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Copyright 2013 Hannah West
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long as it is not altered in any way, falsely misrepresented or
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Table of Contents

Growing Plants Without Soil? .........................................................5
Advantages of Hydroponics ............................................................7
Hydroponic Kits ............................................................................9
Hydroponic Systems ................................................................... 11
Wick System ........................................................................... 11
Grow Bag System .................................................................... 12
Ebb and Flow .......................................................................... 12
Aeroponic ............................................................................... 13
Drip Systems .......................................................................... 14
Water Culture ......................................................................... 15
Tips for Hydroponic Systems ........................................................ 16
Recirculating Systems .............................................................. 16
Non-Recirculating Systems ....................................................... 16
Caring for Media ...................................................................... 16
Containers .............................................................................. 17
Nutrients ................................................................................... 18
Making a Solution .................................................................... 19
Buying Plant Foods .................................................................. 19
Making Sure the Nutrition Levels are Right ................................. 20
Signs of Nutritional Deficiency ................................................... 20
Changing the Nutrient Solution .................................................. 21
Other Considerations ............................................................... 21
Growing Media ........................................................................... 23
Perlite .................................................................................... 23
Vermiculite ............................................................................. 23
Coconut Fiber .......................................................................... 23
Clay Pebbles ........................................................................... 23
Rockwool ................................................................................ 24
Lights ....................................................................................... 25
HID Lights .............................................................................. 26
LED Lights .............................................................................. 26









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Plants ....................................................................................... 28
Growing Tomatoes ................................................................... 28
Growing Lettuce ...................................................................... 29
Growing Herbs ........................................................................ 31
Troubleshooting Hydroponics ....................................................... 32
Thirsty Plants .......................................................................... 32
Too Much Water ...................................................................... 33
Cold Temperatures .................................................................. 33
Hot Temperatures .................................................................... 33
Too Much Light ........................................................................ 33
Not Enough Fertilizer ................................................................ 34
Too Much Fertilizer .................................................................. 34
High Humidity ......................................................................... 34
Low Humidity .......................................................................... 34
In General .............................................................................. 34
Get Started Planting! .................................................................. 35
5
Growing Plants Without Soil?

You can ask any third grader in science class
what plants need in order to grow. Their
answer will be soil, sunlight, and water.
Get ready to change your reality because
were about to ditch the first one of those!
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants
without soil. Thats right- no soil necessary.
You can grow plants in any corner of your home or
anywhere else youd like.
Hydroponics is both the wave of the future and a part of the
past. In the 1800s people began to realize that it wasnt
really the soil that helped the plants grow, it was the
nutrients in the soil. Scientists began to experiment with
different methods of adding nutrients without having to fool
with the soil.
At first it was just specialized individuals and institutions
who were growing plants this way, but they began to realize
that the public would probably be very interested in
hydroponics as well. In the 1900s hydroponic plant
materials started to be sold and they have been growing in
popularity ever since.
If youre interested in all things hydroponics it might be
interesting to you to know that the word is Greek. Hydro
means water and ponos means, to work. When you put
those together you have water works, which is quite
fitting!
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Some people choose to call this practice soil less culture,
but the meaning is the same. You will be growing plants
without the use of soil. Instead of soil you have a nutrient
mix that gives the plants exactly what they need to survive.

Are you imagining the possibilities? Growing tomatoes in
the spare room and peppers in the living room is entirely
possible. While you might not go to that extent youll love
how many possibilities are open to you now. Finally! It
doesnt matter how much land you have or how green your
thumb is, you can grow plants wherever you want.
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Advantages of Hydroponics

Some people might be skeptical
that this works or even wonder
why people would want to grow
plants without soil. The reason is
simple- there are so many great
benefits!
To really understand this you need to imagine a typical day
gardening. You wake up early (to avoid the sun), put on
your get dirty clothes and gloves, get down on your hands
and knees, and start pulling weeds.
Despite the fact that you have gloved hands you find that
your fingernails are still getting caked with dirt. Soon you
start sweating because, alas, the sun has come out and is
beating down.
You are willing to push forward for the love of your
plantsand then you peer down closely and see that not
only has the neighborhood dog eaten some of your
tomatoes, but they are infested with pesky bugs. Feel like
quitting yet?
That sure doesnt sound like a good time
Look at the advantages of hydroponic gardening instead:
You do not have to weed
You do not have to plough
You do not have to rotate crops
You can grow more in less space
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Your plants will be healthy and well-sized
You will not waste water
No pests
You can grow in any season
Less plant diseases
No pesticides
No need to stoop down on your hands and knees
Its true that there are many people who love to get their
hands and knees dirty gardening, and it is an awesome
hobby to have. But you might find that hydroponic
gardening suits your needs very well.
It is a lot less hassle for you when you garden the
hydroponic way. Even so, it can be intimidating at first!
Many people have never even heard of it. The good news is
that you can easily learn hydroponic techniques and get your
hydroponic garden up and running fast.
You can buy ready-made kits or even dive into the world of
hydroponics by building your own systems.
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Hydroponic Kits

If you read some of the information out
there about growing hydroponic
gardens it can be enough to make you
want to run away and give up! Dont
worry; you can easily get ready-made
hydroponic kits to get your gardens growing fast.
Professional companies know there is a need for easy to use
ways to grow hydroponics. They even cost less than you
think! You can find them in your local gardening centers or
online.
Its neat to be able to sit down at your computer and browse
for the perfect hydroponic system for you. Then, its
shipped right to your door where you can get started.
There are a range of kits differing in size and price. They
should all contain everything you need to get started with
your hydroponic gardening.
These different kits are based on one of the different
hydroponic systems. The most common of these include
wick systems, grow bag, ebb and flow, aeroponic, drip
systems, NFT, and water culture.
If you want to get a basic kit it might include something like
an aeroponic system. You will get a pump and spray with
this can that ensures your plants get the right nutrients, a
grow light, reservoir, lid, net cups, grow rocks, water pump,
light timer, and nutrients.
Another example of a kit might include an ebb and flow
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system. This kind of kit will have planters and grow rocks
for each of the plants. The kit should also include a pump,
grow lights, reflector, light timer, and pump timer. You
might pay a bit more if you want a kit that includes the
starter seed cubes and pH test kits.
There are many different kits for you to choose from. Just
make sure youre buying from a reputable company who will
include high quality parts for your hydroponic plant system.
Think about the kind of plants you are interested in growing
and how well the kit will match you needs.
There might come a time where you outgrow these kits. As
a beginner youll want to keep in mind that they are a great
time saver and come in larger sizes then you might have
imagined.
If you plan on continuing your hydroponic planting hobby
and expanding on it as a business or as one of your main
sources of food you might want to invest in a greenhouse.
Youll become an expert hydroponic gardener in no time!
Even if you decide to purchase a kit you will need to know all
about hydroponics and how they work in order to have fun
and be successful with it.

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Hydroponic Systems

Its important to know that growing
hydroponic plants is not a one size fits
all deal. There are different systems
that you can use to grow them.
Browse through these different
methods to decide which sounds like
one youd like to use, bearing in mind
that different systems work best for
certain kinds of plants. This is one of
the things you need to look for when youre buying a
hydroponic kit.
Wick System
When you grow plants using the wick system the nutrients
are passed along through a wick. This wick can be made
from things like a regular lamp wick, nylon, and polyester.
The basic steps for this system are:
Put a pot in a tray, suspended above the nutrient solution
Soak the wick that you are going to use and put it through
a hole and into the nutrient solution so it can draw up the
nutrients
You also need to soak your growing agent in the nutrient
solution as well. This can include vermiculite, perlite,
Rockwool, or pebbles.
As you can tell the wick draws the nutrients to the plant and
allows you to grow dirt free! This is a very easy method but
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you do need to be careful that the wick will be able to
deliver the nutrients to your plant fast enough.

Grow Bag System
If you want to make sure youre using the easiest and most
inexpensive method possible you can use a grow bag. There
are few kits with this method, so this is likely a DIY form of
hydroponics.
Simply get a polyethylene bag and fill it up with a
growing medium (like Rockwool or vermiculite). This
growing agent needs to be soaked in nutrient solution.
Seal the bag tight.
Then, you should place the bag on a hard surface and
cut drainage holes 10 mm from the base into it. Be
sure you have something placed under this bag so you
can catch any messes
Next, you will need to cut holes into the top of the bag
so you can put your plants in (in order to decide the
number of plants you need to think about how large
your bag is and the amount of nutrients the plant
needs)
Finally, you need to water the nutrient solution onto
the plants every so often (this differs according to the
plant youd like to grow.

Ebb and Flow
This next system is a little more complicated, but it really
can get you great results. The way ebb and flow works is by
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flooding the grow tray with the nutrients. The solution is
then drained back to your bucket.
First, you will need to get a growing container. This will
be placed on a surface that makes it easy for you to get
to your plants and gives you easy access to the
different parts of this process.
Then, you will need to connect a hose to a bucket that
contains your nutrient solution. The nutrients will be
delivered to the growing agent (and therefore to your
plants) through this hose. Its really ingenious!
You will need to change out the nutrient solution about
once very two weeks. Most people choose to automate
the Ebb and Flow process with a timer and pump.
Aeroponic
If you want to use the most advanced hydroponic technique
you might want to consider the Aeroponic method. The
roots are suspended in the air and a fine mist delivers the
nutrients to these roots. Many of these are sold in kits.
You will want the process to be automated with a timer.
Be extra careful to make sure that all of your
equipment is working! If the mists are not delivered
you will end up with dried out, dead plants.
Some people like to use a pot that turns and holds a
Rockwool cube for young plants. As the plants get
larger they are suspended in air to receive their mist.
There have been many changes and advancements in
this technique throughout the years. These days the
aeroponic system requires that you use a submersible
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pump. The pump should spout water through a
specialized nozzle.

NFT (Nutrient Film Technique)
This method is different in that it offers a constantly flowing
stream of nutrients instead of a fine mist to cover it all.
Actually, if youve heard of hydroponics in the past this just
might be the system you became familiar with!
The great thing about this method is that it uses the air
for growing instead of a growing medium. The roots are
just suspended over the nutrient solution.
You do need to be extra careful to make sure you have
a power backup in place. If your power goes out there
is a good chance that your plants will die and that all of
your hard work will be for nothing!
You also need to make sure that lights are not touching
the roots, as this will inhibit growth.

Drip Systems
When people decide to start using hydroponics they often
use the drip system. The reason being that it is so simple to
set up and use. Each plant has a drip line connected to it
where the nutrients are drip-fed on a timer.
If you want to get even more into it you can use a recovery
method. That way the extra nutrient solution is drained
away and used again later. You do need to weigh this
against how much maintenance you want to do.
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Water Culture
Are you in the mood for growing lettuce? In that case you
might want to consider the water culture method. All you
need to do is stick your plants in Styrofoam and float it right
on top of the nutrient solution.
Be sure to have an air pump to make bubbles in the solution
so the plants get the oxygen they need. This might be a
good starter hydroponics project if you dont want to
purchase a full-blown kit.

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Tips for Hydroponic Systems
There are some special things you
should keep in mind with the
different kinds of systems, and the
accessories that go along with
them.
Recirculating Systems
These are the types of systems that reuse the water and
nutrients, pushing it through and using it over again. You
will have to make sure to keep track of how much water is in
the system. Since the water just goes back and forth it can
be easy to forget that maintenance is required!
Make sure you do this about every one to two weeks.
Non-Recirculating Systems
More people remember to add the correct amount of
nutrients to a system that is non-recirculating. Even so, be
sure you always keep it at just the right level so your plants
stay nice and healthy.
Caring for Media
You will need to make sure that the growing medium you
are using stays wet enough. You also need to make sure it
doesnt become too drenched. If you stay in the middle
your plants will have a much higher survival rate.
In order to prevent a total build up of nutrients in your
system you should flush out the media and other parts of
the system as well. This will help to ensure optimum growth
for your hydroponic plants.
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Containers
You cannot just use any old container for growing
hydroponic plants. If youre going to be purchasing a kit this
isnt something youll have to worry about. If you plan on
using your own materials and assembling your system you
should be sure to use fiberglass or plastic containers. The
reason for this is to prevent anything toxic or harmful from
getting to your plants.

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Nutrients
Nutrients are an incredibly important part of your hydroponic
system. Since there is no soil, you need to provide the
nutrients that are just right if you are going to have the
healthiest plants possible.
There are some nutrient solutions that are readily available
and can be used for many different plants. One example of
this is Hoaglands solution. If you are growing a specific
type of plant you can create or buy solutions that are
composed perfectly for that plant.
All plants need oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon-that is a
given. Those things are provided for your plants naturally
from the air. The rest is up to you to provide!
As a general rule your plants will need:
Nitrogen
Phosphorous
Potassium
Calcium
Magnesium
Sulfur
Manganese
Iron
Boron
Copper
Zinc
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Silicon
Chlorine

Of course, different plants will use these in different
degrees. The season and weather matter as well. Pay close
attention to the needs of the plants you are growing and
look for any signs of distress to see if you need to adjust the
nutrient solution at all.
One of the most important numbers to know is how much
nitrogen a particular plant needs to get. You can look at the
specific plant information to get this number.
Making a Solution
You will generally want to buy hydroponic plant nutrient
solution pre-made. There is very little preparation needed
when you do it that way.
If you would rather mix it yourself, it can be done! The
daring can use calculators found online. Just Google
hydroponic plant nutrient calculator.
These calculators will help you to determine the mixture and
amounts that you need.
Buying Plant Foods
If youre going to buy plant foods you need to make sure
they are made for hydroponic gardeners. Keep in mind that
your needs are going to be different from the person who is
gardening with soil. The good news is that there are some
great hydroponic gardening nutrient solutions available!
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Making Sure the Nutrition Levels are Right
As a hydroponic gardener your biggest job is making sure
the nutrient levels in the plants are correct. You might have
slow growing plants or other signs of nutritional deficiency.
Pay very close attention to how much of the nutrient
solution you put into the growing medium. There are some
that dry out more quickly than others and some plants that
drains the nutrients more quickly than others. Most people
like to use Rockwool for this reason.
Signs of Nutritional Deficiency
You might be terrified that youre not going to do a good job
of providing the right nutrients to your plants. Dont worry,
here is a handy little guide to figuring out exactly what is
wrong with them, and what will happen is a certain nutrient
is lacking.
Leaves turn yellow and/or wilt- Magnesium
Slow growth; light green leaves- Nitrogen (this is a big
one!)
Paper thin leaves- Potassium
Purple tinged leaves, drying leaves- Phosphorous
Scorched tips- Boron
Yellow and green checked- Manganese
Pale green, misshapen leaves- Molybdenum
Young leaves pale- Sulfur
Leave yellow, veins green- Iron
Dark green edges- copper
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If you notice any of these problems it might be that the
solution itself is fine, but the plant needed a certain nutrient
faster than the solution could provide it. You can sometimes
just spray the plant with a catchall hydroponic fertilizer to fix
the problem. If you want to break it down you can work
with the nutrients on an individual level.

Changing the Nutrient Solution
If youve ever had a pet fish then you know its important to
change the water every so often. The same can be said for
your hydroponic plants. You need to change the nutrient
solution about every one to two weeks.
There are no hard and fast rules as to when you should
change it. That all depends on the plants you are growing
and what kind of nutrients they need the most. It also
depends on the maturity of the plants.
Seedlings and young plants dont need as much nutrients as
older plants. They can be changed less often. If you have
more mature plans you will need to change the nutrient
solution every three days to one week.
In addition to adding new nutrient solution you also need to
clean the growing mediums by rinsing them out. This will
keep the build up to a minimum to make sure they can
deliver the nutrients in an unadulterated state.
Other Considerations
It is important to pay close attention to the PH levels of the
solution. Your plants could die if the PH levels are not right.
There are different ways to test these levels including strip
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indicators.
Ideally you want your plants to grow in between the ph
levels of 5.5 and 7.5. One of the pluses with growing your
plants using the hydroponic method is that there is more
wiggle room than there is when you are growing in soil.
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Growing Media

There are many different growing
media you can use with your
hydroponic plants. These all absorb
and deliver nutrients differently so you
will want to use the media that will
work best with the plants you are growing. It is also a
matter of personal preference. Here are some of the most
common:
Perlite
Perlite is volcanic rock that gives a medium support weight.
This is one that does not hold nutrients, so that is
something youll have to consider because that will not be
compatible with some of the plants out there.
Vermiculite
This is a lightweight medium and can hold a lot of water.
This is best if you live in a warm climate. Keep in mind that
you will need to replace this over time with new Vermiculite
as it breaks down.
Coconut Fiber
This is readily found in tropical environments, but is not so
common in the United States.
Clay Pebbles
These are one of the more preferred methods because they
come in different sizes and have a high capillary action.
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Rockwool
The most popular growing media is probably Rockwool. It
holds a lot of water and air in its fine fibers and is great for
your plants. Many kits come stocked with Rockwool as the
preferred growing medium.

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Lights

If youre going to be growing
your hydroponic plants indoors
then youre going to need the
right lighting. In addition to
nutrients your plants also need
light, or grow lamps. These
lights truly make it possible for
you to grow your hydroponic plants anywhere in your home.
There are some people who refuse to bring their plant-
growing indoors and others who simply swear by it. It
actually just might be the perfect environment for the
plants! If you think about all of the cloudy days your area
gets on average you can see how your carefully controlled
indoor lighting can really benefit your plants.
You basically get to choose the season for your plants! That
means having the kind of vegetables and other plants
exactly when you want them. You could even put your
plants in light for 24 hours a day.
You can probably imagine the rapid and wonderful growth
your plants will experience. Its like the perfect growing
environment! On the other hand, some pros recommend
that you do 18 hours in the light and 6 hours in the dark.
If you shop with any store that sells hydroponic products
youll notice that they offer many different lighting choices.
When you make your choice you need to make sure that the
company that made the light has a good reputation.
The light should be uniform in all areas and not contain any
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hot spots. Another consideration is how easily youll be able
to move the light around when you need to clean it or adjust
it.
HID Lights
If you want the most energy efficient lights out there you
can purchase High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lights. Dont
be fooled by their small size, these lights have a lot of
energy. The reason that so many people like to use HID
lights is because they put out light that is very similar to
natural sunlight. There are a few different kinds of HID
lights, but the most common are the high-pressure sodium
lights.
You will need a digital ballast to make sure that the electrical
current that goes through the light is controlled. It is
ineffective as well as a safety issue to not use a ballast for
control.
Also, you have to make sure you use a reflector with your
HID lights. This will direct the light that comes out of the
grow light onto your plant. This creates the perfect growing
environment and helps to make sure that plant gets just
what it needs.
As your plants get bigger you will need to move the lights
farther away. For now, when they are smaller you should
keep them just a few inches above the plants. Experts
recommend putting the lights on adjustable chains so you
can make this adjustment quickly.
LED Lights
If you dont want to use HID lights or want to explore your
options you can use LED (light-emitting diode) lights.
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Depending on the way your LED lights are programmed they
will be different colors. This is good news for your plants.
When your plants are young they do best under a blue
colored light. When they get more mature they prefer red
and orange. You can do a bit of testing with all of the
different LED lights that are available as you get more
familiar with hydroponic plant growing.
There are other variations of HID and LCD lights out there.
If youre going to purchase a kit then it will likely come with
the lights you need, or it will specify the exact lighting that
is required.
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Plants
The whole reason you are interested in learning about
hydroponic gardening is because you want to grow plants!
It can be exciting to try different kinds of plants depending
on the season and your mood. Of course, you can create
your own seasons if you are able to get the inside
environment just right!
You can grow basically anything your heart desires using
hydroponics. Keep in mind that you wont have to worry
about things like weeds and pests like you do when you are
gardening in the dirt outside.
Its not all rosy- you do have to consider what will work best
with the space you have available. You cant grow a huge
vine plant if you only have a small corner of your home to
grow in!
It might be a good idea to start out small by growing
something like herbs. That way you can gather more
knowledge about hydroponics and decide if this is something
youd like to pursue further. If it is you can find yourself
growing plants everywhere in your home, outside, or
wherever you want!
The possibilities really are endless.

Growing Tomatoes
If you love biting into a juicy tomato in
the summertime youll love growing
them whenever you want using
hydroponics. Most people choose to
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grow these in a hydroponic greenhouse but if you have the
space you can grow them anywhere youd like.
Experts recommend that you use the bag hydroponic system
for growing tomatoes. That way you wont have to monitor
the nutrient solution that closely. Rockwool probably isnt
the best option as a growing medium so you should choose
something like a peat moss mixture. This produces the best
taste.
Since tomatoes grow upward you should be very careful to
tie the stalks to overhead wires. Make sure there is only one
main stem or else the smaller ones will cause the main one
to suffer.
You should pay close attention to the temperature the
tomatoes are in as well. These really do best when it is
between 60 and 80 degrees F.

Growing Lettuce
The NFT hydroponic system is the
most widely used way to grow
lettuce hydroponically. This is
another very popular crop! Instead
of paying big money at the grocery
store for your lettuce you can just
grow it right in your home.
Lettuce is considered one of the easiest plants to grow and
there are even many schoolchildren who do so as a science
experiment!
The first thing that is recommended is to prepare the
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lettuce seedlings. This means putting the lettuce seeds
in their own oasis root cubes. You will need to allow
this seed to sit in a dish of water for about two weeks.
You can skip this step by buying seedlings instead.
Then you should use a dark container (to keep the
algae at bay). You will also need to get a cover for
your container with holes in the top. In this simplified
way of growing lettuce you can even mix your own
nutrient solution.
Be sure to buy water-soluble hydroponic fertilizer,
Epsom salt, and calcium nitrate. Dissolve each
chemical with water in a cup. Then you can add the
liquid to the container of water.
After the nutrients are in the container you can start
thinking about your cover. Get planting cones and put
those on the container, secured with duct tape. Grab
your little lettuce seedling plants and place on in each
cone.
You either need to keep your lettuce plants around a lot
of sunlight or you need to use grow lights. No matter
what, be sure they are getting the right amount of
sunlight to grow properly.
This is a good way to get started if you arent sure about
buying a kit yet and want to see that this really works. If
you do want to grow lettuce in this rustic sort of way you
can always choose to buy an NFT hydroponic kit to get
started.
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Growing Herbs
Herbs are probably the hands down
favorite things to grow in a hydroponic
garden. They grow super fast and it is
something you can do all year long. If
youve ever bought herbs at the
grocery store then you are well aware
that it can be costly. Growing your own (right on your
kitchen counter if you want to!) can save you a fortune.
Your family will always appreciate having fresh herbs in their
meals.
Make sure your herbs are in temperatures between 70 and
80 degrees F. These should have enough sunlight and
fertilizer. Be careful though, if you add too much fertilizer
they will grow fast but will lack taste.
Take special care to make sure the growing medium you
choose will not get soggy. This will inhibit their growth
severely. These are great to buy in kits because they are
relatively inexpensive, are small enough to fit almost
anywhere, and arent as temperamental as other plants can
be.
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Troubleshooting Hydroponics
Even if you follow all of the hydroponics
directions perfectly you may make
mistakes or get a batch of
temperamental plants. Dont worry- it
happens! The best thing for you to do
is a little bit of troubleshooting.
pH Levels
One thing that can go wrong is having the wrong pH.
Checking the pH levels for your plants is important but it is
something that many people neglect to do. Even though
most hydroponic plants can survive at wide range of pH
levels it is ideal to have them around 6.0.
Many people think that the more fertilizer they add, the
better. Keep in mind that there is too much of a good thing!
When you add too much fertilizer there is a good chance
that you will cause the pH to drop. That means nutrients
cannot make their way to the plant.
If youve made this mistake and need to fix it fast you can
water them with a bit of lime at 2 tsp/gallon of water.
Another solution is to add phosphoric acid to raise the pH or
potassium hydroxide to lower pH. If youll remember, those
are both important parts of the nutrient mix. That is why
its so important to measure the mix the right way.
Thirsty Plants
If your plants have started to grow very slowly you will
probably be alarmed. One of the reasons for this is having
too little water. You might also notice a slight discoloration
33
of plant leaves as well.
Too Much Water
If your plant has stopped growing new leaves you might be
ready to throw in the towel. Instead, consider that you
might be adding too much water to your hydroponic system.
Another symptom is having your stem turn to mush or
rotting off. The best thing to do is study how much water
the particular plant you are growing needs. This can be
difficult but it gets easier with experience.
Cold Temperatures
If the leaves are curling up and newer leaves have no color
your plant might be too cold. Pay close attention to the
temperature the leaves should be exposed to and turn the
temperature up in your home or wherever you are growing
your hydroponic plant.
Hot Temperatures
Another problem is halted flower and leaf production as well
as leaves and flowers falling off. The problem just might be
that your plants are too hot.
Too Much Light
If the leaves are curling and the edges are tinged with red it
might be a problem of too much light. This basically means
that they are sunburned! You need to quickly get the plant
to a location with a more suitable light situation or adjust
your indoor lighting to create a better environment for the
plants. You can also take steps to prune the plants leaves
and giving them plenty of water.
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Not Enough Fertilizer
If you notice that your plants are turning yellow it might be
because they are not getting enough fertilizer. Monitor
when this happens and add enough on a regular basis until
the plants are restored to health.
Too Much Fertilizer
You might have been thrilled to find that your plants leaves
were a beautiful green and thought the extra fertilizer
youve been adding must have done the trick. Sadly, this
will create problems with your plant later on. It can actually
burn and damage your plant! You must stop using so much
fertilizer and change or condense the growing medium.
High Humidity
If you suddenly have plants that have leaves spotted with
yellow dots there might be too much humidity in the air.
The plants might also just stop growing leaves altogether!
You might need to get a dehumidifier or consider moving
your plants to a different location.
Low Humidity
This is one of the least likely problems because hydroponic
plants dont seem to mind areas with low humidity. At the
most your plant will start to shrink a little in size. Just
continue adding plenty of water.
In General
Growing hydroponic plants does have a bit of a learning
curve. You need to choose a hydroponic system to use and
then tweak your strategy depending on the plants you are
growing and what you observe happening with them.
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Get Started Planting!
Hydroponic gardening is a fascinating thing to do. Who
knew that you could have your very own successful garden
without needing soil?
You will probably want to start out by buying a pre-made kit
that has everything you need. You wont believe how easy
and fun it is to maintain these gardens. Youll also get some
beautiful, perfect plants along the way.
I recommend you look into purchasing an easy to use
system like youll find at SuperCloset. They have grow
systems that come in all sizes from as small as a 2 x 4
cabinet all the way up to a full sized grow room.
Each system come with an instructional DVD so youll know
exactly what to do to get your hydroponic garden growing.
SuperCloset has been around for many
years and has lifetime support for all
their customers. Watch the video here
for more information.