Different plants may have slightly different requirements, but they all require the same basic things. For example, researchers have even designed several systems for growing mango trees hydroponically. Though there are a number of techniques, they can broadly be categorized into two different types. Although almost all vegetables can be grown hydroponically, the crops most commonly grown using this technique include :. Brassica family crops, herbs and lettuce can be grown hydroponically all year round.
Swiss chard and other leafy greens are also a good option to grow all through the year hydroponically. However, the system will need to be set up indoors for the winters, and artificial lighting will need to be provided.
Make sure you pick varieties from seed companies that have a reputation for thriving hydroponically. Some crops can be grown hydroponically but will produce best when the system is set up outdoors during the summers.
You can grow tomatoes, strawberries and cucumbers hydroponically outdoors during the spring and summer months. Some crops are better suited to growing in soil. Using these systems outdoors will require more monitoring of water temperature, pests, nutrient and pH levels, and plant health.
Growing plants using these methods instead of traditional agricultural methods can produce higher yields and quick growth when done the correct way, while still benefiting from a natural environment.
When managing a hydroponic system, algae is a nuisance that you will have to keep under control to prevent it from ruining all your hard work. What if all you have to do is measure the pH of the water in your hydroponics system, but all you can find is an old soil pH meter.
Most of us have so many devices around the house that finding Step 1: Pick a Location. Step 2: Pick Your Hydroponic System. Kratky Method — One of the simplest methods of constructing your outdoor hydroponic system.
All you need is your plant, your growing media, a bucket with a lid, and your nutrient-rich water source. PVC pipes with holes drilled in equal spaces for your plants are circulated with nutrient-rich water via pumps.
Frame System — This is the best choice for those with limited outdoor space, but it is more of an advanced system. Simple Bucket System — This system houses your plant in a bucket with draining holes and your growing media. This system is normally watered manually with nutrient-rich water and is ideal for a single, large plant.
The most common types are flood-and-drain and floating bed systems. Flood-and-drain systems watered by hand twice a day with nutrient-rich water. Any run-off can be collected and reused. The floating bed system is manually aerated two-three times a day and is best for areas without a high-fluctuating temperature. Step 3: Build Your System. What Kind of Equipment Will do I need? Your reservoir is the receptacle used to contain your water. The size will depend upon the size of your outdoor hydroponic system and of course, your budget.
Be sure to pick something with a lid to prevent evaporation. A metal reservoir is not ideal, as it may introduce minerals to your water that could be harmful to your plants.
Water Pump. A submersible water pump can be placed in the reservoir, while any type that is not submersible must be installed outside of the water. Make sure you pick a properly sized water pump relative to the size of your system.
Growth Media. Instead, materials like bark, gravel, and foam can be used to anchor the plant, yet still allow for proper circulation and drainage. This is absolutely necessary for the health of the plants in your system no matter what type you choose. Some common micro-nutrients used to fortify reservoir water are: Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Magnesium Calcium Micro-nutrients, or trace elements, are essential for your hydroponic water, but only in small amounts.
Step 5: Monitor Your Plants. Make sure your reservoir is in a shaded place, and a light color that will reflect light, not absorb it. You can also partially bury your reservoir to insulate it. Try adding frozen water bottles during high-temperature days.
A reflective and insulating lining can be added to the system and reservoir. Step 6: Protect Against Pests. Step 7: Harvest Your Plants. Caption: pH testing paper. Rip a small piece from the roll and dip it in your nutrient solution. Wait for the paper to change color, and match the color with the color guide to determine your pH. The top of the wheel has a color wheel with different colors corresponding to different numbers, which equal pH measurements.
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are considered macronutrients because plants use them in large quantities. If you have gardened outdoors, you are likely familiar with adding these nutrients to your garden via commercial fertilizer or compost.
Other nutrients are often not a concern in traditional soil-based gardening systems because the soil naturally contains many of these essential nutrients. However, in hydroponics, you need to supply not just the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but also calcium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, iron, molybdenum, copper, zinc, boron, chlorine, and nickel. The good news is, there are many pre-made fertilizers available that have been specially designed for hydroponics.
Liquid fertilizers tend to be easy to use; you simply measure the suggested amount the label will tell you how much to add per gallon of water and pour them into the water. However, due to their weight and associated shipping costs, liquid fertilizers tend to be expensive. Dry fertilizers are much cheaper but are sometimes sold as a multi-part mix. This is because the various nutrients have different weights and solubilities, so they store better and face less risk of separating out if they are mixed just prior to use.
Other dry fertilizers are available in a pre-mixed form. Make sure to check the labels to ensure that you have the property quantities and balance of fertilizers. The simplest solution to making sure you have the correct balance of nutrients for your specific crop is to purchase a hydroponic fertilizer solution tailored to your crop.
For example, you can purchase fertilizer specifically designed for hydroponic lettuce, or for hydroponic tomatoes. If you plan to grow something like tomatoes, which require an entire growing season, or an herb that you will continually harvest, changing the water in your system helps to promote plant health as well as food safety. All hydroponic systems have some sort of tank where water is stored; this may simply be your bucket, or it could be a separate tank that feeds the drip lines and hoses in more elaborate hydroponics models.
This water will need to be topped-off at some point. If you are growing a longer-season crop like tomatoes, you may decide to switch out the solution entirely once or twice. Nutrient-rich water solutions are prone to algal and bacterial growth, which can be problematic for plant health. This is especially true in passive systems without aeration.
While many insects are less of a problem in hydroponic systems compared to growing in soil, you still might encounter insects at some point while growing hydroponically. Insect pressure will depend on whether you are growing indoors or outdoors. In outdoor systems, hydroponically grown plants will be protected from soil-dwelling insects, but are susceptible to the same foliar insects as the plants in your garden.
Indoors, the most common insect pests in hydroponic systems tend to be very small, soft-bodied insects like thrips, mites, aphids, and whiteflies. If these insects are present, they tend to thrive in indoor settings due to a lack of natural enemies, and a supportive environment warm and dry. These insects quickly reproduce, so just like gnats or fruit flies that can show up in your kitchen, once present they can become abundant.
Scout for insects regularly, either by visually checking your plants or using yellow sticky traps. If a particular plant is infested, the best management approach is often to simply remove it. For insects like mealybugs, mites, or aphids, which do not typically have wings, you can dab leaves using a cotton ball or q-tip with diluted dish soap and water to remove them.
Biological control adding beneficial insects or nematodes is commonly used in commercial hydroponic settings, as well as in educational hydroponic systems such as school gardens. Biocontrol may be appropriate for your hydroponic system if you have it in an enclosed room at home. Beneficial insects can also be released under netted plants. While growing in a hydroponic system can protect your plants from many soil-borne pathogens, we still see plenty of disease problems in hydroponics.
Some of the most common pathogens we found in a survey of Minnesota hydroponics farms were powdery mildew, downy mildew, and root rots. Hydroponic systems, especially those with supplemental lighting, tend to be warm environments. Warm conditions combined with standing water can facilitate the growth and spread of bacteria and viruses.
Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly before interacting with any part of your system - this includes planting, changing water, measuring pH, adding nutrients, etc. Harvest with clean hands into a cleaned and sanitized tote or buckets. If using tools for harvesting scissors or knives , make sure they are cleaned and sanitized. Because hydroponic systems tend to be warm, and the water is full of nutrients, any bacteria or viruses that enter the system can reproduce rapidly.
Rinse all produce thoroughly before consuming. If you are pulling the roots out when you harvest, the water might drip onto the other plants during the harvest.
Do your best to keep splash down when you are harvesting so that water does not touch drip or splash onto the edible parts of the plants. Over time, growing plants in a small container of water can lead to the formation of biofilms on the hard surfaces in your system.
Think of a fish tank and how it can become slimy on the slides if not cleaned regularly; the same thing can happen to your hydroponic system. These biofilms actually protect and harbor bacteria, some of which might be pathogenic and could cause foodborne illnesses if the bacteria are transferred to the produce via the water in the system. Most herbs can be harvested multiple times, as can leaf lettuce. Simply cut the most mature lowest on the plant leaves or stems as you are ready to eat or use them, and allow the plant to keep growing.
Most hydroponic growers harvest times from the same plants before starting with new seed. Other varieties such as head lettuce are only meant to be harvested once and will not resprout after cutting. Fertilizer and water quality management for hydroponic crops , Neil Mattson.
Three non-circulating hydroponic methods for growing lettuce , University of Hawaii. Optimizing lettuce quality, taste, and morphology with LED lighting , Lumigrow. All rights reserved. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Home Yard and garden How-to Small-scale hydroponics. A quick guide to hydroponics Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. You can grow hydroponically all year long.
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