More and more households are choosing to grow food, herbs, and flowering plants at home. In 2014, for example, 42 million households either grew food at home or in a community garden. In addition to other types of food, 76% of the individuals with home gardens grew vegetables.
Are you planning to start an indoor garden? In addition to soil-based gardening, you may be interested to learn more about hydroponic gardening.
Soil-Based Gardening
If you don’t have an outdoor garden space, you can still grow different types of plants indoors as long as you create the proper conditions. In addition to having indoor garden lighting, there are other important measures to take in order to control the environment, such as nutrients.
When you have limited space, you could also purchase several 2 to 4-tired metal plant stands. This just take up a small amount of space, and can hold more plants than individual plant stands or even planter boxes.
Hydroponic Gardening
You may be aware that hydroponic gardening is a bit different than traditional soil-based gardening. When you grow plants with hydroponic systems, they require a minimum of 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight every day. This can also be provided by a high-intensity indoor garden lighting system.
It’s important to note that every plant has its own nutrient requirements. As a result, each plant’s pH and enzymatic formula needs will vary. In general, however, setting the pH between 5.5 to 6 will usually work for most growing mediums.
The Ebb and Flow Hydroponic System
This is the classic type of hydroponic system and can accommodate virtually any size of pot. It is also easy to build yourself. Basically, the plants are placed on a drain table which is filled with 2 to 3 inches of water. A nutrient solution, or enzymatic formula, is then added to the water. When in operation, all of this is pumped into the drain table.
The Benefits of Hydroponic Gardening
You may be aware that hydroponic gardens tend to be more productive than soil-grown gardens. Hydroponic gardens, for example, can experience a 50% increased growth rate over their soil-based counterparts. Since plant health depends on receiving the right amount of light, nutrients, oxygen, and water, it’s also important to choose an organic bacteria-free enzymatic formula to protect your plants’ health.
