Friday, August 9, 2013

A Step-By-Step Guide To Hydroponics

A Step-By-Step Guide To Hydroponics A Step-By-Step Guide To Hydroponics by Claire Winters

Hydroponics can be used as a buzzword and also to describe a method. You’ve heard that with it, it is possible to grow indoors, achieve amazing yields very quickly, and extend the growing season. If you’re environmentally oriented, it's likely you have even heard about not needing pesticides or herbicides and about the efficiency of nutrient recycling. However you’ve heard about it, you may be a little clueless as to how it works, but excited to learn about what constitutes a hydroponic system.

There are some different basic systems in hydroponics: the drip system, the deep water culture, the nutrient film technique, and the ebb and flow system. The drip system is well-liked and simple to implement, and works well for large plants. In a drip system, plants are placed in a non-soil growing medium such as gravel, rockwool, perlite, coconut coir, L.E.C.A., higromite or vermiculite, then suspended in baskets. Water and nutrient solution are pumped to the growing medium from a reservoir using a basic plumbing set-up, enabling the solution to then drip through the medium. There are different ways to set up the drip system; you can choose to set it up without or with automatic, timed pumps and with or without a recirculation system that funnels excess solution back to the reservoir.

Another hydroponic system, the deep water culture or direct water culture, involves the immersion of plant roots in oxygenated, nutrient dense water. For this system you need an air pump, and it is common to use a net pot to suspend the plant in the water in the bucket. In the net pot, many gardeners use L.E.C.A. (lightweight expanded clay aggregate) for the roots to secure themselves since they immerse in the water-nutrient system. The trick with this system is to ensure that the water is adequately oxygenated to keep the plant alive and healthy. The advantage to this system is the continuous availability of nutrients.

Nutrient film technique or NFT has been promoted as the system that has the best balance of oxygen, water and nutrients, but this technique is not recommended for beginners. The plants are grown, bare-rooted, in watertight channels in which a thin stream of nutrient-laden water is constantly circulated and recirculated. The thinness of the stream is meant to ensure that the top part of the root mat will always be exposed to oxygen, while the bottom has a steadily obtainable supply of nutrients and water. The secret with NFT is to establish the right channel slope, correct channel length, and proper flow rate.

Another simple hydroponic system, the ebb and flow system, utilizes a tray that is filled with a growing medium and a water-nutrient solution is pumped into it to flood the tray periodically. A holding tank under the tray allows the solution to drain back out through the same tube using the force of gravity. This system isn't necessarily in favor with large commercial growers, however it is well-liked by quite a few hobbyists and gardeners for its simplicity. Maintaining a proper pH level of the of the recirculating water to ensure healthy plants and regular and thorough water drainage as well as the need to ensure your plants do not suffer from pathogens which can cause root rot are the challenges faced with the ebb and flow system.

All hydroponics systems can be utilized in greenhouses or used indoors with the aid of full spectrum lights. Grow lights, reflectors and light movers must all be used effectively in order to achieve successful indoor development, extension of the growing season and produce high yields. Ask local suppliers about the proper system and set-up for you or your business.

Check out eHydroponics today to search our massive collection of more than 6000 discount hydroponics resources, which include grow rooms and complete systems. Additional information on eHydroponics are readily available on the company's site, http://www.ehydroponics.com/.

Article Source: A Step-By-Step Guide To Hydroponics

Friday, April 29, 2011

I've had alot of people ask me about this...

How to Garden in a Small Space

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

In many places, land is costly or scarce. Many homes and apartments include only a tiny porch, balcony, or patio. Others have a very small yard backing up to the neighbor's fence or the back side of another structure or a smaller part of a larger garden, such as a side alley. Even a single, well-placed container can add personality and color to a small space. Here's how to make the most of your space, however small.

Steps

Size up your space.
- Measure it physically. How much space do you really have?
- What is the climate and exposure in your space? Does it get a great deal of sun or shade?
- Look at the surroundings. Is there something you wish to cover up or conceal, such as a wall, fence, or utility box? Is there something you wish to preserve or incorporate, such as a nearby tree, a view, or other surrounding landscape?
- Check out the soil. If your small space has soil, is it clay or sand? Does it support other plants, even weeds?
Figure out where water will come from. Do you have someplace to hook up a hose to water the plants? If so, consider a self-coiling hose with a nozzle that will turn off the water. Get a hose sized for your space. Otherwise, get a large watering can.
Choose a purpose for your garden.
- Is it purely decorative, or would you like to grow a few herbs or food plants?
- Decide where you will be when you look at this garden. Will you be out in it or will you mostly view it from indoors? One or two chairs and a small table can make a small garden an attractive retreat in which to sit and read.
Clear the clutter. If you are serious about making a garden here, try to find someplace else to store the mop. Many communities discourage the use of outdoor spaces as storage, anyway.
- If you must store items in this area, such as if this is the only place for your bicycle, at least minimize the size and number of items stored. Discard or remove any items that are not necessary and give yourself space to organize and access the rest.
Use perspective. Place larger, brighter specimens closer to where you will be viewing them. Use more muted colors and smaller features (leaves and flowers) further away. This helps to give the illusion of a larger space.
Disguise the boundaries, or at least soften them. If a fence or railing is the prominent feature in your garden area, it is very clear how small the space is. Instead, use plants as your boundary.
- Use any plants peeking over the fence. If you can see a bit of a neighbor's shrub or tree over your fence, plant some lower plants in a grouping in front of it. Done right, it can look like all three plants are in your yard.
Use garden rooms. You can't always divide the space if it is very small, but if you have a bit of space to work with (say, a small back yard rather than an apartment balcony) don't have all of it showing at once. Have a pathway to another space or area. A small space could be just right for a hidden treasure or for a place to hide out.
- Vary the path or patio material from one room to the next.
Make a space for people, especially the gardener. If a path is all you have room for, leave space for that. If you can, though, add a bench or chair.
Go up. Generally, the horizontal space is what's limited. Build a vertical garden, try a taller container planting, or train a climber up a wall or fence. You could also use window boxes or other wall- or fence-mounted containers, or a table or open shelving for more containers.
Create a focal point, or one focal point per room, if you have multiple rooms. This could be a colorful chair or bench, a water feature, or an especially showy plant or planting.

Video

A tour of one person's small backyard garden. You can get some idea of how she has arranged different plant groupings.

Tips

Place containers up on feet and place trays underneath them to prevent staining the surface below. Most plants don't like to have their roots standing in water, but you should water containers until the water runs all the way through and out the bottom. If there is excess water in the saucer or tray after watering, pour it out.
Consider portability. If this is an apartment, how long will you be staying there? Will you have to move plants to a new home?
Unglazed terracotta (red clay) containers lose water quickly. A colorful glazed ceramic, plastic, or resin pot can be a design element in itself, and its contents won't dry out as quickly.
Choose plants and containers together. You can match the color and design as well as the size. Ask at your nursery or look up how large a plant will get.
Find a balance between cozy and crowded. You want a garden, not a jungle.
Don't forget indoor spaces if you want more plants than you can put outside. A sunny windowsill can grow a variety of herbs, or a few well-placed houseplants can brighten things up. Did you know you can even grow corn indoors?
Using empty crushed/diced/whole tomato cans to start off your young tomato plants is both efficient and poetic. Use a can opener to make a few small holes on the bottom of each can for drainage.

Warnings

Be sure anything you place on a balcony or second-floor porch is secure against falling.
If you choose to conceal something, consider its purpose and accessibility. It's one thing to train a vine up a fence, but don't cover up a utility meter or obstruct a ventilation intake. Instead, try to obscure these items from view without blocking access.

Related wikiHows

For More Information CLICK HERE !

Sources and Citations

Really small gardens: a practical guide to gardening in a truly small space, Jill Billington 1999.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Garden in a Small Space. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.