A hundred years ago, the assertion that a rich harvest can only be obtained on fertile soil was considered an axiom. Modern growing technologies, based on the use of a special base instead of the soil composition, allow creating more favorable conditions for breeding any crops. Hydroponics - one of the areas of plant cultivation, all the nutrients in which they get through special solutions. This technology is actively used in greenhouses in many countries. Do-it-yourself hydroponics - the ability to create lush flower beds at home, as well as quickly get a rich and environmentally friendly crop.
Hydroponic Growth Benefits
Among the main advantages of hydroponics over other breeding technologies are the following:
- The minimum labor input. Since with this approach, plants grow without using the soil, the work of caring for crops is limited only by monitoring the presence of water in the tanks and removing dried stems and roots. By equipping homemade hydroponics, you get rid of such problems as weed removal, soil loosening and the fight against harmful insects. When transplanting perennials, the need to clean the roots of the old depleted soil, thereby injuring them, is eliminated. It is enough to transfer the plant into a larger container, adding a new substrate.
- Space saving. To create optimal conditions and maintain the viability of the roots of non-growing plants will require a minimum of space. You can grow hydroponics on the windowsill or in an ordinary greenhouse.
- High productivity and environmental friendliness. Thanks to a simple, but quite effective technology, the roots of the flowers are supplied with all the necessary substances. The hydroponic culture has a medium-developed but powerful root system and a well-developed aerial part. This allows you to collect higher yields than when grown on soil. During the growing season, plants do not accumulate harmful substances that are often present in the soil: heavy metals, radionuclides, organic poisonous compounds.
Plants grown in hydroponics are no different from their counterparts grown in soil: neither in taste nor in aromatic qualities. They differ only in higher vegetation intensity and higher fruiting volumes.
As a nutrient medium for distillation of plants can be: water (hydroponics), substrate (soil mixture), air (aeroponics)
Hydroponics is widely used for forcing flowers and seedlings of vegetables before selling
Hydroponic substrates and nutrient solutions
To equip the hydroponic system using solutions, which include all the necessary trace elements and nutrients. The main ones are: phosphorus (accelerating growth and improving flowering), potassium (contributing to the intensity of color of flowers and ripening of shoots), calcium and magnesium (stimulating the development of the root system), as well as other components necessary for building a plant organism.
Often, special formulations act as a nutrient medium in arranging hydroponics for flowers, a characteristic feature of which is sufficient friability and high moisture absorption.
Balanced nutrient solutions, the components of which are in optimal proportions, can be purchased at gardening stores
The basis of hydroponic substrates are: moss, PAA-gels, gravel, expanded clay, mineral wool and other disintegrants (vermiculite, perlite)
Hydroponic plant fabrication
To equip the problem-free moisture supply of plants at home, you can use a simple hydroponic installation, which everyone can collect.
To make the installation, you need to prepare:
- Air aquarium compressor;
- Plastic container;
- Styrofoam sheet.
The bottom and walls of the container should be made of opaque plastic, which does not allow sunlight. Tanks made of translucent plastic should be shaded by wrapping the outer walls with food foil or painting with dark paint.
Pots with plants will be placed on a foam sheet that covers a plastic container filled with one third with a special solution
In the foam sheet, holes should be cut to accommodate the cups with the plants. The holes should be made at an equidistant distance so that adjacent plants do not interfere with each other as they grow.
Pots for plants can be made from ordinary plastic cups, small holes in the bottom and walls of products. Thanks to the many openings, the nutrient substrate will constantly remain wet.
The size of the holes should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the upper part of the pots, so that they do not fail completely, but only slightly "drowned"
You can purchase ready-made landing tanks that look like miniature plastic baskets
Since the root system of plants especially needs oxygen, an aquarium air compressor is used to equip hydroponics
To evenly distribute the liquid, you can additionally place sprayers on the bottom of the tank - aquarium stones.
The installation is ready to go. It remains to fill the cups with the substrate and plant the plants in them.
The container is filled with nutrient liquid so that a third of the pots are immersed in the solution. Further care is topping up the fluid to the required level and monthly complete updating of the solution.
Hydroponic plant manufacturing options:
