ chemical structure and the ingredients necessary for the growth scientists became curious whether it was possible to grow plants without soil.

The scientists who succeeded in this task were Germans Sachs and Knop, who managed to grow plants in water solution in 1860’s. They called their invention “nutriculture”. Many years passed till the real interest to the “nutriculture” appeared. The pioneers of the greenhouse industry fully understood its cons and helped in the further improvement of the method between years 1925 and 1935.

The first effort to turn laboratory “nutriculture” into a commercial product was first made by Dr. William F. Gericke, who explored soilless plant growing at University of California Davis and was very successful. It was Dr. Gericke, who first used the term “hydroponics”, which means “waterworking” in Greek. Since then, the public interest to hydroponic gardening spread rapidly around the world.  It is interesting to note that even the U.S. Army had special units, whose main duty was to grow hydroponics and provide fruits and vegetables for kitchen. In the military environment it is not always possible to grow plants in a traditional way, so hydroponic systems and hydroponic supplies was chosen as the way to grow plants virtually anywhere.

rickvanman asked:

A quick video about caring for your growing tomato plants. www.container-gardening-for-food.com

Essentially, compost is any decomposed organic materials like plants, twigs, kitchen waste produced from plants and leaves. An aerobic composter cooks or decomposes these materials to kind compost. This compost is quite rich in nutrients that are needed for the wholesome development of plants; it is utilized in gardening, by mixing it together with backyard soil to boost the quality of the soil. Natural make any difference might be merely, effectively and economically utilized by composting it and might be done at property by home proprietors, by farmers in their farms as well as by industrialists.  By holding collectively moisture and minerals, compost offers a good atmosphere for growing plants and is consequently highly suggested like a soil additive.

Using an aerobic composter is one of the most common ways of producing garden compost. There are great advantages of making use of this technique of composting amongst them the reality that there’s no foul smell omitted, and the method requires just two weeks in favorable problems, unlike the anaerobic process that will get up to three months. Aerobic composting will be the decomposition of waste material using oxygen and in a managed environment until the content stabilizes creating it prepared for use.  Different components like the supplies employed, temperature, moisture and aeration determine the length and high quality of the compost.

For aerobic composting to take spot, it calls for supplies wealthy in carbon and nitrogen in the ratio of 30:1 at greatest. Leaves, sawdust and chips from wood are a few of the supplies that include carbon, although grass, animal waste and foods waste are some of the materials from which nitrogen is derived. Oxygen using organisms are very helpful in decomposing these supplies. You will observe aerobic composting materials such as animal manure, plant droppings and dried up leaves pile up and decompose aerobically into great compost as noticed in forests and is favorable for the growth of plants.

Today, composting continues to be created simple and fast. Utilizing an aerobic composter is effortless, cheap and environmentally smart. As soon as you add the materials into the compost bin, it spins the materials within so as to produce the needed atmosphere for composting and in a short while the compost will be prepared. Some folks choose to make their personal compost bin, however the process might be lengthy and tiresome and could lead to frustration. The most effective choice would be to purchase a prepared to assemble unit since all you’ll want to do to assemble it and it will be able to use. It can take some few minutes to assemble one so that you can get started and you are able to buy a composter unit on the internet or receive one from a shop.

As you start the composting process by including the waste supplies to the unit, avoid dairy items because these might give out a bad odor. Some good compost materials are vegetable peels; pasta and cooked rice make very good compost supplies. To not mention, sawdust, chopped hay and plants add up to great compost supplies. Be affected person and give the method enough time to cook nicely and very quickly the compost will likely be all prepared.

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The urban gardener asked:


Soil less Mixtures

There is a great amount of soil less mixtures available, which contain different ingredients. Sphagnum moss, perlite, and vermiculite are the most widely spread hydroponics components, used in such mixtures.

Being organic, soil less growing media are usually used for container gardening wick systems or on-recovery drip systems. It is also possible to use soil less mixtures in recovery systems, however, it is necessary to remember that because of very fine particles in such mixtures, they can clog tubes, pumps and drip emitters, when used without a good filtration system. By the way, according to the urban gardeners, one can use panty hose as a filter: just fit it to the return line and to the pump inlet, and all the tiny particles will be filtered out.

Most soil less mixes form a good growing medium for multiple hydroponic and organic gardens, because they can hold water well, have great wicking action, and, at the same time, they provide a reasonable amount of air to the roots of growing plants.

 

Coconut Fiber

The popularity of coconut fiber as growing medium increases rapidly around the world. Being the first totally organic growing medium, providing highest performance for hydroponic systems, coconut fiber may soon become the most popular growing medium ever. It is interesting to note that coconut fiber is, actually, a waste product, which contains the powdered husks of coconuts.

In comparison to rockwool, coconut fiber is characterized with higher oxygen capacity and water retaining. These features are important advantages for hydroponic systems with intermittent watering cycles.

Coconut fiber also contains a lot of root stimulating hormones, thus offering some protection against fungus infestation and other root diseases. The mixture of 50% coconut fiber and 50% expanded clay pellets is considered to be the perfect growing medium.

However, it is necessary to underline one precaution when buying coconut fiber. Avoid purchasing a low grade coconut fiber, which is very fine grained and contains a high level of sea-salts. Such coconut fiber will have negative and disappointing effect on hydroponic system.

The urban gardener asked:


What is Hydroponic Gardening

These days, when the humanity faces many challenges, associated with natural resources depletion, bad ecology and many health problems, stemming out of the wrong food choices, it is, perhaps, the best time ever to return to natural ways of producing food for the sake of our own and our planet.

It was a common practice for our ancestors to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers for their own needs. Nowadays, the natural way of growing plants reappears with hydroponics as the particular technique, which makes plant cultivation possible even in urban areas without the use of soil. With more and more people involved, hydroponic gardening develops rapidly these days. Irrespectively to whether it is your hobby or professional activity, indoor gardening brings significant benefits for all.

Hydroponic and soil indoor gardening – The World of Gardening for the Future

If you are only making your first steps in mastering the art of hydroponic gardening, our site will become a valuable resource for you. Our hydroponic library is a source of theory on the basics of indoor plants growing, and our shop is a one-stop destination to find everything you need for your hydroponic needs, starting from vegetable seeds and wide variety of growing media to start growing your plants, and finishing with reliable equipment, such as growing lamps and climate control, to help you gather rich harvest.

The definition of hydroponics

Hydroponics most often refers to the science of growing plants (vegetables, herbs, flowers) without the use of soil. Plants are cultivated on a special growing medium, and all the nutrients, required for growing, are supplied via specially formulated nutrient solution. The primary task of any growing medium, used in hydroponic gardens, is to support plants’ roots along with retaining water. There are many books on hydroponic gardening, so if you would need to expand your knowledge in this field, please browse our Literature section or the online library for further information on hydroponics.

Container Gardening Outdoors: Wikipedia defines Container Gardening as follows: (Container gardening is the practice of growing plants exclusively in containers instead of planting them in the ground. In some cases, this method of growing is used for ornamental purposes. This method is also useful in areas where the soil or climate is unsuitable for the plant or crop in question. Limited growing space can also make this option appealing to the gardener).

Container gardening outdoors is becoming the rage because it requires very little space. A lot of families have small yards and not enough space available to put in a garden. More families are living in condos, apartments and town homes, allowing for them to experiment and enjoy container gardening outdoors. It’s not only convenient, but allows them to feed their families healthier meals and saves them a lot of money.

There is so much to enjoy with container gardening outdoors other then the fresh vegetables and herbs. By growing the different types of vegetables and herbs, you add color and life to your back yard, deck or patio. There are a variety of containers you can plant in, with terra cotta being the most popular. Not only do they look nice outdoors, they come in a variety of sizes for your specific needs. Planting in containers outdoors is so much fun and you can create a nice effect in your yard by adding pots of flowers that add a lot of color to make it visually appealing.

The containers you choose for your vegetables and herbs are totally up to your own personal tastes. Any type can be used from terra cotta being the most popular to plastic buckets, milk cartons and wooden crates but be sure they are untreated. Also be sure to have proper drainage in the pots to prevent overwatering and root rot. Another important thing to think about is the weight of these containers. If you are a small person, you don’t want to be moving these heavy pots around the yard. Once these heavy pots are filled with soil, plants and water, they can weigh more then you probably can or want to lift. However, that is totally an individual decision and if you know for certain that the heavy pots won’t be moving around the yard, then it doesn’t matter and weight is not a problem.

Remember that no space is to small when it comes to container gardening outdoors. The flexibility of being able to move your plants around the yard or deck is so rewarding. It is wonderful to be able to add a container full of vegetables, herbs or even flowers to a bare spot in the yard to make it more visually appealing. If you have stairs, you can line them with a variety of ornamental pots or plant stands to create a focal point to that area all the while watching your garden grow

In most parts of the country, not all plants can withstand the winters. But don’t let the winter dull the look of your yard or deck. Planting evergreen boughs and ornamental twigs or branches in wrought iron urns or fibreglass planters will keep your yard looking alive and add some color.

Don’t worry if you try and something doesn’t work for you. Next year try something different. There is no real rule book, just decide what you want to grow and make it happen.  Container gardening is very forgiving and fun to experiment with. Just enjoy the rewards you and your family will reap as you experiment with different vegetables and herbs.

The urban gardener asked:


A great indoor garden requires a good grow light. It could mean the difference between success and failure. Having the right hydroponic light is the single-most important and costly decision in setting up your garden.

 Hydroponic grow lights come in three main types:

 

Incandescent lights

These are the usual lights found in homes. They are generally a poor choice for garden grown lights because of their limited light spectrum and inefficiency.

HID (High Intensity Discharge) grow lights

Producing more light (up to 10x more lumens/watt than an incandescent light),are more efficient. Drawbacks would be, they produce more heat, generally more expensive than incandescent lights and requires the additional expense and maintenance with ballast. It takes around 100 hours before hydroponic HID grow lights reach their optimum working conditions, or until they reach light intensity and color stability. 

Natural Sunlight

Expense for acquiring artificial lights can be skipped by using sunlight. This is done with the use of solar room, greenhouse or large windows which allows plenty of sunlight. Or you can do this outdoors; hydroponics does not necessarily mean the cultivation of plants indoors but it growing plants without the use of soil.

Basic setup for an indoor garden is 1000w of lighting for and area of 16-25 square feet of plant area. Reflectors and/or light movers should also be considered as they improve efficiency of the indoor hydroponic gardening system. Ballast may also be needed as numerous hydroponic grow lighting require igniting.

 Some Basic Facts

Before plugging in your grow light

Different plants require different levels or types of lighting, this paragraph would deal on some simple know-how on how to make an effective lighting setup. In setting up your garden, it is essential that you determine your growing area in order to determine the best lighting setup for you. Light is an essential factor in the growth of plants, it is important that the lighting solution you chose for your garden is adequate for its size. A poor or ill advised decision would certainly reflect on the quality of plants you produced. Inappropriate budgeting like cost cutting specially on lighting would just prove to be uneconomical and inefficient in the long run.

A general rule for lighting that area coverage is determined by a light wattage output. Reflectors might be used to increase the light area and reach corners but effectiveness is still determined by this formula.

Day and Night Cycles

The type of plant and its stage of growth generally determine the amount of light needed. A common cycle is that with 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness which is recommended for its vegetative growth phase.

For seedlings, a continuous light source is needed until the first real leaves appear. When the leaves appear, the regular 18/6 light cycle is used. Fluorescent or incandescent lights are best for seedling because of the low heat and soft light they generate. Automated timers maybe used to ensure consistent light cycles. Inexpensive timers are also available; this can be found any hardware or Home Depot/ Lowe’s type store.

Light and Photosynthesis

The plants exposure to light intensity, duration and light color directly affects the amount of energy needed for photosynthesis. The color of the light, Blue simulates the summer sun, Orange for autumn seem to stimulate photosynthesis best. The light spectrum produced by metal halide bulbs (Blue lights) and high pressure sodium bulbs (red/ orange lights) produce this effects. HID grow lights produce these effects owing to their popularity to hobbyist and professionals. Combination of metal halide and high pressure sodium bulbs provides the complete spectrum of light produced by the sun.

Use Caution When Working with Lights

The combination of water, electricity and chemicals in such a closed-in space makes the grow room one of the most dangerous places in your house. Keep in mind to separate your ballast by elevating it from the water-containing areas of your hydroponic growing system. 

Indoor gardening is not an extremely difficult hobby, but it does require a small learning curve. Usually, with time and experience, one begins to learn from their mistakes and form a better understanding of the kind of delicate care and maintenance required when it comes to gardening indoors. But if you’d like some general advice to start you off on the right path, here is a list of invaluable tips that you can immediately use to improve the quality of your garden.

First of all, make sure that you purchase pots that are the correct size for the plants you plan on growing. Some plants grow to be very large in size, much larger than anticipated. When you only have seeds to go by, sometimes it’s easy to misjudge the actual size of the plant once it reaches full growth. It’s also a good practical tip to select pots that match the color and style of your home. You’ll find much more pleasure in an indoor garden that is aesthetically pleasing and blends in with the rest of its surroundings.

It is very important to place your plants directly in the sunlight. Otherwise, they might crane towards the source of light and grow crooked. It’s also recommended to turn and rotate your indoor gardening plants on occasion. This will guarantee that all sections of the plant receive the right amount of sunlight. Obviously, without sunlight, your plants will not be able to grow to their fullest potential.

If your home or apartment doesn’t get a lot of sun light, try placing your plants outside for several hours each morning.

Remember to regularly water your plants. It sounds obvious but it’s remarkably easy to forget to do this on a daily basis. Only give the plants as much water as they need – over-watering is just as bad as not watering them at all. Make sure that the water is not too cold or too hot ; room temperature is just right. Try watering them at the same time every day. Associate it with a common activity, like watering after breakfast or after your morning jog.

Another indoor gardening tip you might find useful is to keep your windows open as much as possible. The fresh air is important to the healthy development of your plants. In addition, make sure your home has clear ventilation and is not stuffy or dry, and that the temperature is kept at an average of 70 degrees during the daytime and 60 degrees during the night.

Utilizing all of these tips will ensure that your indoor gardening efforts pay off. A lot of people attempt indoor gardening only to be left a few months later with dried, withering plants and an ugly mess to clean up. It is not terribly difficult to grow healthy, strong fruits and vegetables indoors. I’m sure that with a bit of practice and common sense, you’ll become a pro in no time at all. Just remember: lots of sunlight, fresh water on a regular basis, fresh air, and the right temperature.