What do You Need to do to Grow a Hydroponic Organic Garden?

Hydroponic growing may not look easy, and it might take some extra work, and some more equipment. But, if you begin in a small way and are willing to give it a try, you might be enjoying fruits and vegetables and herbs year round sooner than you think. True, it does take a little effort to learn the best ways to accomplish and succeed at hydroponic gardening, but, it can be rewarding, interesting and fun. Personally, I like the idea of greenhouse growing, but I live in the northern hemisphere. where we suffer through cold winters.

Organic gardeners though, tend to ignore the weather and find alternative ways to avoid buying all their nutrition needs at the store. Hydroponic growing is an alternative that can produce beautiful plants to look at and nutritious plants to eat. In a pure hydroponic system your plants do not even come into contact with the soil.

Soil-less Plant Culture

The name hydroponic refers to plants grown in water, but it really means any method of gardening that doesn't use soil, usually in a highly artificial setting. So, it's sometimes called S/CEA or soil-less controlled environment agriculture/gardening.

Other growing media.

This method of gardening offers interesting variety, too. Some hydroponic growers prefer an all-water system. Trays that hold roots and solutions are fitted with supports from which strings can hold an upright plant. Other gardeners enjoy working with rockwool, perlite and other highly useful hydroponic media.

Whatever system you might choose, and there are many, will depend on your own situation and preferences. But, remember to stay within the limits of organic. Your challenges will include the growing medium you prefer, the fertilizer, weed control and pest and disease control.

The setting has to be organized.

An easy way to start growing your organic hydroponic garden is to purchase a complete kit. Kits come with all the trays and tubing, and the nutrients, but, be careful about the nutrients after all we are organic gardeners. Lights, air pumps and sometimes even seeds are part of a kit that will get you started. These kits are very good for the inexperienced because they contain everything you need, and the information you will need to assemble a beginning garden.

But even a kit-housed garden needs care. The right nutrients especially for the organic gardener, have to be fed to the plants. Even an automatic feeding system will need to be set up, filled and checked. Automatic watering systems, like drip irrigation or under-the-tray tubing will need to be built or arranged. Components have to be monitored for fungi and cleaned or sterilized.

Water and nutrient control can be difficult. Light control is more important. pH adjustment is critical. The system demands a little more than in a soil-based garden, where these factors are self-regulating.

The benefits can, however, be quite pronounced with higher yields and larger fruits and larger output overall. Besides,more and larger plants can be produced in a smaller space. The increased yield often comes with some efforts that are actually easier. Weeding, for example, is a much less problem in the typical setup. The medium makes it hard for the weeds to get started and they're easily out-competed or killed.

There are still pests and diseases.

Because of the constant moisture which provides a fertile environment for bacteria, mildew and other harmful organisms, you will still have to deal with some pests and diseases. The white flies, aphids, spider mites, caterpillars and other common garden pests will still cause some problems if you don’t keep them under control!

Fortunately, there are easy-to-use methods to tackle the pest problems. Insecticidal soaps, botanicals, and some traditional 18th century methods are still in wide use. Other organic methods are also available.

Plants have unique needs.

To get started using any method it's helpful to have some knowledge of elementary botany. Plants have unique needs and hydroponics builds on that base. Knowing what factors they require to flourish will get the hydroponic gardener started off in the right direction.

A wide variety of plants can be grown.

Hydroponics can be used to grow a wide variety of plants: strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce and many non-fruit or vegetable plants, such as orchids. The list is long. Thousands of species can thrive without soil, provided they're cared for properly. The effort can be fun and instructive. It can also produce beautiful or nutritious plants without many of the drawbacks of soil-grown plants.

Start small and build.

Get started on your hydroponics garden today, but, it is a good idea to begin slowly and build up your knowledge and experience.I wouldn't invest a lot of money until you have some experience. You might want to begin in your basement. It might also be a good idea to start with a simple herb growing set-up and build from there. A well organized hydroponic growing set-up can produce plenty of enzyme rich healthy food for your family, and you will have this food available year round.

*Nutrient and Feeding Guidelines. *Preparing your system *Pest and Disease Control