24Oct/110
How to Build a Hydroponic Garden – Step by Step Instructions to Building a Hydroponic Garden
In today's society, more and more people are taking up hydroponics gardening as a hobby. If you want to build a hydroponic garden, there are many plans and designs available. This type of gardening does not require the amount of space that backyard gardening does.
The First Steps-the Aggregate System
The first step to build a hydroponic garden is to decide the kind of hydroponic system that you want to use. For beginners, the aggregate system is the easiest system to build and maintain. Aggregate are substances such as gravel or sand that you can place your plants in to give them extra support. This type of system consists of a plant tank and a nutrient tank, with hoses that run between the two. The plants are fed by opening the nutrient tank so that it floods the plant tank. Then the solution is drained immediately, leaving valuable nutrients and water clinging to the plant roots that will keep them fed until the next flooding. The draining process serves to aerate the solution so that outside aerating sources such as air pumps are not necessary.
If you decide to build a hydroponic system using an aggregate system, you will first need to build a container. Your container measurements will be determined by the amount of space that you have available as well as the type of plants that you wish to grow. Low-lying plants will need less space than plants that grow on vines. So you need to adjust the height of your container accordingly.
You also need to have a separate nutrient container, which can be a fifty gallon drum for larger areas or five gallon buckets for smaller ones. You will need to hook up hoses and an air compressor system that will allow you to run the nutrients from the source container to the plant tank.
This type of hydroponic system will also need a lighting device. For specific instructions, as to how to build a hydroponic garden using the aggregate system, you can contact your local gardening store.
The First Steps-the Water Culture Hydroponic System
Simply put, the water culture system is defined as a system where the plants are put directly in a nutrient solution. The first step to build a hydroponic garden using a water culture system is to construct a container that is waterproof. You need to make sure that the container will not leak out the nutrients that are vital to keeping your plans healthy. You will also need to have a built-in drainage system as the nutrient solution will need to be drained every week for younger plants and every two weeks for more mature plants.
To build a hydroponic garden using this system, you will also need to install an air pump system. The nutrient solution needs to be continually aerated, so you will need an air pump that runs nonstop. Depending on the maturity of the plants in the container, a gently running air pump system may be your best bet.
The First Steps-the Aeroponics System
If you want to build a hydroponics garden, the aeroponics hydroponics system is the most advanced and the most difficult to build. You will need to build a container that will allow no light to reach your plants. You will also need to build in spray nozzles that will continually spray your plants with a mist of nutrient solution. The humidity level inside your container should be almost 100% at all times. Due to the amount of nutrient solution that you will need to use, you will probably want to use a fifty five gallon drum. A low-powered air compressor will also need to be used with this type of hydroponics system.
The Expense
If you are interested in how to build a hydroponic garden, be advised. The materials needed for this type of gardening can be very expensive. For more information, you can contact your garden supply center.
By: Amy Hopkins
23Oct/110
Aerogarden – Does It Work?
Aerogarden hydroponic gardening systems are a wonderful way for many people that live in apartments, cold areas, or even in the woods to have and maintain a fresh source of some vegetables, herbs, and flowers at various times. I know that for me I have three Aerogardens in my kitchen and have seen a noticeable difference in how much I spend in food each month. Here are some of the reasons why you will want to purchase your own Aerogarden.
The first reason why you will want to use this type of system versus traditional gardening is that you can use it at any time of the year and since it doesn't require dirt you will even be able to use it indoors without the worry of your pets digging up the dirt or digging your plants out of the pots. I know that for many people this is a big worry and one that they do not want to have which is why they do not have plants inside of their home.
The second reason is that since you are able to use the system year round you will be able to grow your own fresh produce in the middle of winter. I know that this means that I am able to save a tremendous amount of money in the middle of winter during which time in my area the cost usually goes sky high because of the lower supply and still high demand. So I am able to avoid this cost increase with the use of my Aerogarden hydroponic system.
By: Kim L Smith
23Oct/110
Easy Indoor Garden for Busy People
A.K.A. Hope for Brown Thumbs like Me!
As a home stager, I often use high-end faux greenery to stage a home. They are portable, don't die, and if dusted regularly, can look quite warm and inviting. But sometimes you just need the real thing. Here in Connecticut the leaves are falling, squirrels are going "nuts" and there is a crisp edge to the air. What a great time to bring some greenery inside. Many plants even make the air healthier, and surely there are feng shui benefits to bringing nature inside.
You don't to be a budding horticulturist to have a lovely indoor garden. Sure, you could do a whole bunch of research become a resident expert, or just "do it" and get on with things. The key is to pick the right plant, the right pot, and make a commitment to care for your plant.
The Plant
There are some popular choices for beginners. If you're willing to "mist" your plant on a regular basis, select trees or vines from the tropics or sub-tropics (but avoid plants with pointed leaves...not good feng shui). Figs and weeping Figs are low maintenance if you don't move them around and avoid over-watering (once per week is fine). Rubber Trees are low maintenance, but their sap can be poisonous for kids and pets.
You may not know what kind of plant to get, but you do know how much light comes in your window, how much room you have for a plant, and if you have kids or pets to contend with. You also know what you are capable of in terms of plant care.
Now, armed with all this information, go to a reputable local nursery and ask them what they recommend. Don't be ashamed to admit you're a beginner! They're the experts, after all, and they will be thrilled to help you select your plant and answer any questions you may have.
The Pot
There are many pots to choose from. First priority is to make sure it functions well. Is it large enough for the plant to grow? Are you the type of person who may need a self-watering pot (you know who you are!)? Tip: you can add an "Adjustable Reservoir" to an existing pot. If the pot does not have a drain hole in the bottom, just add gravel underneath the potting soil.
Now what good is a fully-function pot if it's not pretty! There are many colors, shapes and styles to choose from. Be true to your decorating style, and don't be afraid to use color! Add staggering heights around the room for more visual interest.
Want to dress up your plant? How about adding decorative pebbles on top of the soil, or creating a dramatic up-lighting by inserting a mini-pot inside the bigger pot with a light point upwards? Use your imagination!
The Care
The whole idea here is to minimize the time needed to keep your plant alive. Hopefully you followed the advice of the nursery employee who helped you select a low-maintenance plant. Follow the care instructions for your particular plant for best results.
When you first bring your plant home, use a good potting soil. Most potting soils include everything your plant will need to stay healthy. Let's face it; busy people are not going to stick to a strict schedule of fertilizing and feeding their plant on a regular basis. Prune your plant as needed, and occasionally dust off the leaves. You may want to stick it in the tub for a shower periodically to keep spider mites away.
Then commit to watering it on a regular schedule. Follow watering instructions based on the type of plant. Believe it or not, over-watering can be worse than under-watering (note: don't use water from sodium-based water softeners).
The Therapy
There are those who are convinced that talking to your plant is therapeutic for your plant. While it may not be scientifically proven, I figure it can't hurt. If nothing else, it's cheaper than a good therapist, so go right ahead - plants are very good listeners. Naming your plant is optional.
On a personal note, after researching for this article, I boldly went into my local nursery, explained my brown thumb dilemma, and came home with a weeping fig (named Benji). We are getting along very well, and I am feeling much better about Connecticut winters! I think I'm going to make it after all.
By: Susan J Smith
23Oct/110
Don’t Make Your Greenhouse Out of Glass
A greenhouse, the kind that plants grow in not the color of your home, can extend the growing season in cold climates by several months.?With food prices rising and expected to get higher, more and more people are turning to growing food in their own gardens.?A small greenhouse can make a big difference in the yield of a garden because you can start plants while there is still snow on the ground and you can continue to grow way past the time the frost is on the pumpkins.
Most?people assume that the best material for building greenhouses is glass.?They assume that since glass lets almost all the light through it must be better for the plants.?This is not the case as materials that diffuse the light actually work better.
Glass tends to allow light through unevenly so there are shadows formed which means some plants get more light than others.?What works much better is to use materials that have a smoky appearance which means you can't see through them.?This causes the light to scatter more and covers the plants more evenly.?Have you ever noticed how bright it seems inside a greenhouse with semi-transparent walls and ceiling??It is because the light is coming at you from all directions.
The other reason to not use glass is the danger if it is broken.?When greenhouses were constructed out of glass years ago it was not uncommon for a pane to break causing a cut.?Some of these accidents could be very bloody if the pane of glass fell out of the roof and crashed down on the person.?It is much safer to have garden greenhouses constructed out of fiberglass or plastic materials like polyethylenes and polycarbonates.?These also have the added benefit of light scatter as discussed above.
Glass is not the material that modern day greenhouses are constructed of and it is easy to see why.?Glass does not provide an even light like other materials and it is dangerous if a pane breaks.?Use a good fiberglass or plastic to cover your garden green house and enjoy extra months of fresh veggies.
By: A. Bacon
23Oct/110
Health Benefits of Herb Gardening
One trend that is quickly gaining huge popularity is herb gardening. People everywhere are starting their own gardens and producing great herbs and other plants that are much healthier and cheaper than the produce that can be purchased at the store. While it used to take a fairly large garden to grow herbs, it is now possible to have your own herb garden inside your home through a process called hydroponic gardening. This means that you will be able to enjoy the health benefits of herb gardening, even though you may have limited yard space or live in a small apartment.
Besides being a great experience, there are many health benefits of herb gardening. The first main health benefit of growing your own herbs is the added nutrition that you and your family will be getting from your food. Home grown food is higher in nutrition because it can be harvested at peak ripeness. This means that you and your family will be getting more nutrients from your food, which will lead to less medical problems. Another one of the health benefits is that garden grown plants are not contaminated with the harmful chemicals and pesticides that are widely used in commercial farming. These chemicals can be dangerous to humans, even in small amounts, so not having them on your food can help keep you healthy.
Aside from the health benefits there are many other benefits that make growing your own food a great option. Plants that are grown at home will be much fresher than plants that were picked, shipped, and sat in the store until you purchased them. The best tasting plants are the ones that are picked fresh and immediately used., and this is only possible for you if you grow your own.
Starting your own garden can be a great idea and also be a lot of fun. Try to choose herbs and plants that you will be using frequently and others that you may not be able to find in local stores. By growing your own herbs you will be getting all of the health benefits of herb gardening as well as better tasting food at a lower cost. If you are new to herb gardening and need some additional information, you can find tips, tricks, and suggestions on the Internet. There is a lot of information that will be able to help you get started with your own garden.
By: Terry Teeters
19Oct/110
Introduction to Aquaponics
Hydroponics and aquaponics are very similar in every way except hydroponics requires the addition of fertilizer and there's no fish in the nutrient solution.
In aquaponics, plants and fish live a symbiotic life with the fish feeding the plants, and the plants cleaning and filtering the fish's environment.
The fish waste becomes the plant's food source, consequently, the plants' roots filter the water and keep the tank clean. In essence, aquaponics could be considered a miniature ecosystem because both plants and fish are thriving in the same environment.
Aquaponics offer benefits to both Gardener's and Fish Farmers. Fish Farmers may utilize aquaponics if they have difficulty disposing the nutrient rich fish water, while hydroponics growers benefit from having a constant supply of free plant food - eliminating the need to purchase commercial fertilizers.
Unlike hydroponics or aeroponics, aquaponics is still a relatively new cultivation technique. As more technology is developed and the process is refined, it could potentially become a space and money saving process for producing fish, vegetables and herbs.
In hydroponics and aeroponics applications, the nutrient solution needs to be prepared - measured, mixed, and then added to the reservoir. In aquaponics, there's no mixing fertilizer involved, making it a great way for beginners to cultivate plants. Only the fish needs to be fed.
The number of commercial applications utilizing aeroponics is still very limited. A number of universities globally are currently exploring the science of aquaponics to advance this extreme cultivation technique. Aquaponics is currently being used in areas where the fish population is declining and/or their food supply must be imported.
By: Kirk Gordon
15Oct/110
Using Herb Garden Kits
Many people have an interest in growing fresh herbs, but believe that it will be too difficult to start and maintain, or they have a concern about space. It is common to have many questions and concerns when you are considering growing your own herbs. One of the first things you may have wondered is which herbs will grow better from seeds. Soil type is another concern, which is the best for herbs to thrive. However, many of these questions can be answered simply by opting to start with an herb garden kit.
If you are concerned about the available variety of herb garden kits, you can rest assured that there is a kit available for almost any kind of herb you wish to grow. They are all different in styles and features, but will have many basic items in common. To begin with, all herb kits will contain the seeds needed to grow the specific type of herb garden. In addition to the seeds, some kits may also offer a temperature and humidity controlling dome that will help your plants to thrive, grow and give you seasons of enjoyment.
All kits will also have an instructions to go along with the seeds. Following these instructions will help to insure your success with the herbs. Some kits will also offer useful and informative recipes that will go along with the particular herbs found in that kit. Or the herb garden kit may even include a website where you can sign up for a newsletter that will be sent occasionally with different and new tips, uses and recipes that are relevant to your chosen herbs. Most kits will include the dishes, or planters, that your herbs will be grown in. And while all kits have some slight different, most will even include the soil or soil pellets that your seeds should be grown in.
Using an indoor herb kit will allow you to enjoy all the benefits of growing your fresh herbs in the comfort of your own home. One such benefit is the convenience of having the herbs near where you will be cooking and using them. Instead of putting on shoes to trek to the garden, just pinch off some fresh seasoning from the windowsill and drop it in the pot. It also allows you harvest the herbs at the ideal time and then freeze them to use another day. The ideal growing conditions of a home interior also mean that you do not have to fuss with winterizing your herbs, or lose herbs to the cold winter. Herbs require a constant temperature to really grow and thrive, and inside your home is perfect for that. Luckily, most herb garden kits are made with this desire to be grown indoors in mind, and so the kit designs are small and compact. This makes them perfect for apartments, ledges, and even some wider windowsills. In addition to the convenience of growing herbs indoors, you will also avoid the challenges of growing them outdoors, such as gauging which section of the garden will provide the ideal amount of light.
Rainfall is another challenge, while it makes watering the plants a simple thing, it also means that herbs might get waterlogged and damaged when there is too much rain. By using a herb growing kit, following the instructions, and choosing the indoors for your hobby, you will remove all of the guesswork. Your herb growing experiment will be a success.
In no time at all, you can be an expert on herbs, growing an ever increasing variety in the garden. It will still take some work to get there, but an herb growing kit will remove most of the labor, uncertainties and challenges, leaving you to just enjoy the results. As you become more confident with your chosen herbs, you can also move them into the garden to increase the herb variety and quantity that you may want to grow.
By: Rosemarie Jones
13Oct/110
Greenhouse Blueprints
In choosing the best greenhouse blueprints, much weight should be given on functionality. Sure, it wouldn't hurt to have the best designed greenhouse around the neighborhood, but it shouldn't be at the expense of having a fully functional greenhouse that definitely meets your needs as a grower.
Several things should be considered in going over blueprints for a greenhouse. Few of those things you have to keep in mind are:
Size of the greenhouse
* Are you happy with the size of certain greenhouse blueprints? Does it allow the needed space for plants you are planning to grow? Does the design maximize the space of the greenhouse?
Weather in your Area
* The design you've picked should be best suited for the kind of weather you have in your area. Considerations like the amount of occasional rainfall, snow, and length of seasons are some of the few things you have to keep in mind.
Kind of Materials
* What kind of materials did the greenhouse blueprints require? Is it best suited for the weather in your area? Is it suited for your needs? For example, if you are going to use the greenhouse all year long and the winter season can be very long in your location, pvc greenhouse wouldn't do as it can't hold snow fall and the heat retention can be very poor considering the glazing that you are going to use for a PVC greenhouse. You'll be needing a sturdier greenhouse. A good consideration for materials in this case would be wood.
Ventilation, Irrigation
* For some blueprints for a greenhouse, installation of a system to provide well ventilated and irrigated greenhouse is not needed. Providing proper ventilation can be as simple as opening the windows and watering cans can be used for simple and small greenhouses. However for other bigger structure, the greenhouse blueprints should be sensitive to such things. An example would be is to check that the location and size of the vents are suited for the turnover rate of the air.
The best thing is to look for a heating system that is well suited for the area and volume laid out in your greenhouse blueprints.
By: Sasha Summers
10Oct/110
How to Use Mulch-Wood Chips Around Your Vegetable Garden!
There are many positive reasons why you should use wood chips around your garden, they are:
1. You are simply introducing natural and organic material back to the soil. The mulch will slowly break down and add nutrients back to the soil.
2. Adding mulch will help to insulate plants in cooler climates. Surrounding certain plants with a couple of inches of mulch will greatly insulate plants against extreme temperature dips.
3. The mulch will actually help lock the moisture into the soil, slightly reducing the need for more frequent waterings.
4. When using mulch around certain plants (tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, etc.) you can ensure that any fruit resting on the ground will instead rest on a nice thick matting of mulch. This will slow down the rotting that vegetables usually rush to once they sit on the ground.
5. Weed control! Mulch is an awesome strategy in keeping weeds under control around your plants.
Here are a few tips on using mulch in your garden.
1. You do not want to pile the mulch too thickly. A simple covering of 2"-4" will suffice. Any deeper and you will have a hard time walking around in it and it will insulate the plants too well.
2. I prefer to use mulch (actually wood chips) around my viney plants such as; cucumber, zucchini, crookneck squash, and pumpkins. These plants are nearly impossible to weed once they start spreading their vines and the fruit from these plants always sits on the ground.
3. I spread my mulch with a pitchfork. Works great and is easy to get around your plants with fork.
4. I don't suggest using mulch everywhere in your garden. Simply use it in certain areas (as I mentioned above, around viney plants is perfect). Using mulch everywhere will make the soil tougher to row and work with
Some parting thoughts and suggestions!
1. I have used the terms mulch and wood chips interchangeably in this article, just fyi. There is not major difference except that many times mulch has been died and is more refined then wood chips.
2. I suggest keeping any raw wood chips away from your home or other structures that contain wood. The wood chips can harbor and attract termites. If you get a pile of raw wood chips you can compost them for a couple of weeks to kill any termites.
3. I prefer using wood chips because they can be had from almost any tree-removal/trimming company. I have a buddy who supplies all of our wood chips (as much as we want) for free. He has a hard time dumping them anywhere and is happy to get rid of them.
By: Steve Gunther
2Oct/110
The Aeroponic System For You
If you are a new indoor gardener or a long-time horticulturalist, you will find that aeroponics is a type of indoor, soilless gardening similar to hydroponics that is gaining in popularity. Aeroponics systems allow gardeners to grow plants where the soil is poor or nonexistent, and the plants grow in air rather than soil. For those in the nursery trade, an aeroponic or aeroponic cloner can help you quickly start cuttings from all manner of established plants, which can then be transplanted and grown on for resale. For their convenience of use and speed in producing healthy and large plants, gardeners turn to aeroponics systems for their indoor gardening setup.
To get started with soilless indoor gardening, you might want to start with hydroponic grow kits. Hydroponic grow kits offer all of the pieces and parts of a complete growing system so that you can easily begin the process of growing your own food or flowers indoors. Hydroponics uses a soilless growing medium in which the roots of the plant are grown. It might be coir or other types of medium, and a reservoir system is put in place under the medium holding the roots. In this reservoir system is placed a solution of water and nutrient, which is a soluble plant food that hydroponically grown plants require for food.
An allows the roots of the plants to be grown in the air. This is accomplished by suspending the crown of the plant in some kind of a holder, such as a net, which is placed in an open-bottomed tray. In this way, the roots are exposed to the air. Normally, a plant would receive water and food through the roots via the soil, but in an aeroponic system a misting device is used to spray water and nutrient onto the plants' roots. Because the roots of plants in an aeroponic system are suspended in the air, the roots are exposed to a great deal of oxygen, and this is one big reason why aeroponically grown plants grow very quickly and reach substantial sizes.
There are several quality brands of aeroponics systems available. Lines such as AeroFlo, American Agritech and Rainforest all offer top quality aeroponics systems suitable for home or commercial gardeners. These systems are flexible enough to allow you to grow dozens of plants in a small area, and they create lush foliage, flowers, fruits and vegetables in a short amount of time. You will find an aeroponic system, hydroponic grow kits and an aeroponic cloner at better online discount gardening supplier websites.
By: Wayne Hemrick