Requirements for Hydroponics Farm
Hydroponic gardening is gaining in popularity as concerns over traditional farming and gardening methods rise. Hydroponic gardening can be dated back to the floating gardens of China and the hanging gardens of Babylon. In 1950, scientists again began to experiment with gardening without soil; since then many other countries have started to experiment with hydroponic farming as well.
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Definition
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Hydroponics is a type of horticulture that uses a water system to grow plants instead of the traditional method of placing plants in soil to grow. The water used in a hydroponic system is loaded with the required nutrients needed for healthy plant growth. Plants that are grown with hydroponic methods grow 30 to 50 percent faster and have been shown to be free of pests, disease and fungus infestations that commonly plague plants planted in soil.
Systems
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Many types of hydroponic systems can be used to grow plants. The main system types include the wick system, nutrient film system and continuous drip. Each of these systems use slightly different methods to accomplish the same goal; however they each function differently so that one may be more beneficial in a certain hydroponic farming situation than another. It is important to assess the amount of space and time available for a hydroponic farm as these factors will help to decide which system is the best choice.
The wick system is the easiest hydroponic system to set up. The water is nutrient rich and the root of the plant is submerged in a growing medium that allows the roots to absorbed water slowly, similar to the way moisture moves up a lantern wick.
The ebb and flow hydroponic system operates under a flood and drain principal. The roots of the plants have water pumped past them. The water is nutrient-rich and is allowed to remain around the roots for a set amount of time and then is drained to a lower pan.
Continuous drip operates by allowing nutrient rich water to drip at a predetermined rate onto the growing medium that the roots of the plants are resting on. The water is controlled by a pump that can be turned up or down to accommodate different moisture requirements.
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Nutrients
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A hydroponic farm must have nutrients in the water. This means mixing water soluble fertilizers into the water that will run by the roots of the plants. It is the nutrients that are added to the water that help the plants to grow and produce. Regular tap water will not have enough minerals to support the nutrient requirements of a hydroponic farm. The nutrients that need to be added will depend on the type of plants being grown in the hydroponic farm.
Growing Medium
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Growing mediums are used in hydroponic farming to support and aerate the root system of the plants. The type of medium that is used will depend on the type of hydroponic system that is being used. For example expandable shale is a good medium for an ebb and flow system because of its ability to drain quickly. Different grades of sand are also commonly used as growing mediums because they are very stable and have very little effect on the pH balance of the hydroponic garden.
PH Testing
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The ability to test the pH level of the water in a hydroponic system is essential for proper plant growth and health. A pH testing kit can be purchased at most hardware or gardening stores. The optimal pH level for hydroponic gardening is 6.3 although most plants will grow well with a pH level that is within 5.8 to 6.8. If the pH level of the hydroponic system is not maintained the plant will show signs of nutrient deficiency and will be unable to absorb certain nutrients.
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References
- Photo Credit three fresh hydroponics tomatos image by Flashon Studio from Fotolia.com
