Introduction to Hydroponics

📷 Marijuana Venture Magazine

Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture, where plants are grown in a soilless medium. It is an established branch of agronomy or the science and technology of producing and using plants as food, fuel, feed, etc. So basically, you can think of it as the art of “water gardening”.

In 1936, Dr W.F. Gericke coined the word Hydroponics to describe the nurturing of edible and ornamental plants in a water solution containing dissolved nutrients. The word is derived from Greek words “Hydro” and “Ponos” which means water and labour.

You enrich the water with a ‘nutrient solution’ that is perfectly balanced for your choice of plants. It is the efficient maintenance of that controlled environment that makes it possible for the plants to grow well.

Unlike traditional gardening where you use of fertilized soil, an effective hydroponics garden will protect that nutrient solution and keep it from evaporating or draining into the environment. Because of this, hydroponics is known as ‘earth-friendly gardening’.

The water-nutrient is basically nutrient-enriched mineral water that you can usually buy off the shelf or formulate with the aid of specialist nutrients. These days, you can easily find the essential nutrients and other equipment from one of the many specialist suppliers on the Internet.

Because you are able to provide the plants with a properly balanced solution of nutrients, plants are grown in a hydroponics garden usually produce the healthiest crops with the highest yields and vitamin content.

There are two main types of hydroponics garden: solution culture and medium culture.

Solution culture

This is only about the use of nutrient solutions; it does not need a solid medium for the roots. The main types of solution culture are:

• Static solution culture – plants are grown in containers (glass, plastic buckets, tubs, etc.) with a nutrient solution.

• Continuous-flow solution culture – the nutrient solution continuously flows through the roots which are exposed to adequate supplies of water, oxygen, and nutrients. This would include systems like Deep Water Culture (DWC) Dripper Systems, Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), Ebb And Flow (Flood and Drain) etc.

• Aeroponics plants are grown with their roots suspended in an air, growth chamber or saturated environment wherein the nutrient solution is delivered to the roots as a fine mist.

Medium culture

On the other hand, medium culture calls for a solid medium for the roots. The medium could be in the form of sand, gravel, Rockwool, etc.. Sub-irrigation and top irrigation is the variation of each medium.

The benefits and drawbacks

A hydroponics garden comes with numerous benefits, and of course, a number of downsides. You have to be aware of the pros and the cons of growing plants hydroponically before deciding to build your own hydroponic system.

Pros

• Plants grown in a hydroponics garden are healthier than their soil-grown counterparts. This is mainly because of the correctly balanced ‘diet’ the plants receive from the water-nutrient solution.
• Hydroponically grown plants do not come in contact with soil-borne pests and diseases. You can easily get rid of pests and other unwanted elements.
• You can reduce the costs of soil preparation. In fact, no soil is needed. Labour for traditional gardening practices such as tilling is eliminated. It’s a perfect solution for those who can’t possibly embark on a traditional soil-based garden.
• It’s an effective approach to water management because the water stays in the system and can be reused.
• You are less likely to suffer from losses due to drought and ground flooding. Instead, you will have complete control of the environment for your plants.
• Plants grown using hydroponics are easy to get amazing harvests, stable and produce high yields of healthier and more luscious crops.

Cons

• Most hydroponic systems are not easy to manage by inexperienced individuals. You need to gain sufficient knowledge before investing in hydroponics, especially with regards to the principles of nutrition.
• Any failure to the system will rapidly lead to plant death because you no longer have any soil to act as a buffer. You may have to go for more expensive hydroponics systems to ensure this does not occur.
• It can be a costly endeavour, especially if you still prefer to use soil-based plants. You may have to deal with varying fertilizer requirements and containment systems.
• You may have to dedicate a great deal of your time and effort because hydroponic plants react quickly to either good or poor nutrition and you may need to observe the process.

Introduction to starting your first hydroponic cannabis grow the basic necessities

You don’t have to immediately go for an advanced or expert grower level system in order to achieve the benefits and results that you are aiming for. As a hobbyist or a newbie DIYer, you can get a lot of information that can help you start with a basic hydroponics garden.

You will have to understand what needs to be done, especially with regards to the acquisition of the necessary resources. It’s crucial that you check what your local water contains. Call your water company and ask for an analysis. Find out whether your local water can be used for this project.

Learn about the different types of hydroponics garden. Search carefully for the best providers of hydroponics kits and equipment, particularly if you want to try the DIY route. Assess the features of each kit that you can find. You should expect an off the shelf kit to include a growing light, watering system, growing media, containers, seeds and other supplies, together with detailed instructions and basic user guide/manual.

Source: Best Seed Bank