Overview of Hydroponic Mediums
Although the traditional method of growing hydroponic plants involves suspending the roots in water, there are also other growing methods that use different types of hydroponic mediums instead.
Here are a few of the most widely used hydroponic mediums:
1. Vermiculite. This a great hydroponic medium because it has the ability to draw in water and nutrients to the roots of your plants – this circulation happens as a result of the vermiculite “pebbles” absorbing the nearby water. You can find vermiculite at most home and garden stores for a relatively low cost – perlite can also be used, as well.
2. Gravel or sand. If you’re looking for an easy, low cost way to get started with a hydroponic garden, then you may want to consider checking out sources of gravel or sand. The type of gravel used in a hydroponic system is the same aquarium-safe kind that you will readily find at a pet store – just make sure you choose the smaller pebbles. Sand is easily obtained at pet stores, pool supply stores, and hardware stores – just make sure you wash it well, and plan on cleaning it in between uses, as well. If you’re trying to decide between sand and gravel, go with the bag of gravel because it drains better than sand does.
sand can be used as a hydroponic medium
3. Rock wool. If you’ve been researching how to make a hydroponic system, then you’re probably already familiar with the concept of using rock wool because it’s a very popular medium because it’s very efficient at circulating water and waste – another name for rock wool is mineral wool. However, it’s important to note that rock wool is classified as a potential carcinogen, meaning that it can cause cancer, which is one of the reasons that some hydroponic gardeners are reluctant to use it.
If you plan on using a hydroponic medium with your indoor garden plants, then you will need to make sure you still use a quality liquid fertilizer – just like you would if you were only growing them in a water suspension. None of the hydroponic mediums provide nutrients for your plants, and neglecting to add a fertilizer mixture will quickly kill them.
Categories: Grow Herbs Indoors, How to Make a Hydroponic System, Hydroponic Mediums, Hydroponic Vegetables Tags: diy hydroponics, how to set up a hydroponic system, hydroponic gravel, hydroponic mediums, hydroponic perlite, hydroponic rock wool, hydroponic sand, hydroponic vermiculite, liquid plant fertilizer, mineral wool, types of hydroponic mediums
How to Grow Herbs Indoors
Aside from buying your favorites from the supermarket, learning how to grow herbs indoors is one of the best ways to ensure that you have a yearlong supply.
Fortunately, it isn’t nearly as difficult as it sounds – especially if you’re only growing a couple hardy types, like parsley and chive, at a time!
1. Choose the type of herbs you want to grow. It’s important to remember that some herbs are more difficult to cultivate indoors, like basil, and should probably be left until you have more experience with growing herbs indoors. Parsley, mint and oregano are a good place to start. If you decide to go with a difficult type of herb, then you will need to purchase the correct type of grow light – there are 3 different types used for indoor gardening: fluorescent grow lights, high pressure sodium grow lights, and metal halide grow lights.
2. Decide on the type of grow system you plan to use. Many herbs can easily be grown in just a pot filled with soil provided that they receive enough sunlight – if the leaves start falling off or wilting, then you will need to move them to an area that has a better source of direct light. However, if you would like to add more variety to your indoor herb garden, then you may want to learn how to make a hydroponic system because it will enable you to widen your selection – it’s isn’t difficult to build a hydro system at home.
grow basil indoors
3. Purchase your seeds and get started! There’s no wrong time to start planting seeds when you’re growing herbs indoors because the seedlings won’t be subjected to harsh temperature changes. If you don’t want to wait for your seeds to sprout and grow, then start with an older plant so you can start harvesting the leaves earlier.
However, when you grow herbs indoors it’s important to remember that some will not be robust enough to thrive inside regardless of your efforts because they require very specific conditions, like warmer temperatures and more light. Additionally, it will be easier to grow a consistent fresh supply if you group your herbs into planters based on their needs – don’t attempt to keep plants with drastically different grow requirements, like lighting and soil type, in the same container.