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A Grow Cabinet for Indoor Growing

Sun, 14 Jul 2019 12:08:07 +0000

Growing cabinet is a handy device to make use of for growing plants indoors. They are compact units, so even if you want to garden indoors and live at the top of a building in a small condo unit, you can also enjoy bringing fresh vegetables and flowers to life with it. Hydroponics aficionados can use a grow cabinet for hydroponic gardening indoors as well.

With an indoor growing condition such as that offered by a growing cabinet, you are trying to imitate what comes naturally in the outdoors in terms of what a plant needs to stay alive. Water, light and food are the three main elements needed for plants to live and flourish.

Light is a big reason why gardeners make use of an indoor grow cabinet in an area where they could not otherwise grow plants. You are going would want to look for a grow cabinet that comes equipped with the suitable light for the plants you want to grow. This light will differ a bit depending on the life cycle stage the plant is in. Young seedlings that require growing to reach development will need light in the blue spectrum of color temperature. Mature plants that you would like to bring on to fruit and flower have a preference of the light in the red and orange spectrums. The type of grow light you use can attribute one or the other of these light spectrums, or both. buy led grow lights you can visit this website: ledgrowlight.co.nz

The quantity of light you can generate in a grow cabinet is also essential. Grow lights try to emulate the light found in nature, or natural sunlight. This means that you could do with the brightest light possible in order to get great results from your plants in the growing cabinet.

Another way to amplify light for optimal plant growths in an indoor grow cabinet is to reflect that light. Some grow cabinets come with the insides of the cabinet painted a high gloss white in order to reflect as much light as possible.

An indoor grow cabinet is also constructed with security in mind. There are certain plants that aretoxic and dangerous if ingested by pets and young children, such as foxglove, which produces a lovely,but toxic, flower. You would not wish for to grow those plants indoors in a place where curious pets and children could get to them. Many growing cabinets come with doors that lock, so that your plants, children and pets are all kept back safe.

You can also put into practice hydroponic gardening with a hydroponic grow cabinet. You can set up your reservoir on a shelf or on the bottom of the cabinet, so that the plants will receive the nutrient, light and oxygen that they need in order for them to grow.

A grow cabinet presents a self-contained and a better quality option for growing vegetables and flowers inside your home. With this technology, it is no longer impossible to build a garden of your own inside your condo unit at the 24th floor of the building.

Hydroponic Herbs

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 02:20:06 +0000

Thinking of growing herbs? We recommend that you try hydroponics. This gardening technique offers greater benefits compared to growing herbs in conventional soil. Without soil, roots receive their nutrient solution immediately, water stress is never an issue, and herbs remain small and efficient – so plants are able to convert energy into their top growth. It’s easy and, best of all, you will have fresh, flavorful herbs throughout the year. Let’s look at why hydroponics is so efficient, and then detail which hydroponic herbs are best to get started with.

Benefits of Growing Hydroponic Herbs:

Outdoor plants are subject to many variables, including temperature, precipitation and lighting. Since herbs thrive in a mild, consistent and controlled environment, indoor hydroponics is a preferred method of growing. Normal indoor room temperatures are ideal, so this makes growing herbs indoors easier and less vulnerable to temperature fluctuations often found in outdoor growing environments.
Overwatering and underwatering is a constant challenge with soil mixes. Too much or too little water may result in the demise of your herbs. In contrast, hydroponic systems allow for a consistent supply of water and nutrients, eliminating the stress and guesswork involved with growing herbs in soil.
Not only will you avoid the mess caused by having a soil mix, growing herbs using hydroponics can result in a 20%-50% faster growth rate. That means more fresh herbs for your enjoyment, throughout the year.
Pests love soil. Gnats, flies, and other insect infestations can be a constant problem for those who use a soil mix to grow their plants. Since hydroponics uses no soil, this becomes less of a concern. No soil-borne diseases, no weeding, and the need to introduce those insecticide sprays into your indoor environment is less likely.
If those advantages haven’t sold you on growing your herbs with a hydroponic system, consider this. Research at The University of Minnesota concluded that hydroponically grown herbs have 20-40% greater amount of aromatic oils when compared to herbs grown in conventional fields. This ensures that your herbs are of better quality and have a more robust flavor versus herbs grown in soil. So let’s get started!

Requirements for Growing Hydroponic Herbs:

Consideration for growing hydroponic herbs include: light, nutrients, temperature, humidity, and pH level. Once these factors are controlled, hydroponics provides a less time-consuming and superior growing medium versus conventional soil.

While propagating herbs from cuttings is a viable option, starting your herbs from seed is the most popular method for growing hydroponic herbs. Moistened propagation cubes work well for seedlings, as does a conventional soil mix. Germination typically takes 1-3 weeks. Once the seeds are of adequate size and are displaying their true leaves, the plants may be transported to your hydroponic grow system. It should be noted that seed germination is difficult when growing lavender, bay leaf, rosemary, white sage, and flavored mint (such as chocolate mint or orange mint). In these cases, a plant from a cutting (or an established plant bought from a garden center) will likely be more successful than growing from seed.

Herbs need – at the very least – 6 hours of bright, unobstructed sunlight per day. A south-facing window may provide adequate lighting for herbs. Rotating the plant to ensure all sides receive sufficient coverage is advisable. Since many plants – including herbs – thrive on up to 10-12 hours of sunlight per day, grow lights are recommended for extra supplementation, especially if your plants are not receiving the minimum natural sunlight to remain healthy. Standard fluorescent lamps may be sufficient, but their yield is less effective compared to modern LED grow lights. High intensity discharge lights [HID] are also effective – especially metal halide, which are superior for growing leafy herbs. Since grow lights with blue spectrum lighting encourage lush, bushy growth in many varieties of herbs (such as basil), grow lights with blue spectrum capability may be the best choice to grow your hydroponic herbs.

Nutrients – specifically designed for hydroponics – are another key component of growing hydroponic herbs. Combining fertilizer and water create the “nutrient solution.” It is recommended to drain, clean and re-add a new nutrient solution to maintain optimal conditions. This process should be done at least once a month, although more frequently is encouraged. Methods for providing the nutrient solution include the Passive method (which allows you to decide when and how much nutrient solution a plant needs, without the use of pumps and timers), the Flood and Drain method (when trays and pots are flooded with the nutrient solution using a pump), a Drip System (timer-controlled method using a pump to drip nutrient solution on to the plants), the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) and the aeroponic method.

There are various mediums to choose from when growing your herbs hydroponically. Some of the most popular include coconut coir, lightweight expanded clay aggregate (L.E.C.A), perlite, vermiculite, lava rocks, and oasis cubes, as well as sand and gravel. These mediums act as an anchor to the plant, but do not provide the essential nutrients for the plant’s health. Thus, the grow medium you choose is of lesser importance than that of maintaining a continuous supply of nutrient solution.

Room temperatures ranging in the 70-75-degree range are ideal, along with a relative humidity level around the 40-60% range. As with all hydroponic gardening, maintaining adequate ventilation for your herbs is important. Oscillating fans, as well as ceiling fans, work well. pH levels should be consistently checked to maintain a healthy range between 5.5 and 6.8, depending on the type of herb you are growing.

Keeping the plants bushy allows herbs to be more productive. Pinching off the tops when your plant reaches 6-12” tall will prevent them from becoming too leggy. Herbs do not require a lot of attention once your hydroponic routine is in place, and are a perfect choice for those who want to grow fresh produce all year long in a controlled indoor environment.

Enhancing Flavor with Hydroponic Gardening

Sat, 01 Jul 2017 08:37:56 +0000

One of the many advantages of growing your own vegetables hydroponically is that your vegetables often taste better. The produce you get from the supermarket is often very bland for a number of reasons.

First, most farmers do not grow for taste, they grow for yield. They get paid just as much for a bland tomato as a delicious one so they would rather have a large, mediocre crop than a smaller, delicious tasting one. Also, the vegetables that you pick up at the market are usually picked long before they are ripe to allow more time for transport. Allowing a vegetable to ripen on the vine transfers more sugars from the plant to the vegetable itself, resulting in superior taste.

But even with these numerous advantages, many growers want to take steps to ensure that their crop will taste the very best once it comes time to eat it or cook with it in their kitchen. With a few simple adjustments, you can make sure you will enjoy all the flavor benefits of hydroponics growing.

Let their Be Light - The number one growing factor that will influence the flavor of your vegetables while hydroponic gardening will be light. Studies show that longer periods of light, about sixteen hours of light a day, promote the best flavor.

Keep an Eye on the Thermostat - Most vegetables can thrive in fairly warm environment, but do not make the mistake of thinking that it can't get too hot in your grow room. Tomatoes, for example, if temperatures exceed eighty-two degrees, you will probably notice a decrease in yield as well as flavor. If your grow room is prone to getting too warm, invest in a couple of auxiliary fans to keep your plants at optimal temperatures.

Increase Nutrient Concentration - It might actually do your vegetables good to increase the nutrient concentration of your solution to a bit higher than what is typically recommended. A recent study on the connection between tomato flavor and nutrient concentration in a nutrient film technique system performed at the Massey University at New Zealand, found that changing the conductivity from 2 to 4 resulted in superior flavor. Other studies have also found improvements in flavor using a concentration as high as 10. You may want to experiment, increasing the nutrient concentration on a single plant first, so you can be more certain how such an adjustment will affect your crop.

Handle with Care - How your vegetables will taste isn't just influenced by how you grow them, it can also be influenced by how you pick and store them. Make sure not to bruise your plants when it comes to be harvest time. Also, try not to refrigerate your vegetables if possible. Refrigeration destroys much of the flavor, even if it is done for a short period of time. For the best flavor, store them in your fruit bowl and eat them shortly after harvesting.

As always, if you notice that one of your plants is producing particularly excellent vegetables, take advantage of it by cloning it. To make this task easier, make sure to invest in some quality cloning gel and follow the instructions carefully.

Hydroponic Strawberries Grow Abundantly

Mon, 10 Aug 2015 08:06:48 +0000

Hydroponic gardening is becoming more and more popular as a way of growing plants at home and there are many reasons why one would follow this path. Hydroponics is a very productive way of growing all sorts of plants, and vegetables and flowers respond well. A lot of people have now set up their own DIY hydroponics and grow their own vegetables for home use.

Hydroponic growing is a method of growing plants without soil, by suspending the roots in a water nutrient system or having the roots sprayed by a water nutrient solution. Slowly and gradually the use of hydroponic systems in growing strawberries is increasing due to its promising benefits.

Hydroponic DIY Strawberries

It is well known that strawberry plants do not like 'wet feet' and one may initially think that for that reason Hydroponic gardening would not suit this type of plant but the aeroponic system and the ebb and flow sytem both suit strawberry growing.

What does need to be understood with hydroponic strawberries is that plants do require nutrients and with hydroponics they are delivered to the plants in water infused with nutrients.

Commonly strawberry plants are grown with their root systems suspended and this is when the water infused with nutrients is passed over them. In essence the water is just a replacement for soil which in soil growing is what holds the nutrients that the plants needs. It is not actually the soil itself that feeds the plants and so too with hydroponics, it is the nutrients infused into the water that is providing the plants with the right amount of nutrients.

Ebb and Flow System

Growing strawberries in a hydroponic ebb and flow system requires the soilless plant to be held in a small tube and that tube is pushed through an opening in a larger tube allowing the roots to dangle in a larger tube and it is in the larger tube that the water is passed over the roots on a periodic basis.

Aeroponics

With this Hydroponic growing sytem the roots dangle in a container and are sprayed with the nutrient rich solution, keeping the roots moist but not waterlogged as suits the strawberry.

It is possible to view various DIY hydroponic setups and this helps form an understanding of how to go about Hydroponic growing. It is like anything else a little research and knowledge goes a long way but trial and error is the best teacher.

Ancient Hydroponics Gardens

Thu, 28 May 2015 10:18:03 +0000

The word "hydroponics" is derived from two Greek words: cidra, meaning water, and punikos, meaning labor; thus, literally "waterworks." Contrary to popular belief, hydroponic gardening is an ancient form of agriculture, going back 3,000 years. There are references to the cultivation of plants directly in water in Egyptian records dating back to the time of the New Kingdom and the "Woman-King," Pharoah Hatshepsut around 1460 BCE.

The best-known grow systems of the ancient world were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Also known as the Gardens of Semiramis, the Hanging Gardens operated on the principles of hydroponic gardening. Reputed to have been located near Al-Hillah in present-day Iraq, this elaborate grow system has become regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Hanging Gardens were built by King Nebuchadnezzar around 600 BCE. His wife, Amytis, was from Media, whose people were the ancestors of the modern Kurds. The country of Medea was a mountainous one, roughly corresponding to present-day Kurdistan, northern Iran and Azerbaijan. Legend says Amytis became homesick for the mountains and the flora of her homeland; Nebuchadnezzar had the Gardens constructed for her. According to Greek historians of the time, the Hanging Gardens, a water pipe led into a well tower, which supplied water via a number of vaults for fruit trees growing in a layer of asphalt.

Centuries later, Italian traveler Marco Polo, who reportedly visited China during the late 13th Century CE and introduced pasta to Italy, commented on what he called the "Floating Gardens." Around the same time on the other side of the world, the Mexica – one of the native peoples who later formed the Aztec Empire of Mexico – built a city called Tenochtitlan on the shores of Lake Texcoco. Where Mexico City stands today, the Mexica constructed an extensive urban center that included a type of early hydroponic system upon which plants were cultivated on the surface of the water. These early Mexican "floating gardens" were developed out of necessity, because arable land was at a premium in the area. Called chinampas, they were actually small, artificial islands that were created by scooping up mud from the marshy areas bordering the lakes. This mud was ultimately held together by tree roots; food plants were cultivated on these "islands," and were amazingly productive. more information please visit: www.ledgrowlight.co.nz

The modern history of hydroponics actually begins in 1627, when Sir Francis Bacon's Sylva Sylvarum was published posthumously. In this treatise, Bacon – an English philosopher and contemporary of Shakespeare – wrote about the cultivation of terrestrial plants without soil. Although Bacon died before his theories could be explored, the idea of water culture caught on as an area of scientific study throughout the remainder of the 17th Century. By the 1860s, German botanists Julius von Sachs and Wilhelm Knop had perfected the first nutrient solutions for soilless agriculture, and modern hydroponic gardening was born.

The Importance of a Growing Tent in Hydroponics Gardening

Tue, 01 Jul 2014 08:29:46 +0000

Growing plants by the hydroponics method is steadily gaining in popularity all over the world, since people are discovering that they are easy to manage, and give you many benefits. You need no soil for hydroponic gardening, and not as much space is used as in traditional gardening methods. Your maintenance needed for a garden is also reduced when you grow hydroponically. There are many ways to use hydroponic gardening for your plants.

Smaller scale gardeners and people who garden at home will find it easy to grow various plants within containers, and all you need to grow them is to use the necessary minerals and nutrients. You can purchase grow tents that are made for hydroponics that will protect young plants and help all plants to grow better.

Growing tents are useful, since they reduce the amount of space needed for your garden, and the plants don't need as much time to grow. If you use hydroponic gardening methods, you will also be able to control the temperature in the root zone and the overall humidity levels. Growing tents are box type structures lined with sheeting that will increase the light levels within the tent. They are quite easy to assemble, and you can find them in most price ranges. Tents will absorb heat and keep light inside.

The grow tent size you need is dependent on the amount of space available and the type of plants you want to grow. They are convenient and most anyone can use them. Assembly is easy and your plants will require less water than they would in traditional gardens. This makes them Eco-friendly, since they also use very little electricity.

You can purchase growing tents online, and arrange to have them delivered to your home. There are quite a variety of sites where you'll be able to browse through various tents and products, in order to choose the tent and supplies that will work best for you. You will find hydroponic kits, LED grow lights and different options for your tent, and you can select the right size of growing tent for your home. Some special lighting will also help your plants' photosynthesis. You can obtain advice about tents and supplies from other hydroponic gardeners, and then purchase your supplies from a reputable dealer. This will allow you to fully enjoy this new gardening method.