Hydroponics is a great growing method which doesn’t involve growing plants in soil. There are lots of advantages to growing hydroponically rather than growing in the ground. Here are just a few:
The advantages of hydroponic growing
Hydroponics uses water fortified with minerals and growing nutrients. These can be added at any time, whereas soil needs to be rotated and given time to replenish to regain nutrients.
Growing in soil requires more space as each root system needs enough room around it to get the sufficient nutrients. It’s possible to grow a much larger volume of plants in a smaller space with hydroponics as roots can be placed closer together.
Using equipment such as hydroponic grow tents, grow lights and grow kits enables seasonal plants to be grown at any time of the year, meaning you can get fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables all year round. On a domestic scale this is a great advantage for home growers and on a larger commercial scale it means that countries can have access to seasonal fruits without having to import them, which is an expensive process that causes harm to the environment as a lot of fossil fuels need to be used to transport foods around the world.
Although soil presents a good nutrient base for growing plants it also comes with other risks such as threat from fungi and parasites. This means that in many cases plants need to be treated with pesticides but there is no need for this kind of treatment with hydroponic growing.
Getting Started with Hydroponic Growing
Many people who decide to give hydroponic growing a go for the first time choose to grow strawberries. These summer fruits grow incredibly well using hydroponic systems and if you use hydroponic grow tents you can grow them in abundance all year round.
There are lots of websites where you can learn about how to grow strawberries using hydroponics and plenty of places to buy growing kits. To begin with you’ll need an air stone and air pump, a box or container to grow your strawberries in, hydroponic nutrient solution, net pots and some strawberry seedlings.
Once you’ve given it a go and seen how easy it is to grow strawberries with hydroponics you’ll want to have a go with all sorts of other fruit and veg. When you’re starting out it’s best to opt for plants that have a smaller route system such as lettuce, tomatoes and herbs.
To get started visit http://www.britcropshydroponics.co.uk/ where you will find all the kit you need.