How do I build a passive hydroponic vegetable gardening system?
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The passive hydroponic vegetable gardening system is the simplest of the systems, as it requires minimal maintenance on the part of the gardener. The steps to build a passive system are fairly straightforward:
1. A large container is obtained and filled with nutrient solution.
2. The lid to the container is modified to allow the plastic planters to be suspended the in the container so that the base well within the solution.
3. Airline stones and airline hose are placed so that the stones will be directly under the plastic planters.
4. A planting medium is placed in the planters and the plants are planted into the medium.
5. The roots of the plants are submerged completely with the nutrient solution
6. An airpump is connected to the airline hose and bubbles are permitted to agitate the solution under the plants.
Since this method does not expose the roots of the plants to any air, oxygen must be introduced into the solution. The air stones underneath the plastic planters accomplish this.
This is the basic setup for the passive system. Once built, the other factors to consider are the pH of the nutrient solution, the temperature of the solution, and the quality of lighting that the system is receiving.
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What are some tips for keeping a hydroponic garden?
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There are often times when a few pointers can help us ensure that our hydroponic vegetable gardens are doing as well as they can be. The following is a list of tips that should assist you in your endeavors.
1. Refer to this previous blog article about nutrient deficiencies and be sure to keep up with proper nutrients for the plants.
2. Maintain a steady water temperature for your nutrient solution. The temperature affects how the plant absorbs nutrients. Ideally the system should be kept at room temperature.
3. Be sure to let your water stand overnight or use a water filter to remove chemical impurities, such as chlorine and chloramine, from the water before using it to mix the nutrient solution.
4. Check the pH levels of your nutrient solution frequently. Remember that the ideal pH is between 5.5 and 6.5 and that excessive ranges on either end can burn and kill your plants.
5. Use a TDS meter to check the total dissolved solids in the nutrient solution. Refer to the nutrient solution’s manufacturer’s instructions to ensure that the solution was mixed properly.
6. Hydroponic systems that aren’t using sunlight should purchase new bulbs every 8-12 months depending on the bulb type. Most bulbs lose efficiency as they age and gradually shift in color spectrum. This will result in your plants not obtaining the right colors of light and not growing to their fullest.
7. Be sure to use a ground fault indicator on the circuit in which you have your submersible pump and/or timers connected. Water and electricity seldom mix.
8. If your air or water pumps have user serviceable parts, be sure to service them periodically. Simple upkeep every so often may prevent a costly repair or replacement bill.
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What kind of lighting is there for my hydroponic garden?
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As important as the medium in which it grows, light for your hydroponic vegetable gardening needs is critically important. By far the best choice for light is natural sunlight. For an external garden, this is readily available. However, some of you may choose to grow their vegetables indoor using artificial light. If this is the case there are several options available to you. The three primary types of lighting used to grow plants hydroponically are: Incandescent, fluorescent, and high-intensity discharge (HID).
Incandescent lights are the worst choice as grow lights as they are typically inefficient and offer a limited light spectrum. Their spectrum range is typically higher than sunlight above 500nm but far lower than sunlight below 500nm.
HID grow lights are more efficient and produce more light. However this comes at the expense of excessive heat production and higher cost. HID lamps come in two flavors, metal halides and high-pressure sodium. MH lamps tend to have a blue-green tint to them while HPS lamps have an orange red tint to them. HID lamps produce sufficient heat that care must be taken not to hang them too close to the plants.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs, similar to those used on saltwater aquariums, are a popular choice as they are readily available, relatively inexpensive, are full spectrum, and have low heat emissions compared to the HID lights.
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What are some symptoms of nutrient deficiencies?
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The following list provides a small sample of some signs of deficiency exhibited by plants in your hydroponic vegetable garden. This list is far from complete and should be use strictly as a guideline for your own research.
- Nitrogen – Entire plant is light green in color; lower leaves are yellow; growth is stunted. This is one of the more common deficiencies.
- Phosphorus – Entire plant is bluish-green, often developing a red or purplish cast; lower leaves may be yellow, drying to a greenish-brown to black color; growth may be stunted. This is the second most common deficiency.
- Potassium – Important to enzymes critical to photosynthesis. Leaves have a papery appearance; dead areas along the edges of the leaves; growth is stunted.
- Magnesium – Lower leaves turn yellow along the tips and margin and between the veins; the lower leaves wilt. Fairly uncommon, however excess can lead to potassium deficiency.
- Calcium – Young stems and new leaves die. Excess calcium may lead to boron or magnesium deficiencies.
- Zinc – Leaf tissue between the veins is lighter in color; yellowed; papery in appearance.
- Iron – Leaf tissue appears yellow, while the veins remain green.
- Copper – Leaf edges appear dark green or blue; leaf edges curl upward; young leaves permanently wilt
- Sulfur – Y oung leaves turn pale green, while the older leaves remain green; plant is stunted and spindly. Fairly uncommon.
- Manganese – Growth is stunted; lower leaves have a checkered pattern of yellow and green.
- Molybdenum – Leaves are stunted, pale green, and malformed
- Boron – Young leaves are scorched at tips and margins
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What are some other hydroponic vegetable gardening systems?
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There are several other types of hydroponic systems for use with hydroponic vegetable gardening; Drip, NFT, and Aeroponic. There are several variations of each of these systems and they can be used in combination.
Drip systems are probably the most common hydroponic system in use today. They are fairly straightforward; a timer controls a submerged pump, the pump drips nutrient solution directly onto the base of the plants. If there is a recovery system of some kind, the excess solution is recaptured for later use, otherwise it runs off to a disposal drain.
A drip system with a recovery system allows for more efficient use of nutrient solution as it can be recaptured, and it allows for a bit of play in the precision of the watering pump. The downside of course, is that the pH of the nutrient reservoir needs to be monitored where as it remains fairly constant when there is no recycled nutrient solution introduced into the mix.
NFT systems use a constant flow of nutrient solution over the plant base. No timers are involved for the submerged pump. The solution is pumped into the growing tray and flows over the roots before draining back into the reservoir.
NFT systems use no growing medium aside from air. This cuts down on costs for the total system. The plants are suspended above the fluid with the roots dangling into the nutrient solution.
Aeroponic systems are beyond the scope of most home users. This system involves misting the roots of the plants with nutrient solution every few minutes. As with most of the other types of systems, a timer is involved in keeping things running smoothly.
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How to measure hydroponic nutrient solutions?
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You may be wondering by now how you go about measuring the concentration of nutrient solution you are using for your hydroponic vegetable gardening. The concentration of nutrients in the solution is typically measured by the electrical conductivity of the dissolved minerals in the water. The measurements results are in parts per million (ppm). The drawback to this method is that it only measures the total conductivity of the solution, not the concentrations of the components in the solutions. This is why the solutions are sold in concentrated mixes of multiple parts instead of individual chemicals. Once you have the mixes adjusted correctly, its easy to add water to dilute the solution to achieve the correct conductivity that you’re after.
It is also important to measure the pH of the nutrient solution. Too base, ie the pH is too high, and you’ll burn the plants possibly even killing them. Too acidic, ie the pH is too low, and you also run the risk of killing the plants. The ideal pH of the nutrient solution should be between 5.5 and 6.5 for optimal plant uptake. pH can be adjusted downwards using a pH lowering solution, or even lemon juice in a pinch. pH can be adjusted upwards using a pH raising solution or sodium bicarbonate in a pinch. Neither of these solutions will be as good as a store bought chemical for adjusting the pH.
What is a hydroponic system I can build?
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Building an Ebb and Flow Hydroponic Vegetable Gardening System
The system commonly known as an ebb and flow system is one of the easiest hydroponic systems to build yourself. A quick trip to a local hardware store and a gardening supply store should be all you need to find all of the required parts to build your system. The basic design is as follows:
1. A reservoir containing the nutrient solution is located below a tray with the growing medium and plants in it.
2. The tray contains growing medium such as Rockwool, grow rocks, perlite/vermiculite or possibly even coconut fibers.
3. The bed is periodically flooded with nutrient solution by using a small pump on a timer.
4. The timer turns the pump back off and the solution drains back to the reservoir.
5. It is important to locate the tray above the reservoir as gravity will handle the draining of the excess solution from the tray back into the reservoir.
6. As the roots are exposed to air during each cycle, oxygen is drawn in to the root zone providing additional plant requirements.
7. Excess flooding can be prevented by adding a drain to the tray at the highest point the nutrient fluids should ever reach. This drain can then be plumbed back onto the reservoir.
It may sound complicated but its pretty straightforward. Remember, its just a tray with a drain on it that flows down into a reservoir of nutrient solution. A small pump on a timer floods the tray 4 times a day, and the fluid drains out allowing air to reach the roots.
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What are hydroponic gardening nutrient solutions?
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Most problems with plants are a result of using the wrong amount of fertilizer. If you use too little, your plants will be weak and underfed. If you use too much you risk burning and even killing the plant. In most cases it is a judgment call and requires constant monitoring and adjustment over the lifespan of the plant.
Hydroponic nutrient solutions are typically sold in concentrated forms. They are designed to be diluted and then added to your garden’s water supply at a specific ratio. The ideal concentration for your hydroponic vegetable garden is 150-600 parts per million (ppm). For the majority of plants, that range can be narrowed to 300-400 ppm. The solutions are usually sold in two or three part solutions because some of the chemical components cannot be mixed together directly. In fact, always be sure to mix your nutrient solutions into water and never directly with one another.
The solution is simply water with fertilizer dissolved into it. Always start with good quality water and mix in the fertilizer at a rate dictated by the manufacturer. The pH of the nutrient solution is also very important and must be adjusted as needed using liquid pH adjusters. While the pH requirement is dependent on the plant, a good rule of thumb for the pH is between 6.0 – 6.5 for all growing mediums other than Rockwool. Rockwool requires a pH of 5.5-5.8.
For young plants, the sultion should be mixed at a ¼ to ½ strength of what the manufacturer suggests for full strength. At two weeks of age you can adjust upwards and start using a full strength solution. Remember, you want to keep the growing medium moist, but never saturated, with the nutrient solution.
Check back again for the next installment of knowledge about starting your hydroponic vegetable garden.
How does one get started with a hydroponic garden?
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There are several steps to getting started. This article will discuss just one of those steps. Starter cubes are an easy way to germinate seeds. Beginner hydroponic and soil gardeners often use the cubes as well. They are typically made of an inert substance, which is a material that doesn’t provide any nutritional value to the plant and merely gives the plant a place for its roots to grow.
There are 4 common kinds of starter cubes: Rockwool, Oasis cubes, Organo-Cubes and peat-pots. These days it seems most people prefer all but the peat-pots as they have a habit of retaining too much water and killing the seedlings.
The preparation of the cubes will vary depending on which cube you have selected. Note that Organo-Cubes come ready for use. The Oasis and Peat pot cubes should be pre-soaked with water that is pH adjusted to 6 – 6.5. The cubes need only to be saturated and then allowed to drain.
Since Rockwool has a high pH, it must be treated different. They are presoaked with water of a low enough pH that after the soak the cube is balanced. This is typically done with water with a pH of something around 5.0. The cubes should be soaked for a day and then will be ready for use.
Once the starter cubes are ready, you can begin to plant the seeds for your hydroponic vegetable garden. Using the tip of a something pointy like a pen or pencil make a small, ¼ inch deep hole in the top of the cube. Place the seed(s) into the hole and gently cover the seed(s) with some of the cube material from around the hole.
The seed cubes should be kept moist but not wet and they should never be allowed to sit in water. Light will not be required until the seeds being to sprout. Nutrients aren’t required either until the plants have formed their first leaves. Once this happens you can begin to give them a diluted nutrient solution.
Check back next time for the next installment to learn about nutrients for your hydroponic vegetable garden.
What is hydroponic vegetable gardening?
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Hydroponic vegetable gardening, the term stems from the original Greek words for hydro being water and ponos being labor, is a technique for growing vegetables, or other plants, based on growing in a mineral nutrient solution instead of using soil. The plants may be grown with their roots directly in a mineral nutrient solution, or even in an inactive medium, such as fiber, sand, stone gravel, etc. There are quite a few varieties of techniques for hydroponic gardening.
It was discovered in the 19th century that plants are capable of absorbing essential mineral nutrients as inorganic ions in water. While the soil acts as a nutrient reservoir, it is not essential for plant growth and so it is omitted in hydroponic gardening. The introduction of mineral nutrients into a plants water supply removes the need for soil for the plants to survive.
In addition to having a perfectly balanced diet, hydroponic gardening allows for the plants to have their food and water delivered directly to their roots. This allows for the energy that would be otherwise consumed to develop long roots to be applied directly to the growing of the plant, which proves to be a great benefit indeed!
While any plant will grow hydroponically, some plants do better than others. Its also incredibly easy to do, the activity can be undertaken as something to do with young children. Hydroponic Gardening is also a standard technique in biological research and teaching and is a popular hobby today.
