There are many of us who, unfortunately, don't have the proper space for a beautiful garden. Good thing we always can use indoor gardening as an alternative. Through aeroponics and hydroponics systems, you can grow tasty organic fruits and vegetables from the inside of your home without the mess of soil. Instead, the plants grow from a deep water culture that provides the needed nutrients. The same thing goes for an aeroponics gardening system, which uses air to feed the plants the required nutrients.
To begin your new found green thumb hobby using these types of gardens, you're going to need to know where to begin, what to types of hydroponics supplies to use, and what to expect. Your ideal hydroponics gardening system depends upon the amount of space you have available and if you are putting it indoors or out. These are just some of the things you'll need to keep in mind.
The most important aspect to take into consideration when building a garden using aeroponics or hydroponics supplies is to always have a clear goal for the end result. The worst thing you can do is just throw a system together and expect your plants to grow. There's more skill required than that. Here are a few steps you can take to build a hydroponics systems garden:
Your first step is to get all of your hydroponics supplies together and build a 4-foot-by-8-foot frame out using 1-inch treated lumber. You can always vary the dimensions if this size does not suite your size or needs.
Now, lay down a 6-mil polyethylene liner in the frame, securing one one of the frame edges using furring strips which will hold the liner in place. Fill the frame with water to create that ebb and flow effect. Tack down the rest of the edges, again using furring strips, after the frame is full and the liner forms to the frame.
Get a sheet of 1 ½-inch Styrofoam, cut it to measure 4-by-8-feet in size, and set it inside the frame. Any edges that don't fit inside the frame can be trimmed off. Once the size of the Styrofoam is perfect, remove it from the frame and drill holes at least six inches from each side and one foot between holes. The holes should be large enough to fit planting cups inside the deep water culture.
You're next step is to place a net pot into each hole. The pots shouldn't extend more than 1/8-inch below the Styrofoam. Once that is done, set the Styrofoam sheet, with the cups in place, back into the hydroponic garden frame.
Fill the garden frame again with water until the styrofoam sheet is level with the top of the frame. Make sure that the fertilizer you are adding in the water is a 20-20-20, water soluble mix.
Finally, the transplants are set in the net pots. Change the water completely to maximize the ebb and flow as well as add new fertilizer after two growing cycles.
If you don't have time to build your own homemade aeroponics or hydroponics growing system, pick up a ready to go kit. These hydroponic supplies and aeroponics cloning kits come with everything you need from nutrients, pH kits, and grow guides. Hydroponic kits and aeroponic cloning kits are available in any one of the system methods. Choose the one which works best for you.
Whether you create your own homemade hydroponics growing system or purchase one of the system methods available as hydroponic kits, you will enjoy growing your own produce.