Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without using soil. They consume all the nutrients from an aqueous solution. This type of cultivation of vegetables, berries and flowers can in no way be attributed to the invention of modern scientific botanists. The first successful attempts can be called the world famous gardens of Babylon, as well as the floating gardens of the Aztecs from South America.
Many scientists, beginning with Aristotle, in different parts of the world studied the life of plants and their nutrition. It was only in the middle of the nineteenth century that Wilhelm Knop grew them without soil, only on a nutrient mixture that is still used in the hydroponic system. At about the same time, both Kliment Arkadyevich Timiryazev and Dmitry Nikolaevich Pryanishnikov in Russia were working on this issue. In the thirties and forties of the last century, all the works of scientists were combined and a list of substances that was required for plant growth became known. William Guericke called this method hydroponics. Not surprisingly, this method is gaining traction. Indeed, there are more pluses than minuses when growing in this way.
Advantages
- Enhancement yield... Nature has ordered that all living things must work, finding their own food. With this method, all nutrients are supplied to the plant ready-made. It can be compared to a person who would not need to chew food, since it has already been crushed. Plants are accustomed to work and all their free energy was used to produce crops.
- Watering... No need to water every day. Given the size of the vessel, you can water the plants once or twice a month.
- Fertilizers... Thanks to the balanced composition of the solution, the plant receives all the substances it needs constantly.
- Immunity... Plants grown in hydroponics are not afraid of fungal diseases, and they also cannot develop soil pests and root rot. Therefore, there is no need to use pesticides.
- Ease transplants... In such plants, the roots are not injured during transplantation. It is enough to move them from one vessel to another by changing the solution.
- Saving... There is no need to apply the soil that needs to be changed every year.
- Purity... Hands will always be clean when working, since the soil is not involved in the process.
Do it yourself
Disadvantages:
- The need to control the composition of the solution;
- Water level and temperature control;
- Root system safety control;
- Difficulty growing large species.
What plants are grown hydroponically
Many plants can be grown using the hydroponic method.
Vegetables:
- Tomatoes;
- Peppers;
- Cucumbers;
- Radish;
- Cabbage.
Greens:
- Salads;
- Feather bow;
- Dill;
- Parsley.
Flowers:
- Tulips;
- Daffodils;
- Gerberas and many others.
Berries:
- Strawberry;
- Strawberries.
Let's consider step by step what DIY hydroponics is for cucumbers and tomatoes.
Tomatoes
Growing tomatoes hydroponically requires a lot of work (as, indeed, with the traditional method of growing on land). Tomatoes of undersized and early ripening varieties are suitable for growing in this way.
The seeds need to be germinated first. When the root grows up to about 1 centimeter, it is time to plant the plant. For planting seeds, mineral wool soaked in a nutrient solution is used. Germinated seeds should sprout up to 7-8 centimeters within a week and a half.It is imperative to monitor the temperature (20-25 °) and the length of daylight hours (8-10 hours). With a lack of one or another, you need to come up with heating and additional lighting.
Ease of maintenance
While the seedlings are growing, you need to decide on a hydroponic system. It happens:
- Drip;
- Wick irrigation;
- Deep water rocks;
- Aeroponics;
- Periodic flooding;
- The nutrient layer.
Drip irrigation is used more often. Its scheme is quite simple. The nutrient solution flows through tubes to each plant, wets the substrate and the excess goes back to the tank.
After 4-6 leaves grow on the seedlings, it is time to transplant it into hydroponics. Fill half with expanded clay, place seedlings and carefully fill up with expanded clay. After that, the pots are placed in another container, somewhat larger than the first one, which does not let the sun's rays through. As such a container, you can use a plastic pipe of a suitable diameter and make holes in it for cups with seedlings.
A large container is filled with a nutrient mixture. With the help of an air pump, the root system is irrigated with a nutrient mixture. As soon as sprouts appear through the holes in the bottom, you need to monitor the level of the solution in the outer pot. The roots should be dipped in the solution by two thirds.
It is necessary to carry out artificial pollination in time or attract bees to this. You can grow tomatoes in this way both in the greenhouse and at home, all year round. What could be better than a freshly picked tomato in winter, on New Year's Eve!
Cucumbers
Growing cucumbers in hydroponics is possible both in a greenhouse and on a balcony, loggia, in an apartment or in a basement. For this, cucumbers of early ripening varieties are suitable.
You need to start planting by germinating cucumber seeds. To do this, the seed is placed in a moistened mineral wool cork, which must be moistened every day. You can put it in a mini greenhouse, where it is easier to maintain the desired temperature and humidity. After two to three days, the first leaves will appear. Now the nutrient solution must be diluted with water in a 1: 1 ratio and for the next seven days the cork should be irrigated with this solution. Then it must be placed in a moistened mineral wool cube. There the plants should live another ten days. Then they can be placed in a hydroponic plant.
Pumpkin in hydroponics
Agroponics of cucumbers in the first month comes down to proper watering and control of temperature and humidity.
For a home hydroponic setup, a floating platform is best. It will require a container (low bath) filled with nutrient solution. It contains a compressor for water aeration, as well as a plate, for example, made of foam plastic with drilled holes, into which cups with seedlings will be inserted.
The roots should be immersed in the solution two thirds. Two or three times during the entire growing cycle in this way, it will be necessary to replace the entire solution completely. This is the most difficult procedure to use with this system.
The composition must be prepared in the exact ratio of the components following the guidelines for concentrates.
Since the cucumber is a herbaceous vine, you need to take care of the supports for it. These can be nets for climbing plants or simply stretched ropes along which the cucumber stem is directed upward. It is more expedient to pinch lateral shoots.
If hydroponics is properly organized at home, cucumbers will give an excellent harvest.
Plant transplant
When it is necessary to move a plant from soil to substrate, you need:
- Remove it from the pot along with a lump of earth;
- Pour warm water into a container and place the root in it for one and a half to two hours;
- Free the roots from the remnants of the earth and gently rinse under running warm water;
- Fill the pot with half of the substrate, place the plant and fill in the rest of the substrate;
- The substrate must be watered with warm water;
- Pour just water into the second container, place the smaller pot at the desired depth and leave for five to seven days. Only then can a nutrient solution diluted with water be poured into the second container;
- After another week, pour in a clean, undiluted mixture of nutrients.
Cut the bottle in half. In the part that was on top, make many small holes, fill with substrate, place the plant and set in the lower part, in which the nutrient solution is poured. Through the holes, nutrients will flow to the roots.
Using hydroponics at home, you can cultivate cucumbers and tomatoes without the use of chemicals, that is, environmentally friendly. However, each gardener must decide for himself how he will grow vegetables hydroponically, whether in a greenhouse method or in the open field.
