- Crops
are grown in beds which are really shallow tanks or troughs that serve as a
container for gravel or coarse sand. If there are several of these beds, they
should be set up in a series at the same level and of a similar size.
- These
beds should be about 3 feet wide and any convenient length, although 100 feet
is common. The sides are about 8 inches high and with a V bottom so the center
is 11 or 12 inches deep at the center.
- Beds
intended to survive massive earthquake damage should be wooden frames lined
with heavy vinyl sheeting. Pipes or other fittings should be plastic for increased
flexibility and ease of repair after earthquake damage.
- This
permits an arrangement whereby a half-tile or similar device through the center
of the bed will feed or drain the solution rapidly from one end of the bed
to the other. It is very important that the slope be precise, with no low areas
from which solution will not drain.
- Drainage
in the beds is not only pointed toward the V bottom of the bed, but also toward
one end of the bed, so that the V at the drain end is 2" lower than at the
high end of the bed. This is a slight slope in the bottom of the trough.
- There
must be a pipe connection to the lowest point in the V at the drain end of
the trough. The nutrient solution can then be pumped into the trough through
that pipe and will drain out again when the pump has been shut off. The quantity
of solution in the tank should be just sufficient to bring the water level
up to within 1/2 to 1 inch of the top of the gravel or sand in the beds.
- The
entire hydroponics system is relatively simple to operate and may be made at
least semi-automatic. In cool weather, pumping solution should be done once
a day, but in warm, dry, or windy weather, it may be necessary 2 or 3 times
a day. Installation of a time clock allows the start and stop of the pump to
be automatically.
- A
centrifugal pump of sufficient capacity to fill beds in one-half hour is generally
best for forcing the solution into the beds. With a centrifugal pump, the solution
will flow by gravity through the pump back into the tank.
- For
those without a pump, a simple pail and flexible hose system to give the hydroponics
beds their daily nutrient bath works well.
- Gravel
for the bed should be fairly uniform in texture, about 1/2 to 1/4 in diameter,
and washed. If you use sand, it should be coarse and it also should be washed.
Beds should be filled to within 1 inch of the top. The mix should be sterilized
with heat or steam to prevent mildew and fungus problems.
- Use
the best seed for seedlings, planted in disease-free soil or sand and six inches
or more high before transplanting. Loosen the planting media around the roots
so that there will be as little injury as possible to the roots during transplanting.
Rinse the planting media off the roots with water before planting in the hydroponics
beds.
- Supporting
structures may be necessary to hold up the plants, as plants loaded with fruit,
for example, are heavy. Do not attach supports to the ends of beds because
the weight of the plants may warp the structure and cause leaks or draining
problems. All supporting wires are suspended from overhead supports that are
spaced at intervals alongside the troughs.
- Cooling
of the hydroponics area can be achieved by ventilation, as transpiration of
moisture off the leave cools the plants just as perspiration cools the human
body. Slats or windows that allow the air to circulate should be included in
the arrangement.
- Plants
produce oxygen during the day, under lighted conditions, and carbon dioxide
during the night. Hydroponics areas attached to living areas thus can oxygenate
and cleanse the air of carbon dioxide, but should be closed off during the
night so that oxygen is not depleted from the sleeping areas.
- Pollination
can be done either by bees or by hand, by manually shaking or tapping the flowers
once a day, going flower to flower so as to spread the pollen. Pollination
helps increase fruit yield, and for some produce makes the difference between
a high yield or no yield at all.
FAQ
About Hydroponics Gardening
Q.
What
is hydroponics? A.
Hydroponics
is the science of growing plants without soil. The plants thrive on the nutrient
solution alone. The medium merely acts as support for the plants and their
root systems, and perhaps to hold moisture around the roots. The growing medium,
if any, is totally inert. Q.
What
are the advantages of hydroponics versus soil grown plants? A.
No
soil means no weeds or soil borne pests and disease. Plants will maintain optimum
nutrient and moisture levels in hydroponics systems, which has several benefits:
healthier plants, faster growing plants and plants that will be more disease
resistant as they are not stressed by drought. The root systems stay smaller
on hydroponically grown plants, so the plant can concentrate it's growth energy
on producing plant mass, rather that roots. This can result in up to 30% faster
growth. This also allow the grower to have more plants per square foot of garden
space. Hydroponically grown plants never get root bound, so they do not need
repotting. Hydroponics produce has a longer shelf life than soil-grown produce.
Hydroponics is clean, so it adapts easily to indoor culture, but may also be
used outdoors and in greenhouses. Q.
Isn't
hydroponics gardening complicated? A.
No!
If you can follow directions, you can garden hydroponically. A few simple steps
must be followed on a regular basis to insure that your plants thrive. Once
you get used to the routine, it is a snap! Q.
Is
it expensive? A.
Just
as with soil gardening, you decide how elaborate or simple you would like your
hydroponics garden to be. You can build a system from items you may have already
in your garage or home, and complete hydroponics growing kits start at only
$50.00. The yearly costs of fertilizers and pH control products for a mid-size
system that can produce about 200 pounds of tomatoes annually averages to be
around $60.00 to $80.00. That is about three cents a pound! Q.
Can
plants be grown organically, hydroponically? A.
Organic
and hydroponics growers have typically regarded each other somewhat suspiciously
and the two growing methods were at one time thought to be incompatible. There
is some common ground, however, and more people are finding that with a little
experimentation, they can grow a successful organic, hydroponics garden. Hydroponics
gardening is based on immediate and 100% nutrient availability. Organic fertilizers
typically break down over a period of time via bacterial action in the soil.
Enzyme activators such as NITRON FORMULA A-35 which hasten the breakdown of
organic fertilizers may make your hydroponics, organic garden more successful. Q.
What
types of plants can be grown hydroponically? A.
Anything
can be easily grown, but some plants prove to be more space efficient. Some
plants we suggest are tomatoes, sweet peppers, hot chiles, lettuce, spinach,
chard, squash, cucumbers, broccoli, beans, snow peas, herbs, flowers of all
types and house plants. Q.
Do
you really get better yields in less time? A.
Absolutely.
The plants, receiving everything they need, tend to be healthier, faster growing
and generally more productive. Q.
What
about taste? Will the flavor compare to produce from my outdoor, organic garden? A.
You
bet--perhaps even better! This is simply due to the fact that the hydroponically
grown plants are getting everything they need, when they need it. Don't be
fooled by "hot house" produce grown commercially. The growers' primary concern
is shippability and storage, not flavor. When you grow you own vegetables at
home, you can expect nothing less than excellent results. Q.
Will
I be using any pesticides? If so, what kind? A.
Generally,
indoor environments demand less pesticides for obvious reasons. Hydroponics
growing eliminates soil borne pests, as well. However, if pests do become a
problem, on can choose to use insecticidal soaps, natural pyrethums and, in
some cases, beneficial insects. These controls will be completely safe to use
on edible crops and are also environmentally safe. Outdoors, your soil borne
pests will be eliminated and simply hosing off you plants with water may prove
to be an effective control of aphids and mites. Otherwise, we suggest trying
the insecticides listed above. Q.
What
is the best growing medium? A.
There
is no clear cut answer to this questions. Different mediums work better for
different situations and different crops. Rockwool
will
allow the grower an easy set-up, since it is pre-formed and modular. It holds
a tremendous amount of water and offers a buffer against drying in the case
of electrical outages or pump failures. Rockwool slabs may be used successfully
in a "hand-water" system since they stay moist so long. Rockwool will will
maintain a 60/40 water to air ratio even when completely saturated, which makes
for extremely healthy root growth. For starting seedlings and cuttings, rockwool
is without equal. Rockwool is not degradable or reusable and must be repurchased
for every use. Geolite
is
a ceramic, kiln-fired pebble developed specifically for plant growth. It is
completely inert and sterile and each piece is completely rounded so it will
not cut roots. It is light weight and holds a small amount of moisture between
irrigation cycles. It may be cleaned and reused again and again, so it is an
economical choice. Geolite is not a good choice for most hand-water systems,
as it does not provide enough of a moisture buffer. It may be difficult for
anyone who is physically challenged to clean and rinse without assistance. DFT
Irrigation,
or "media-less" culture, will be the most economical method of growing as it
only requires 1" rockwool starter cubes. This can be an excellent choice for
some growers, but beginners sometimes find that they are less successful with
a media-less system as it does not buffer the roots against temperature changes,
nutrient strength changes and uneven watering the way that rockwool and geolite
will. This is a consideration for growers who experience frequent power outages
and for beginners who will be more prone to initial mistakes, such as leaving
a pump unplugged! Actual growth in these systems is excellent and DFT irrigation
is a good choice for many conscientious growers. |