Hydroponics is an innovative method of gardening that enables you to grow plants using water as a medium in place of soil. This type of highly productive indoor gardening system lets you maintain a beautiful garden without the requirement of a lot of space.

You can easily start your own system by gathering some basic supplies. First, you need an efficient lighting system, some starter cubes, plant nutrients and seeds. Grow kits and plant seeds can be purchased at garden stores as well as from online suppliers. There are some plants that grow at a very fast rate in hydroponic systems; for example, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, turnips and mint are some good seeds to buy with your first kit.

Before arranging the grow equipment, you should learn about starter cubes. These cubes are used to provide support to the roots of growing plants. Starter cubes retain the right amount of water, and nutrients are provided to the plants when they dissolve. There are four types of starter cubes available on the market; these include Oasis Cubes, Rockwool, Organo-Cubes and peat pots. Peat pots are the least preferred product of these options as they retain a lot of water that can drown your plants. The other three types not only help retain the optimum amount of water, but also keep the right amount air in the growing solution.

Plants require sufficient nutrients for proper growth. There are two categories of nutrients that are vital for plant development. Some nutrients such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulphur are required in large quantities. These nutrients are known as macronutrients. Other nutrients such as iron, chlorine, boron, copper, nickel, zinc, magnesium and molybdenum are required in small quantities. These nutrients are known as micronutrients. A proper mix of macronutrients and micronutrients is required for healthy plant growth. With hydroponics, nutrients are provided to the plants in solution form; the amount of nutrients provided varies according to plant type and their growth stages.

A good lighting system is must for the proper functioning of any hydroponic system. Artificial lights are used to imitate the optimum lighting received by plants in their natural habitat. You can use incandescent, fluorescent or high intensity lights to fulfil the lighting needs of your plants.

Once you have the equipment set up, you’re ready to get started on growing indoors; you can then provide you and your family fresh herbs and vegetables no matter what the weather is like outside, or what’s available at your local market.

You can get more information about and Hydroponic Growing Systems by visiting SH Hydroponics