Posts Tagged ‘hydroponics’

Home Hydroponics - 11 Advantages

Monday, February 15th, 2010

With home hydroponics you have a great hobby and you can plant anything you like from fruit, vegetables, flowers and herbs.

So you’re thinking of setting up your own home hydroponics system? Check out the following benefits:

1. There is no need to water your plants! One of the main problems with soil gardening is that plants tend to get over or under watered and they become poorly! This problem is eliminated with home hydroponics!

2. Hydroponic plants grow up to 50% faster! This is because the roots do not need to expand to look for nutrients, they are already there in abundance! Home hydroponic plants grow extremely quickly.

3. Because no soil is needed, little or no space is used! There is no need for a garden!

4. Soil borne disease are not spread to hydroponic plants. This is a large problem for many gardeners and you will have much healthier plants as a result which will show!

5. There will be no need to purchase any pesticides because no soil loving pest will get near to your home hydroponics system.

6. Running costs are 20% lower once your home hydroponics system is set up.

Supplies Needed for Your Custom Greenhouse

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

Gardening is among the leading hobbies just about everywhere in the world. The popularity of gardening with the aid of home greenhouse kits has caused an explosion of greenhouse equipment and greenhouse supplies designed for the hobby gardener. What was used only in commercial or institutional greenhouses is now being used in the avid gardener’s own custom greenhouses as well. Many of these supplies can be costly and it is necessary that you realize what you will need when planning a custom hobby greenhouse.

Sustainable living and green living is causing families and small towns to grow their own produce year-round. Home gardens are popping up everywhere and hobby greenhouses are great when trying to cut back on expenses and high cost of living. Also, the concern with the standards of our food by growing organically is also a factor in building a custom greenhouse.

Besides planning a place in your yard for your hobby greenhouse, the builder will guide your project through a professional and successful construction and installation process. Hobby, school and commercial greenhouses and greenhouse supplies are also items you will want to ask about in your planning stages.

9 Home Hydroponics Advantages

Monday, November 9th, 2009

Building a home hydroponics system has countless advantages on customary soil based methods. Capture a gaze at the next advantages you get while using home hydroponics.

1. You don’t need to water your plants! A major mistake that trainee gardeners perform is either over or under water their plants which can be injurious to them! This problem is eliminated, as well as being a time saver!

2. Plant life grown via home hydroponics grow upto 50% more rapidly. This is because you are in full control of their situation which you will have manipulated to be optimum.

3. You don’t require a garden to produce hydroponic plants, so if you live in a packed town centre apartment building then this is no barrier for you!

4. As there is no soil, no soil borne diseases are passed on to your plants. The result is much better plant life that you can sell for takings.

5. There is no requirement to use pesticides as there will be no earth loving pests anywhere next to your plants. This will cut down on expenditure and you’ll have much healthier looking plants.

What Goes Into Greenhouse Construction

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

If you are thinking about buying or building a custom greenhouse there are some simple steps to consider for your greenhouse construction costs.

Greenhouse construction is a honed skill and requires special contractors. A company that is a general builder or a small greenhouse company only familiar with putting together a greenhouse “kit” is not qualified to handle the pitfalls building a greenhouse can bring. The equipment should be familiar territory to the greenhouse company and use of the special tools, bolts, clips and materials should only be done by the most qualified greenhouse craftsmen. Greenhouse construction should be done by greenhouse builders.

Next, the construction of a greenhouse is woven into the knowledge of the manufacturing arm of the greenhouse. It is something the qualified greenhouse builder has grown to study and know well. Basic design and uses of the greenhouse are common knowledge with the qualified greenhouse construction team. The materials used in different parts of the country are also important to the builder and whether the structure needs vents, doors, full sun, how much drainage, misting systems and how certain equipment can be used in the greenhouse. There is no room for mistakes or error in the design, manufacturing and building of a greenhouse.

Hydroponic Indoor Gardening - 9 Advantages!

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Have you ever thought about getting into hydroponic indoor gardening as a hobby or money making scheme?

Here is a list of advantages of hydroponic indoor gardening when compared to traditional soil based gardening:

1. After your initial start up costs, hydroponic gardening is around 20% cheaper to run and maintain.

2. You can plant more hydroponic plants in a smaller area. This is because the roots do not need to grow as large as they have easier access to nutrients. This is despite your plants actually growing larger too!

3. Maintenance time is greatly reduced! Weeding doesn’t exist hydroponically and there is no need to water them! All you’ll ever need to do is pick your crop once they are ready.

4. The yield is year round and permanent as you have full control over growing conditions and you will have made them optimum for whatever you are growing. This is great for when it’s off season as you can sell them for higher prices.

5. You can grow them anywhere; basement, living room, bedroom, corridor, attic, greenhouse, garage or rooftop.

How to Make Homemade Hydroponics Nutrients on Your Own

Friday, September 4th, 2009

If growing great plants in your hydroponic garden is your desire, however you are unsure of where to begin, allow me to suggest checking into making your own homemade hydroponics nutrients. As fun as the plant growing process is, this is nearly as good. There is more than one kind of nutrient solution you can make up. The only thing is that you need to take the time to find out what forms of ingredients and mixtures are the best ones for your plants.

There are many reasons to make use of homemade hydroponics nutrients. One of the real pluses is that you can make a entirely organic mixture. This will make certain that your plants contain zero inorganic material. There’s no way to know exactly what you’re feeding your plants when you give them store-purchased nutrient mixtures. While the manufacturer has to list all the ingredients, you have no way of knowing if they are contaminated or where they have come from. You can be completely assured that you know about all of the ingredients that go into your plants by creating homemade hydroponics nutrients.

Differences with the pH Readings between Two Meters

Saturday, May 23rd, 2009

There are observed differences in the field between two pH meters’ readings. This can get many growers confused with the true value of the pH of the medium on which their plants grow. This article will answer the confusion.

The acidity or alkalinity of the soil or solution, which is very important with growing plants, is measured with a pH meter. pH, or the power of Hydrogen, is the concentration of H+ ions for acidic solutions and OH- ions for basic solutions. The pH is a critical factor in the plant’s growth as it is directly related to the availability of the nutrients.

Some growers noticed that their pH readings usually fluctuate when tested with two different meters in the same nutrient solution. There are several possibilities that can be attributed for this fluctuation.

One of the possible reasons is that the two pH meters use different brands of batteries. One set of batteries used in one pH meter might be older than the other battery used in the other meter. Though the batteries supply the same voltage, the power from older batteries is normally weaker than the newer one. Moreover, even a slight corrosion on batteries can also cause differences in pH readings.

Hydroponics Gardening: More Accessible Now with NFT System

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009

Hydroponics was coined in the USA in 1930’s to name the scheme plant growing with the roots based in mineral-rich waters. As a matter of information, the Aztec Indians had a similar scheme of producing crops on rafts in lakes with shallow levels of water; these are seen in their floating gardens in Mexico City.

Formal research on the nutritional requirements of plants and the hydroponics system of growing plants started since 1699 through today. Developments went on and the use of hydroponics commercially opened worldwide.

Hydroponics has come a long way since the Aztec Indians. Since water care and land care is today mandated in numerous countries to promote sustainability, well maintained hydroponics gardening systems will provide yields of high quality crops through the environmentally friendly way of farming.

Hydroponics is already an established and fast growing part of modern commercial agriculture. Hydroponics is in fact a developing field where you can see a large range for experimenting with plants. Hydroponics gardening will also supply you with fresh fruit and vegetables all year round. Even the banana trees are being grown hydroponically now for better and reliable yield.

Hydroponics as a Way to Grow to Plants without Soils

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

The term hydroponics was coined in the USA in the early 1930’s. It was coined to describe the scheme of plant growing with the roots of the plant based in mineral-rich waters. From the words hydro and ponos which are Greek for “water” and “to work” respectively, hydroponics literally is defined as ‘working with water’.

The definition of hydroponics has gradually become broadened to distinguish all forms of gardening without the usual soil as in traditional farming. Let us take a look at the importance of hydroponics in the history of mankind.

Hydroponic gardens in history are evidently a big part of early societies. One of the biggest evidence of the use of hydroponics is with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

In addition, the Aztec Indians has even pioneered a scheme of producing plant crops on rafts in shallow lakes. You can even witness some of these floating gardens near Mexico City.

In 1930, as the term hydroponics became popular, Gericke produced the first commercial hydroponic unit in America. During the Second World War the American forces in the Pacific produced vegetables hydroponically to survive.

Hydroponics: its History

Monday, April 27th, 2009

History reveals that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon is a big evidence of a hydroponic garden. Moreover, the Aztec Indians in the now Mexico had a system of growing crops on rafts. These rafts are in shallow lakes that you can still see in floating gardens near Mexico City. Therefore, history shows the great significance of hydroponic system of growing plants even in ancient times.

Developments with hydroponics did not however take place in Europe until 1699 when Woodward discovered it. He found out that he can grow plants in a solution of water to which soil had been added.

On the other hand, Liebig, a German scientist, originated using nutrient solutions to study the nutritional requirements of plants in the 1850’s. It was then followed by Sachs in 1860. Knop also did some studies of nutrient elements in water solutions in 1861. They grew plants in nutrients-rich solutions with mineral salts. This does away with the soil as a main requirement for growing crops.

Many researches on the nutritional requirements of plants extended through even until the 1870’s. By 1925, practical applications of hydroponics were being introduced for the vast development in the greenhouse industry.