I spent so much time on my veggie patch last year and just didn't see the spectacular results I was hoping for. This year I've been doing a lot more research to try and get my plants the right nutrients so I can actually get some fresh veggies this year. There is something so tasty about vegetables that are freshly picked from the garden, compared to something you buy in a supermarket and sits in a fridge. I'm improving how I plant them, how I fertilise them and hopefully I'll reap a bumper crop. Read along to see if I do!
Getting the most out of my veggie patch
Four Reasons You Should Start a Hydroponics Garden
Alice Stewart
If you are an avid gardener looking to try something new, hydroponics is gaining steam in a traditionally soil-only industry. The gardening method is also perfect for those with little outdoor space or looking to utilize indoor areas for fruit and vegetable growth. Because hydroponic gardens are a relatively new concept, many people aren't aware of their numerous benefits.
Little Space Needed
Hydroponics are a great solution for urban city dwellers in condos or apartments with no outdoor space to call their own. Even the lack of a patio presents little challenge to these water-based gardens. Some estimates put the amount of land required by hydroponics at 50% of traditional techniques.
Easy Access & Less Work
Hydroponic gardens are also installed at uniform, convenient heights that make them accessible for everyone young and old. Even if you are in a wheelchair or find it difficult to bend over to tend to normal in-ground gardens, hydroponics are still an option in your home.
Because these modern gardens lack soil, you don't have to worry about pesky weeds or plant-destroying insects or animals. This eliminates the need for pesticides that could have a harmful effect on your body when ingested. Some gardeners even say that this is by far the best part of their hydroponic gardens.
Consistent Conditions
One of the main advantages of indoor gardening is that your plants are no longer susceptible to Mother Nature. Freezing temperatures or strong winds have no effect on the health and strength of your plants, and soil-born diseases will never affect your garden again.
These consistent conditions also lend themselves well to higher yields of growing fruits or vegetables. On a tomato plant grown outside for example, a certain number of tomatoes on one stalk will be damaged by weather, disease, insects, or stolen by wildlife; however, inside, this plant will thrive, and the potential for damage is far less, leading to a much higher yield per plant.
Decreased Water Usage
Even though the plants are grown in a purely water-based solution, hydroponic gardening actually uses much less water than traditional soil methods. Only 10% of the water used for soil gardening is used in hydroponics because of the simple recycling system that reuses the water in each plant's container, and of the lost water, most is returned to the environment by means of evaporation. Hydroponic gardening could be the solution needed to halt spreading drought conditions and higher water prices.
If you're reader to give hydroponics a try, visit a local hydroponics store to start working on setting up your system.
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