The popularity of hydroponic gardening is growing by the day and this form of gardening is very easily done in small spaces, so even city dwelling individuals are able to have their own gardens in their small areas of free space. There are two secrets about successful hydroponic gardening that most professionals will not share with the general public; after all if the general public knew all that the experts did, there would be no need for experts. I am not into all that profession hyperbole, though I do have degrees in this field and have a professional experience as well. I really believe that hydroponic gardening is a very good and healthy solution for a very tight grocery budget because it works in my house. Our family enjoys fruits and vegetables all year around with our little set up and we love it that the herbs we use in cooking are fresh cut as we need them. Read on to find out two industry secrets that will have your hydroponic gardens flourishing.
You know that stuff you use when you get a splinter and it got infected? You know, that hydrogen peroxide that will bubble the daylights out of the infection? Well, it is wonderful to kill dangerous germs or bacteria in a hydroponic garden system also. When this is used properly, you will see the results as your garden flourishes. The largest problem with hydroponics gardening is keeping the nutrient solution free of contamination. A little bit of hydrogen peroxide in the water with each addition of liquid nutrients will help keep the lines free of algae and bacterial growth.
The next benefit of using hydrogen peroxide in the nutrient system is that the hydrogen peroxide is needed by the plants, mostly because the hydrogen peroxide adds oxygen to the solution and this is taken up by the plant roots. Plants breathe too, just a little different than we do.
Regular household hydrogen peroxide will work, add one cup of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of nutrient solution. No matter how small or large your system is or what you are growing, this is the combination that I have found will work the best. There is also a form of hydrogen peroxide in an industrial strength, but you will be required to handle a chemical that could burn you. This industrial strength form of hydrogen peroxide will have to be diluted much more than the household form.
This solution should be added on a schedule of one week per application, or when you add plant nutrients to the water system. The combination of the nutrients and the hydrogen peroxide will boost plant growth tremendously, but read on to learn the second industry secret to hydroponics gardening.
Remember when your grandmother soaked her feet in hot water and Epsom salts? It eased her aches and pains. Well, Epsom salts are excellent for your plants. Epsom salts are also known as magnesium sulfate. This chemical compound is a nutrient for plants no matter if they are growing in soil or a hydroponic system. Magnesium sulfate will mix with water very well whereas other soil additives are harder to mix with water. In order to make all your plants rush to produce, mix one tablespoon of Epsom salts to a gallon of water and water your plants as you usually would with this solution. If adding this to a hydroponics system, it needs to be mixed side from other additives and added one quart at a time. The fruits, vegetables, and herbs that you grow will love you and produce for you so much you will be giving produce away!