Hydroponic Vegetables – Growing Leafy Greens in a Soil-Less Medium
Some people may want to have a garden but lack lot space, nowadays it would not be a problem anymore with hydroponic vegetable gardening. It requires no soil but produces a garden filled with healthy vegetables.
Hydroponic Vegetables – Less Maintenance More Produce
Gardening requires preparing the soil, putting the right amount of water, weeding out, fertilizing and making sure that the plant gets enough air and light exposure. On the other hand, growing hydroponic vegetables require less effort and low maintenance. There is no need for soil since this type of gardening feeds the roots of the plant with the nutrients using a solution; the solution varies depending on the crop since plants varies on the needed nutrients. Less space is required in hydroponic gardening, only twenty percent of the space needed for an ordinary garden is needed. Hydroponic vegetables are guaranteed to receive the nutrients they need, gardeners refer to this as a “balanced diet”, making the produce bigger and healthier. There is no need for crop rotation since there is no soil that needs to be replenished, and the vegetables, though hydroponically grown, taste good.
Hydroponic Tomatoes – Growing in Controlled Environment
Tomatoes grow outdoors in temperate climates but they can likewise be grown indoors using the hydroponic method. The first step in planting is to have the seeds in cubes that have been pre-soaked in water; it must be placed in a warm and moist environment until there are sprouts. The seedlings must be transferred to larger cubes and from there the roots will be fed with the solution using the dripper technique for growing hydroponic tomatoes. Lighting is also needed by the tomatoes, the temperature ranging from 18-25 Celsius during daytime and 12-18 Celsius during nighttime. Hydroponic tomatoes also need to be checked for deficiencies and plant diseases to prevent further damage; leaf discoloration could mean wrong pH levels while curling of the tip of the leaf could signify lack of magnesium and the falling off of the flowers is an indication of low potassium level. Hydroponic harvest yields fresh and juicy tomatoes; it is important to monitor pH and nutrient level of the solution.
Hydroponic Lettuce – More Healthy Greens
Lettuce is best eaten fresh and is a popular salad or sandwich ingredient. However, the soil can affect the taste of the leafy greens if not properly washed during food preparation. Growing lettuce using the hydroponic method eliminates the said problem since it is grown soil-free. These are best planted using the Nutrient Film System or NFT, which makes use of PVC pipes with holes placed at a distance of six to seven inches and an ebb and flow water system. Gardeners must look out for pests that include larvae, whiteflies and thrips; tip burns must not also be taken for granted since it results to necrotic areas in the margins. Oxygen, sunlight and calcium are important factors that must be monitored in growing hydroponic lettuce. The said plant can be grown with a week of interval in order to have a full year supply.