Grow Great Greens Indoors with Hydroponics

By Angelina Pyrkins

Modern gardeners love hydroponics for growing fresh produce year-round, but there’s nothing new about this ancient gardening method.

Hydroponics, also known as soil less gardening, has long been a part of human civilization. Although scientists did not officially study and document their findings until the late 1890s, there are indications that hydroponics gardening practices were used as far back as the era of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

The word hydroponics is derived from two Greek words: ‘hydros’ meaning “water”, and ‘ponics’ meaning “method.” At first, scientists believed that plants could only grow in water or soil, but this myth was dispelled when it was found that growth could occur in other media as well.

There are a few basic types of hydroponics growing systems used today, with several variations on these systems. Among these are aggregate culture and water or aqua culture, the two most common systems.

Aggregate Culture Hydroponics Systems

One of the most popular basic hydroponics gardening systems uses aggregate culture. The aggregate used may be sand, gravel or other natural materials.

The aggregate culture system utilizes two tanks. The first tank holds an aggregate and water culture system, and the second holds a nutrient solution. The nutrients, which are essential to the health of the plant, are pumped into the aggregate tank to moisten the roots as needed. After the aggregate has been flooded, it is then drained to provide aeration. There is enough water and nutrients supplied to cling to the aggregate and roots, feeding the plants until the next flooding.

Water or Aqua Culture Hydroponics

When people hear about hydroponics, most of them will probably think of water culture as the hydroponics growing system used.

In its most basic form, the water culture method of creating a hydroponics growing system is the simplest method to set up. In using this system, the plant roots are totally immersed in the nutrient solution. The main drawback to using this type of hydroponics growing system is that you need to provide a large amount of water to supply each plant. It’s also essential to provide continuous aeration to the solution.

If you are designing your own water-based growing system, your options are almost limitless. There are, of course, a few basic elements that you’ll need to have in place:

Provide Support

You’ll need to provide support for the plants. Using mesh or string is often enough support for young, tender plants. The plants should be held with the roots hanging freely the nutrient solution.

Aerate the Liquid

Plants, like all living things, need oxygen to survive. Your hydroponics garden must have a system in place to create aeration and incorporate oxygen into the water.

Don’t Shed Light on Algae

When exposed to light, liquids are prone to developing algae. By providing shade and keeping light out of the solution tank, you can lessen or prevent the growth of algae.

The prominent feature of any water culture hydroponics system is the water tank. Feel free to use virtually any type of leak-free tank to act as the nutrient solution reservoir. Plastic or plastic-lined tanks, concrete vessels and old aquariums are all good choices. You can even us a wood tank lined with asphalt, but do be sure that there are no harmful creosotes or tars present. You should also test the water in the tank to detect any oily film or residue created by the asphalt.

The tank or reservoir should be 2 to 3 feet wide and around 6 to 12 inches deep. There is no length requirement for your tank. Place your plant supports above the tank. An easy way of doing this is to place a piece of plywood or one-inch thick Styrofoam over the top of the tank. Drill or poke holes through this lid, and place the plants through the holes.

As mentioned, a nutrition solution must be continuously aerated by pumping air through a pipe or perforated hose immersed in the solution. A simple aquarium pump and porous stone are great choices for small hydroponics growing systems. Don’t let the aeration bubble the solution too vigorously, as excessive movement can damage tender roots and impair the growth of the plants.

Hydroponics systems provide smart alternatives for people who lack the land or energy required for traditional soil gardens. It’s also an easy and inexpensive way to enjoy freshly picked produce any time of the year.

Contributor Angelina Pyrkins enjoys writing articles for a variety of web sites, and you can read more articles by her if you visit here and click here.

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