Hydroponic Farming is No Longer About Soil and Climate
Agriculture is extremely important to food production, but in the current era when most of the land is converted into cities and buildings are everywhere, there is little room for food crops to be produced. In this context, basic hydroponics is developing as a much-needed boon, helping to produce different kinds of fruits and vegetables in a limited space.
Simple hydroponics can be defined as gardening without soil. In this new science, healthy plants grow without the use of soil, which is replaced with a mineral-rich water solution. Plants need water, sunlight and nutrients to grow, but they can still grow without soil. In fact, roots usually grow better when they are inserted into water rather than soil.
1. How does the hydroponic system work?
In this type of agriculture, water is the most important. It mixes with macronutrients to form a balanced solution that aids plant growth and better yields. Instead of soil, this agricultural system uses inert media such as clay particles, peat moss, perlite, rock wool, etc. Hydroponic automated grow system allows plant roots to obtain nutrient water and oxygen without soil. As a grower, you will be responsible for controlling the pH and nutrient factors of the water, which will aid in the rapid growth of your plants.
2. What is the nutrient solution of the water in the hydroponic system?
Plants in hydroponics often rely on nutrient solutions that provide them with oxygen and nutrients. Nutritional solutions for hydroponic systems can be easily purchased from the market or created from the plants you grow. The perfect mix should contain certain major nutrients, such as potassium, magnesium, and nitrogen, as well as minor nutrients, such as phosphorus, sulfur, and calcium. Certain micronutrients are also required, such as magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, molybdenum, and boron.
This basic solution must be properly stored in food-grade quality containers at room temperature and absolutely out of the sun. The user must properly shake the bottle before placing it in the plant. If you put too many nutrients in your hydrogrow systems, the leaves may turn brown and burn or even curl. If they receive insufficient nutrients, the leaves are likely to turn yellow. This is a good indicator to help you monitor the amount of nutrients your plants need.
3. What kind of plants should be grown using a hydroponic grow system?
Choosing hydroponic plants requires consideration. You will have to choose vegetables that are better suited to your hydroponic system than others. Plants such as cucumbers, peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, lettuce, etc. that can adapt to the extra water.
If you want to start growing with an automated indoor grow box, then you have to know what kind of plants you want based on research, scale and possible development. You will have to choose a growth medium and nutrient solution if needed. For example, leafy greens grow well in hydroponic culture, while vegetables with deeper roots like cucumbers and beets prefer growing media like coconut husks or even peat moss.
Hydroponics offers complete freedom over traditional farming systems, which is very welcome. There is a lot that can be done with this new science, both personally and in business.