How to Start a Hydroponics Gardening System

Are you feeling limited by your less-than-green thumbs or your soil conditions? Try hydroponic gardening. While it can be hard to make sure your soil has all of the correct nutrients for your plants, with hydroponic gardening, you add the nutrients directly into the water. Hydroponic gardening takes the guesswork out of gardening. You can create perfect growing conditions and enjoy your favorite fruits and vegetables all year round. Learn more about how to set up your own hydroponic garden. 

What Is Hydroponic Gardening?

Hydroponic gardening uses no soil, just water. It's becoming more popular in cities and countries looking to maximize crop yields while minimizing carbon footprint. Because hydroponic gardening doesn't need soil, it gives gardeners and farmers greater flexibility on where they can grow their gardens. A hydroponic garden can be grown inside with the right type of light and vertically to maximize space. When grown indoors hydroponically, crops can be grown in any season. 

Why go Hydroponic?

Hydroponic plants are easier for many gardeners who do not have the right soil conditions or who want to grow more plants in a smaller space. Hydroponic plants often grow faster than traditional soil plants, yielding more fruits and vegetables. It's often easier for plants to absorb nutrients through the water rather than the soil. They can soak it up quickly in the water rather than having to search in the soil. 

You can run your hydroponic system on a smartpond® pump and minimize maintenance. The pumps can be set on a timer and need minimal interference; the system nearly runs on its own. All you have to do is monitor the water conditions and make sure there is enough water flowing through the system. 

How Do Plants Survive Without Soil?

Plants need nutrients but don't have to get them through the soil; that's just how it happens for most plants in nature. In a hydroponic system, nutrients can be put right into the water. The roots can work faster and more efficiently in water compared to the soil, so many plants grow hydroponically better.  

Eco-Friendly Gardening

Compared to soil gardening, hydroponics uses less water. The water is constantly recycled in the hydroponic system. Without soil, more water can be reused as it can't get lost and absorbed into the soil. The only water lost is what is actually used by the plants. Hydroponic gardening typically requires fewer pesticides and causes less erosion than soil gardening. This type of water gardening is viewed as a more eco-friendly way of growing crops. You can set up your hydroponic garden inside or outside.

Tips for Hydroponic Gardening

Temperature Control

Temperature is a bigger concern for hydroponic gardens. Water changes temperature more quickly than soil, which can hurt the plants if there's a quick spike or drop in temperature. When growing hydroponics outside, it's important to check the weather regularly to make sure there are no rapid changes.

Water Checks

Just like you would check the soil conditions in the garden, water quality in a hydroponic garden needs to be regularly monitored. Water quality issues aren't always obvious. There could be not enough oxygen in the water (if you don't have a pump running), or the pH levels can become unbalanced. Regular water quality checks will help keep your plants healthy.  

Nutrients

You can boost the nutrient level by adding supplements to the water directly. Plants need more than just sunlight to live. In a traditional garden, plants absorb nutrients through the soil, but in a hydroponic garden, they absorb them through the water. You can add nutrients to the water source to help your plants be healthy and produce more fruits and vegetables. 

DIY Hydroponic Garden

When building your own hydroponic garden, the first step is to determine what style system you want. There are different ways of delivering the water and nutrients into your plants and recycling the water. Hydroponic plants often live in trays above the water reservoir. The water is poured into the tray, and the excess is recycled back into the reservoir. 

Pond pumps are important for maintaining water quality. They keep the water circulated and not stagnant. Still water becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes and algae and does not have enough oxygen. A pump will keep the water properly oxygenated and filter out any organic material from the water. smartpond is the heart of a hydroponic system. It brings the water from the reservoir to the plants. 

Choosing a Pump

Pump strength is determined by pumping height and the amount of water you need the pump to move. You can also decide if you would like a shut-off feature or not. Some smartpond pumps have a low water shut-off that turns the pump automatically off when there's not enough water running through the pumps, which can be helpful, especially in the summer. 

Types of Hydroponic Systems:

Drip

The classic hydroponic setup is the drip system. In a drip system, the pump moves water to each plant, and then the unused water drips back into the reservoir. The pump is put on an outlet timer to regulate the water movement. 

Flood & Drain

The overflow valve is the key to a flood and drain method, which ensures the water doesn't get higher than the specific height you determined. The pump sits in the lower pump reservoir and is put on an outlet timer. It "floods" the plants with water above to a specific height. Once the pump turns off, the water returns to the lower water reservoir.

Nutrient Film Technique

The big difference in this technique is that the tray of plants is tilted, and the roots are exposed inside. The pump is put on an outlet timer and pushes water from the reservoir to the tray of plants at the top. The tilt of the tray pours the water out at the end, returning it to the reservoir.

Water Culture

When using the water culture technique, the roots of the plants are allowed to grow and reach into the water reservoir. The pump circulates the water in the reservoir to keep it fresh and clean. Plants are continuously watered. 

Wick System

Using a wick-like cord, water is absorbed from the water reservoir and brought to each plant in the tray for continuous watering. The pump circulates the water in the reservoir to filter out organic material and maintain water quality. 

You don't have to have green thumbs, a lot of space, or even good soil to garden. You can set up a soilless garden inside or outside. A hydroponic garden uses just water to deliver nutrients to the plants. These gardens use less space and resources compared to a traditional garden. Hydroponic gardening is a great do-it-yourself project with a few different styles to choose from. The heart of the garden is the pump, which powers the water from the reservoir into the plants and keeps the water healthy and circulating. Hydroponic gardens are lower maintenance than regular ones, especially if the pumps have a set timer. As long as the water quality stays excellent and the plants have enough sunlight (or the right artificial light), your plants will stay healthy and happy.