Hydroponics

Hydroponics is the discipline of growing plants without soil, most often in a soilless nutrient rich mix.  Many gardeners are already cultivating hydroponically. Cultivating cuttings in rockwool, peat moss, and coconut fiber is growing hydroponically. Growing mature plants in soilless Sunshine Mix or Terra-Lite, even when watered by hand, is hydroponic gardening. With hydroponics, nutrient uptake and grow medium oxygen content can be controlled easily. Manage these two factors, along with a few other requirements, to grow a superb crop all year round.  Special grow lights are often used to allow indoor hydroponic gardening.

The inert soilless hydroponic medium contains essentially no nutrients. All the hydroponic nutrients are supplied via the nutrient solution. This solution passes over the roots at regular intervals, later draining off . The extra oxygen trapped in the soilless medium and around the roots speeds nutrient uptake by tiny root hairs. Plants grow fast hydroponically because they are able to take in food as quickly as it can be used. In soil, as in hydroponics, the roots absorb nutrients and water. Even the best soil rarely has as much oxygen in it as a soilless hydroponic medium.

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The secret to making your flowering trees, shrubs, annuals, and perennials bloom more is in the numbers. All fertilizers have analysis numbers on the package. These numbers represent the percentage of each chemical the fertilizer contains. For example, 12-12-12 is a typical garden fertilizer that would contain 12% nitrogen, 12% phosphorous, and 12% potassium. The quick explanation is; nitrogen produces vegetative, or top growth, phosphorous produces flower buds, fruit, and root development, while potassium builds strong healthy plants.
 
Most lawn grasses are vigorous growers and therefore require significantly more nitrogen than the other plants in your yard. A lawn fertilizer would have an analysis of 26-3-3, indicating a fertilizer high in nitrogen. You would not want to use a fertilizer containing such a high percentage of nitrogen on landscape plants because it would be very easy to burn them. You must also keep in mind that many lawn fertilizers contain broadleaf weed killers, and most ornamental plants have broad leaves. The fertilizer doesn’t know the difference, and it will damage or kill ornamental trees and shrubs.
 
During the summer months the growth rate of most plants slows down, and when plants are not actively growing, they need very little nitrogen. Although not vigorously putting on new growth, many plants such as Dogwood Trees, Rhododendrons, and Azaleas are quietly working to produce flower buds for next year. Annual and perennial flowers are also busy making new flower buds.
 
To encourage flower bud production you can apply a fertilizer that contains a small percentage of nitrogen, a higher percentage of phosphorous, and a little potassium. I recently purchased a liquid fertilizer with an analysis of 5-30-5, ideal for flower production. Because the product is sold as a bloom producer, the manufacture also added a little chelated iron, manganese, and zinc, all good for your plants as well.
 
Most garden centers and discount stores carry similar products. I chose a liquid fertilizer because liquid fertilizers are absorbed both through the roots and systemically through the foliage, so they work quicker. I used a sprayer that attaches to the end of the garden hose to apply the fertilizer, but do not use the same hose end sprayer that you use for lawn fertilizers. There could be residual weed killer still in the sprayer.
 
About those hose end sprayers. I purchased one that is supposed to automatically mix the proper ratio for you. I used it to apply a general insecticide, and it worked, but it sure seemed like I went through a lot more insecticide than I needed. When I used it for the fertilizer the screen on the little pick up hose inside the jar kept getting clogged with the tiny solids in the fertilizer. I recommend using a solution of one part liquid fertilizer to one part water in the sprayer jar, and applying at a heavier rate.
 
Watch the liquid in the sprayer jar, and if it isn’t going down remove the lid and clean the little screen by spraying it with water from the garden hose. Read the application instructions on the container to determine how much fertilizer to apply, and how often. A fertilizer high in phosphorous will increase flower production. You will see a difference. Remember the golden rule of applying fertilizers. “Not enough is always better than too much.”

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Propagating your own plants from seeds is much more rewarding and less
expensive than buying seedlings from the garden supply shop. One of the
first things you will need is a box or tray approximately 3 to 4 inches deep,
12 to 14 inches wide, and 20 to 24 inches long.

Once you have your planting box, fill it with a suitable seed raising mix. A
good medium would be 80-85% washed river sand and 15-20% peat moss.
If you prefer to buy a bag of seed raising mix, visit your local garden supply
store. One you have your medium, fill the box almost to the top, and then
pat down the medium firmly.

Prepare the medium for planting your seeds by making rows across the
box. They should be one quarter to half inch deep and 2 inches apart.

The seed should be distributed 8 or 10 to the inch in the rows and then be
covered. Move the box to a warm shaded place.

It is important to water regularly during germination, however the soil
should be kept moist not wet. If the water starts running out the bottom
of the box you are over doing it and the soil will become waterlogged. If
this happens, the seeds could rot and fail to germinate.

If you can cover the box with a piece of glass or even saran wrap, this will
hold the moisture, creating a microclimate, which will hasten germination.
Once the seedlings germinate the lid can be removed and the seedlings
can gradually be introduced to stronger light - next to a window would be
ideal.

When the plants are one inch to an inch and a half high they should be
thinned to one or two inches apart in the row, to give them space enough
to make a strong stocky growth. If you wish to keep the plants that have
been thinned, they must be planted two inches apart each way in boxes
similar to the seed box.

When the weather becomes mild, the box of plants should be set out of
doors part of the time so that the plants will harden in preparation for
transplanting to the garden later. Give the seedlings a good watering just
before transplanting so that a ball of earth will stick to the roots.

By raising seedlings in this controlled climate of germination, they will be
hardier and flourish. You will also have the added satisfaction of having
done all the work yourself.

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