One way to begin a hydroponic garden is by purchasing a complete hydroponic kit. These kits usually come with all the trays, tubing, lights, air pumps, and nutrients that you will need to get started. These are especially good for the beginner, since they have everything you need to assemble your first hyroponic garden, including complete instructions. 

Light control is the most important aspect, although water and nutrient control can be the most difficult. Of critical importance is the pH adjustment. When you have a soil based garden, these factors are mostly self-regulating. However, in a hydroponic garden, you must take a little extra care.

Hydroponics can actually yield larger fruits and a larger output, since more and larger plants can be produced in a smaller space. A larger yield often comes with less effort than a soil based garden. For example, weeding is much less of an issue as the medium makes it harder for the weeds to get started, and they can easily be pulled out if they happen to show up. 

Of course, even a garden started from a kit needs some care. You must make sure the right nutrients are being fed to the plants. An automatic feeding system should be set up, filled and checked regularly. An automatic watering system, such as drip irrigation or under-the-tray tubing, will need to be built. Everything should be monitored for fungi and cleaned or sterilized frequently.

Just as in a regular garden, pest and disease control is required in hydroponic gardens. The constant moisture provides a fertile environment for bacteria and mildew. Common garden pests such as aphids, spider mites, caterpillars and others, must still be dealt with.

There are many easy-to-use methods to take care of this problem. There are insecticide soaps, botanicals, fungicides and other compounds which run the gamut from century old methods which are still in use today to chemicals fresh from the latest laboratory inventions.

Some hydroponic gardeners prefer the all-water systems. These have trays that hold the roots and solutions, then are fitted with supports from which strings can hold the plant upright. Others prefer working with rockwool, perlite and other highly useful media for the hydroponic garden.
Perhaps the simplest method for a hydroponic gardening system, or raised gardening, is the Wick method. With this hydroponics gardening method, there are no expensive equipment to buy and no moving parts. The gardener simply places one end of the wick into a solution rich in nutrients and the other end of the wick is placed into the growing medium, where the plant roots are. The nutrient solution is then transferred into the growing medium. For diagrams and free plans about how to build this type of hydroponics grow system, visit simplyhydro .com. One disadvantage of this hydroponic gardening system though, is that it is not ideal for large plants, as they use up the solution and water faster than the wicks can supply the nutrients.

A more experienced gardener might incorporate all of the above in a convenient greenhouse. This allows them to control the air, water and light much easier than other settings. There are greenhouses available that can be expanded as the garden “grows”.

Of course, it is helpful, no matter what method you use, to have some knowledge of elementary botany. Plants have unique needs, and knowing what factors they require to grow and flourish will get the hydroponic gardener off to the right start.

By Joyce Boulan

More on this topic

Growing An Indoor Herb Garden

Garden Shed And Summerhouse - Garden Building

Keep Your Garden Pond Clear And Beautiful

Talk About Garden Accessories