Hydroponic Gardening Supplies To Set Up And Maintain Your System



by Nelda Rich


Hydroponics is not new and it was thought that primitive Egyptians were probably the first to use a soil-less method of growing plants. Many believe that the hanging Gardens of Babylon used a primitive version of hydroponics. There is no need to use pesticides as the environment is controlled and filters ensure insects cannot reach the plants. A full range of hydroponic gardening supplies is readily available to set up and maintain your system.

During the summer months air circulators are used to move cool air around the system. They also move warm air around the system during winter time. To reduce fan noise, various silencers are available for purchase. Duct tape and clamps are used to fix filters and fans etc. Plants are protected from the external environment and therefore plants can be grown at any time of the year when using these systems.

A selection of media may be purchased for the system. Clay pebbles may be most suitable for flood and drain systems. Perlite or coco coir are preferred when growing in pots and vermiculite can be used as a covering for seeds. Other media used is rockwool and fleximix. Each has properties which help to retain nutrients for faster growth rates.

All plants need good light to grow well. A range of lighting systems can be selected with reflectors to increase the light to growing areas. Reliability and safety is very important when selecting a lighting system. If a light fails it may have a detrimental impact on your plants, equally if the light stays on flowering plants can be confused. The amount of heat expelled by lighting systems should also be considered.

Excess minerals are removed from plant roots with flushing nutrients. An experienced grower may use two or three part nutrients, whilst a new grower will use one part nutrients. Hydroponic systems have little or no nutrients and therefore they have to be added to the system. These nutrients are available from your supplier.

A propagator is recommended when propagating plants. Lighting needs to be set to an appropriate level for the cuttings to flourish. Root compounds and root stimulators may be utilized to strengthen root formation.

Reverse osmosis filters are used to remove unwanted elements from your water system. This is particularly needed if your water is hard. Beneficial bacteria is also available from suppliers of hydroponic gardening supplies. These bacteria live on the plants roots and are beneficial to the growth of the plants.




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