Your Hydroponic-kits are The First Step to Organic Veggies 365
You can buy hydroponic-kits that range in price from a few to thousand of dollars. At the lowest end of the scale some kits offer no more than someone could make for themselves by gathering common household items. But they do implicitly package a little knowledge to get you started.By including seeds, a tray, some nutrients and maybe even some pH testing strips, they suggest what hydroponic setup is needed to get started. They may also include a useful booklet.
Higher quality kits for bigger organic gardens More advanced hydroponic-kits can cost a hundred dollars or more, but they are generally much higher in quality. A tray that is specifically designed for hydroponic growing makes it easy to hold seeds in pre-drilled rockwool blocks that come with the kit. A small watering system might also be included, but, if not it can be purchased separately and adapted to fit your system. These home hydroponic-kits usually contain the right nutrient supplies made of quality ingredients. The only concern as an organic gardener is to ensure that the nutrients are indeed organic and contain no harmful chemicals. Needless to say an all encompassing kit can really help the novice hydroponic gardener get started in the right direction. Nutrient control is a little more difficult in hydroponic gardens and having a pre-mixed solution and clear directions gives your plants the best possible start. Quality will cost more money More elaborate, high end, higher priced set-ups will include some lights,but the quality and quantity of lights will, again, depend on how much you are prepared to pay. This will depend on how many and what kind of lights and fittings you want to buy. A few incandescent bulbs cost very little. A few fluorescent fixtures and bulbs are a little more but still relatively modest in price. Metal halide and sodium lamp kits may run to a few hundred dollars. You may also have to cost in the price of an electrician. Remember that hydroponics can be a high humidity, water laden operation. This is probably not a time to skimp on the electrical work. Better to do it right the first time. Better constructed watering systems The more expensive hydroponic-kits will include a more elaborate and better constructed watering system. Moisture control in a hydroponic garden is more difficult since ever present water will tend to increase mildew and other fungi.
Hydroponic-kits don't have to be big or expensive. They don't even have to be inside. The set-up in the picture is small reasonable in cost, and a good way to start a small operation - growing tomatoes. A professionally designed watering system will keep water at the right level, clean of organisms, and, keep algae levels low. Your plants will be healthier and more productive.. There will also be some issues with your watering system and your nutrient mix. The system might have to be adapted to handle organic matter, worm castings, and other ingredients that make up some organic products. Also, you will have to test your water supply for hardness. There is nothing quite like lime and iron deposits to plug up your plumbing. Chlorine might also cause problems. I never had much success watering plants with chlorine laden water. You might have to pump air Since plants are not placed in soil, they will quickly deplete any dissolved oxygen in the water and medium. The need for pumping air into the water becomes necessary. Most higher end kits will include a pump and tubing that is designed specifically for hydroponic gardens. Standard aquarium pump setups may work, but the amount and rate of air flow is different for hydroponic gardens. Some kits even include an injector to give plants that extra boost of CO2 that is so vital to their growth. Make sure your kit includes a pH testing kit. The higher-priced kits will have a digital meter rather than simple litmus paper, and will include pH control powders or solutions to correct and maintain optimum pH levels. Some will even include a nutrient meter which can measure levels of needed calcium, iron and other compounds. Water heaters and temperature controls You might even need a water heater, or immersion heater to manage and control temperature. Temperature control is more difficult in hydroponic gardens, good kits will include a water heater, but if not heat lamps can warm water and plants, but require more care and supervision. A calibrated water heater will keep the temperature at the appropriate level automatically. Along with all the needed solutions, tubing, trays, plumbing fixtures and connectors needed for assembly. They also include hanging chains, strings for supporting plants and other useful items. In other words, the hydroponic-kits are just what they advertise themselves as: a complete hydroponic solution. Food,light,and carbon dioxide With the ground frozen outside your windows, or, parched dry with the sun it doesn’t mean you can’t grow vegetables year round, inside your house on a small scale, or, in your greenhouse on a larger scale. Start with the obvious basics when you go shopping for your hydroponic-kit. Your plants need food, water, light, and carbon dioxide. Build your system around these four requirements and you will be off to a flying start.
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