TheosophySanDiego

What to Expect When Attempting your own Hydroponic Garden

In order to know what to expect when attempting your own hydroponic garden is to know what a hydroponic garden is. Once you understand what this type of gardening entails, you will be more aware of what to expect when constructing a garden of this nature.

Hydroponics is the practice of growing plants in water without soil, and with the proper nutrients added. This process became considerably popular in recent years, and has been done experimentally for over a century. In the year 1929, new studies regarding the feasibility of hydroponics for growing commercial crops have taken place as well.

Nowadays, many home gardeners and farmers use this technique. This method enables plants to be grown closer together in a field, which helps increase the yield of crops. Not only that, but also several crops can be grown in the same hydroponic growth tank.

As far as what to expect from the process of using the hydroponic technique, you will experience both the advantages and disadvantages of growing crops in this manner. One major advantage of hydroponics (besides conserving space) is that it virtually eliminates all weed and pest problems. It is another form ofpesticide-free gardening, in some cases.

The major disadvantage of hydroponics is that the equipment used to garden using this methods is very expensive. You will also need to be prepared to provide extensive physical support for your plants when grown by this method. However, this growing method for the most part can benefit many gardeners and crop producers in many ways, if they know how to do it correctly. Those who are successful at this type of gardening can expect nothing but a rich harvest.

The basic hydroponics growing system includes a variety of other components as well. For example, hydroponics plants are held upright by wire supports or are rooted in substances such as sand or gravel. Furthermore, the growing environment for the plants needs to be as sterile as possible for best results.

To get you started on using the hydroponics system you will need to keep in mind a few tips. For example, if you want to plant a spring garden, there are some things you will need to know, such as the effect of germinating your seeds ahead of time.

In order to germinate your growing seeds you can grow them a month early with an indoor grow light, and wait until after the last projected frost date to transplant it. Even if you decide to transplant your indoor plants outdoors, you will enjoy a longer production and/or blooming season.

The nutrient solutions added to plants grown by the hydroponics require the correct concentration of various nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, and other nutrients that most plants need. One recommendation for growing plants indoors is to add liquid seaweed to them, which also supplies necessary ingredients to plants.

Other names for hydroponics are soil less culture, chemical,and water gardening. This type of growing has impressed many people during the experimental phase and is becoming more and more of successful form of gardening. It is one way of producing organic foods on a larger scale as well.

Now that you know a little more about hydroponics and what to expect from attempting to construct a hydroponics garden it may bedtime for you to try it for yourself. You have plenty of free resources available to you online to help you get started. In addition, you can refer back to this article.

If you ever have any questions about the hydroponics growing process you can contact gardening or farming expert. They will help direct you to all the information and resources that you need to help you along.

For more information check out the whole package at homemade-hydroponics.com

Labels: Attempting your own Hydroponics Garden

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

What Is Growing In Your Garden?

The popular definition for the word, ‘weed,’ is any plant that grows where it is not wanted. Weeds are defined by their tendency to flourish at the expense of the gardener’s overall vision, and the battle is on.

It is important to consider, though, that a plant is a weed only within a given context, which is to say that one person’s weed is another person’s wildflower with medicinal value. The majority of us pull dandelions up by their roots and dispose of them in the interest of preserving the look of a perfect green lawn. We fail to consider that the dandelion is good medicine, packed with healing properties and vitamin-rich leaves that are a delicious, spicy addition to a summer salad. Cooked dandelion leaves sprinkled with salt and vinegar make a delicious leafy vegetable—similar to spinach.

In the wild, there is no such thing as a weed, because the overall vision is in the hands of Mother Nature, who accommodates and incorporates all forms of life. Each plant has a purpose—nature achieves balance over the long term, without the aid, or interference of human supervision. While one plant may prevail over others for a period of time, eventually it will reach an apex and then it will naturally decline, allowing for other plants to sprout and survive. This self-regulating system was the first gardener of our ancestors, who learned the art of agriculture by studying the forests and fields of the as yet uncultivated earth. Weeds are harbingers of this wilderness, pushing their way into our well-ordered plots, undermining more delicate flora and flourishing in spite of humans.

In the future when you see a ‘weed,’ consider, looking deep into its roots, learn its name, its habits, and possible uses. Instead of seeing a plant as an unwanted intruder, consider seeing it as a healer offering its leaves for a medicinal tea or its flowers for a colorful salad. No doubt if you look long enough, you will learn all plants are a messenger from Mother Earth, reminding you that, even in the most carefully controlled garden, Mother Nature cannot be completely ruled out.

By Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD

Labels: Growing In Your Garden, In the wild, weed

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Successful Gardening in Small Spaces

An effective garden doesn't’t mean it has to be huge and hold tons of plants. Not everyone has the space for a garden like that, but they can grow thriving plants in a small area as long as there’s access to sunlight.

Gardens have grown in many places - from a small patch of ground outside of a home to planting pots placed outside one’s front door. The size of your garden doesn't’t matter because it’s the quality of your gardening skills that will provide you with thriving plants.

You’ll want to research the plants you want to grow within your garden. Find out what plants can be planted near each other, which ones need the most sunlight and any care instructions needed to grow a particular type of plant.

This will help you plan the placement of your garden, whether you plant in a small patch of land or in planters. Next, you’ll need to find out when each plant should be planted. Some need to be planted ahead of others, so plan accordingly.

Now you’re ready to purchase the plants or seeds, whichever you choose to grow in your garden. Make sure you have the right size planters for your garden if you go with gardening pots. The plants need some space to grow, so don’t overcrowd them.

Make sure you use top quality potting soil. Your plants could use the extra effort to provide them with the nutrients they need to grow and thrive. Your local gardening center can help you decide which soil would be best for you to use.

Even gardens grown in small areas will have problems with insects that feed on your plants, so make sure you purchase plants that are inviting to the insects that will keep the harmful ones under control so they won’t have time to destroy your garden.

Some fertilizing soil has ingredients mixed in that will help repel some of the pests, so check them out as well. If you feel you must use pesticides, use them sparingly. Most of these harmful chemicals can affect the plants as well as animals and children, so use only what’s absolutely necessary for your garden.

Every garden, no matter if it’s big or small, needs to be nurtured. Stay on top of the weeds, aerate the soil once in awhile and water as often as needed. No garden will thrive without the proper care and nurturing from the gardener, so don’t neglect them.

Small gardens can thrive just as much as larger ones, so if you don’t have the space for a big garden, just make use of the space you do have and grow healthy and robust plants. With the proper care, any garden can produce excellent plants.

Take the time to plan out your garden to use the best areas of the small space that you have. Your small garden could then outmatch any large one if you put forth your best effort and make it successful.

By Paul Duxbury

Labels: fertilizing soil, Gardening in Small Spaces

Monday, May 28, 2007

Hydroponic Sea Oats – How They Help the Florida Coastline

Sea oats, vital for preventing coastal erosion, have been raised in Allentown, Florida, which is more than thirty miles from the nearest beach and without a grain of sand. These sea oats are being grown hydroponically with their roots dangling in the nutrient-rich water. This method is applauded for saving energy. The sea oats have been grown in nurseries and transplanted to beaches, where they trap sand and help restore the dunes and have done so for over three decades. Hydroponic sea oats need less space and water and require fewer chemicals while generating no pesticide runoff. The process saves the energy it would normally take to make the chemicals and pesticides. With this process, there is also no need for tractors, which require a lot of fuel.

Hydroponics date back over 5,000 years when the Egyptians made paper from papyrus grown in water. Thousands of hydroponic tomato growers went out of business in the 1950s, as they were unable to compete with low prices for conventionally grown varieties. By growing sea oats, the ecologically friendly cultivation method employs few resources and reaps tremendous results. Hydroponics is revolutionizing the way environmental managers repopulate Florida’s critical natural resources.

In the natural environment, one of every 10,000 sea oat seeds will germinate. When grown using hydroponics, one out of every 10 seeds will develop for transplantation to the beach as a mature plant. Hydroponics is often defined as the cultivation of plants in water. Research has since determined that many different aggregates or media will support plant growth so the definition of hydroponics has been broadened to read the cultivation of plants without soil. Growers all over the world are using hydroponic techniques due to the lack of a large water supply or fertile farmland. Home gardeners have used hydroponics on a smaller scale to grow fresh vegetables year round and to grow plants in smaller spaces. Greenhouses and nurseries grown their plants in a soil-less peat or bark based growing mix. The nutrients are then applied to the growing mix through the water supply. This is also a type of hydroponics.

Hydroponics is a technology for growing plants in nutrient solutions with or without the use of an artificial medium to provide mechanical support. Hydroponic systems are further categorized as open or closed. The definition of hydroponics has been confined to liquid systems only, which changes statistical data and leads to the underestimation of the extent of the technology and its economic implications. All hydroponic systems in temperate regions of the world are enclosed in greenhouse-type structures to provide temperature control, reduce evaporative water loss, and to reduce disease and pest infestations.

Hydroponics is a relatively new technology and has evolved rapidly since its inception over 70 years ago. It is a versatile technology and is appropriate for both developing countries and high tech space stations. Hydroponic technology can efficiently generate food crops from barren desert sand and desalinated ocean water. The economic prospects for controlled environmental agriculture and hydroponics may improve if governmental bodies determined there are politically desirable effects of hydroponics and those merits subsidizing for the good of the public. The benefits of this may include the conservation of water in regions in which it is scarce or food production in hostile environments.

Another desirable social effect could be the provision of income producing employment for disadvantaged segments of the population entrapped in economically depressed regions. Hydroponics has fast become a technical reality. Such production systems are producing horticultural crops where field grown fresh vegetables and ornamentals are unavailable for most of the year. The development and use of controlled environment agriculture and hydroponics have enhanced the economic well being of many communities throughout the world.

By Arian Osch

Labels: horticultura, Hydroponic Sea Oats

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Organic Garden Pest Control - Getting Rid Of Unwanted Guests Without Chemicals

Chemical pesticides are toxic to humans, especially the very young or very old, pets, insects and the environment. Organic gardeners shun chemical pesticides and prefer to use natural and non-toxic ways of removing or deterring bugs. Soap is one useful method of pest control. You can buy organic soap or you can make it yourself by putting a few drops of dish soap into a cup of water. Spray your plants with this mixture. Spider mites and aphids hate soap. You need to completely coat the flowers, stem and leaves of the plant for the soap to be effective, although bear in mind that if you use the wrong kind of soap (for example, an antibacterial soap containing triclosan) or spray too much on, you might damage the leaves. Spray enough to kill the bugs and no more.

If you spot bigger insects on your plants, it is easy enough to pick them off. You can wear gloves if you don't fancy touching the bugs and drop them into a container soapy water. Morning or evening is usually the best time to find the most insects on the plants.

There are some plants which repel insects naturally. It might be a good idea to plant these amongst your other plants. Examples of plants repugnant to insects are garlic, onion and marigolds. There are also insects which eat other insects instead of your plants. Praying mantis and ladybugs can be used to effectively control garden insects. They can be bought in egg sacs or live from many garden stores. You just need to release them into the garden and they will find aphids or similar food and happily live off them.

It is possible to make physical barriers in some cases. For example, if you cut the top and bottom from a can or jar, and push the container into the soil around fragile young plants, this will keep cutworms away. You can sprinkle diatomaceous earth around plants if slugs are a problem since slug pellets contain chemicals which we are trying to avoid. You can protect your produce from grasshoppers using fine netting. As an organic gardener, you will discover new creative ways to control insects in your garden if they are pests rather than resort to spraying toxic chemicals around.

By Lee Dobbins

Labels: Getting Rid Of Unwanted Guests, Organic Garden, Pest Control

Saturday, May 26, 2007

How To Keep The Bugs Out of Your Garden

You have worked for many hours on planning, preparing and planting your garden. Only to have those annoying pests then move in and destroy what you worked so hard to build up. Insects can damage your plants within a matter of hours once they’ve found the fruits of your labor.

The best way to control these bugs is to keep them out of your garden to begin with. There are many pesticides that you can use to keep the bugs away, but you need to make sure they’re safe to use.

Some of the sprays can be harmful to the health of other animals and possibly small children. You want to get rid of these pests, but make sure you don’t get rid of all of them, since there are some you actually want to keep in your garden.

Some of these helpful pests, such as ladybugs and spiders, feed on the annoying insects that damage your plants. They’re essentially the best bodyguards one could have for their garden.

One of the best ways to control the insects and pests that damage the plants in your garden is by allowing helpful pests in that will drive those harmful ones away or eat them.

By planting inviting plants or “homes” for the helpful insects, you can keep the harmful ones at bay quite efficiently. Check with your local gardening center on which plants attract the good pests.

Another thing to keep in mind is to keep your garden clean. The harmful pests are often attracted to piles of leaves, grass cuttings and dense spots of weeds. These pests can thrive in those areas, so weed your garden regularly and clean up the leaves and grass cuttings that find their way into your garden.

Some organic gardeners use a hot pepper wax that they lightly spray on the leaves of their plants. The oils from the spicy contents of this wax wards off the harmful insects and other pests as well.

The wax solution is safe for your plants and doesn’t affect the produce at all, so don’t worry about “spicing” up your vegetables. As long as you properly clean them before consuming them, you won’t notice any residue.

There are some plants that give off a scent that repels those bugs and keeps them away from your precious produce. Such plants - like marigolds and the borage herb plant - are very effective at keeping those pests away from your tomato plants. Plant them nearby and watch your tomato plants grow to be healthy and robust.

Every gardener wants to see their garden thrive after putting in a lot of hours of hard work and dedication into it. No one wants to see that labor go down the drain by losing their plants to those annoying pests that move into your garden.

Before planting your garden, do your research and find the best companion plants to repel the annoying pests and the ones that invite the good insects in according to your geographic location.

By Paul Duxbury

Labels: The Bugs Out of Your Garden

Friday, May 25, 2007

Gifts for the Gardener

My grandpa had a saying, “Spring is sprung, grass is riz. Wonder where the flowers is?” When April and May roll around, this silly rhyme rolls through my head. I start looking for those tulips and daffodils to poke up to confirm that my hard work last fall has paid off.

Do you have a gardener in your life? Even if your gardener is more of an amateur (like me) than a professional, a few gardening gifts can inspire him or her to create a lasting masterpiece.
If your loved one is new to the pleasure of gardening, the list of ideas is endless. Novice gardeners can use trowels, rakes, seedlings, seeds, watering devices and hand-held pruners. Container gardening is popular for those with limited outdoor space or for those who don’t wish to tear up the yard. An assortment of pots along with some potting soil and plants can give the recipient a ready-made and easy to maintain garden. If you want to add something unique to this gift, consider a pot scrubber. Yes, there is such thing!

Maybe your gardener is more experienced, and has every gadget one can find in the gardening catalog. A garden ornament may be just the thing. There are all kinds of statues, glass balls, wind chimes, and the like that can put a lovely finishing touch to any garden. Another idea for the experienced gardener would be skin care products. Working in the earth can be very fulfilling, but is also very hard on the hands, and no gardener can have too many skin pampering products.

Everyone is going organic these days, and what can be more organic than growing your own garden. While it’s not a pretty gift, a supply of organic fertilizer is like gold to the gardener. These fertilizers can come in the form of tea bags that are steeped in water, bags of compost, or concentrates that are dissolved in water.

Every gardener should have a gardener’s diary. These specially designed diaries allow the gardener to record what plants have been planted, where they were planted, how well they grew, etc. So, when that little weed-looking plant comes up in the spring, one simply refers to the gardener’s diary to recall that it’s not a weed at all, but that patch of herbs that were planted last summer.

And another great gift idea is a memory album in which they can place photos of the plant and garden – now how delightful would that be? Or for something they might never think about for themselves, take a golf towel (just perfect for wiping dirty hands on) and hook it onto a garener’s bag filled with basic tools like a trowel, pair of leather garden gloves and forked weeder.

By Jonell Ziola

Labels: Gifts for the Gardener

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Analysis

All good nutrient products should include a full analysis of its components. It is very important for the grower to know what is being supplied to the plants so that adjustments can be made if necessary. If the product that you buy is supplied without an analysis, you should ask for one. You will normally find that manufacturers and suppliers will be glad to oblige.

Commercial Nutrients
Although commercial nutrients are formulated from the same materials as the best amateur ones, there is a major difference. For commercial growers there is the possibility to formulate specifically to the crop and also to take into account the grower’s water supply.

Labels: Analysis, Commercial Nutrients