Nowadays gardening is a hobby enjoyed by many. The health benefits and stress relief which we get by growing plants and taking care of them cannot be replaced by any other activity. The most novel technique of gardening is hydroponics. This Greek word means water and labor and involves growing plants without soil but just use the nutrients in the soil with water. Hydroponics is becoming more and more the better option for those looking to start a garden.
Many people want to grow their own different varieties of of plants from the comfort of their own homes. But space constraint has become a universal issue. Hydroponics is an ideal solution for all gardening fans. As mentioned earlier, this involves growing plants without using the artificial medium of sand or gravel. Research has shown that plants do not need the soil or sand for growth, but rather only the nutrients. Hydroponics gardening does not require any special agricultural skill and also is very environmental friendly. The setup can be done by anyone even without any expert help. Soil is not at all needed and water can also be reused. Many people have started learning the art of hydroponics because of the benefits – like a very high crop yield for example.
The grow box is the main tool of hydroponics and as the name suggests, it is a self-contained growing environment. Built in Metal Halide or High Pressure Sodium these totally enclosed systems provide light, intake and also exhaust fans which are helpful for plant growth and also provide odor control. Grow boxes are very useful for those who do not have enough place for a traditional garden. This technique is apt for growing plants which are out of season. This means you can grow any plant of your choice during any time of the year. The ease of use and lack of maintenance with a hydroponic grow box are ideal as the grow box will provide all the required nutrients for your plants to grow.
There are basic rules that comes with setting up a hydroponics arrangement or tank. Choose your own grow box or create one. A fish tank or reservoir painted black or covered with black paper can act as an ideal grow box. The variety and number of plants largely determines the size of the grow box . You should have a good stock of plant nutrients which will suit the nature of plants you plan to grow. Pest problems do not occur when you resort to the hydroponics method as the container itself can be shifted conveniently. One main disadvantage is that some soil based plants may get extra hydrated. Also if you are trying to grow plants with different fertilizer needs it may become slightly difficult to maintain.
Our planet Earth is constantly troubled by pollution and global warming problems. Growing more plants is the only solution to protect us from the impending danger. Hydroponics has revolutionized the beautiful and nature friendly art of gardening.
