Hydroponics at work on the Mona campus of the UWI.
HYDROPONICS IS the method of growing plants without soil. Instead of nutrients in the soil, plants thrive on a nutrient solution which contains the minerals that the plants need. So, rather than searching throughout the soil for minerals, your plants are able to get nutrients easily, directly from the nutrient solution. Grow media such as gravel, peat, vermiculite, Perlite, coco, old rubber tires, rockwool or expanded clay aggregates are often used to support the plants and their root systems and perhaps to hold moisture around the roots. The growing medium is not a source of nutrients in itself.
WHY GROW HYDROPONICALLY AT ALL?
Hydroponic gardening is an easy, environmentally sound way to grow a wide variety of healthy plants. It offers numerous benefits including:
Plants grow up to 50 per cent faster than in soil because they have easy access to food and water.
It is possible to garden indoors all year round.
Nutrients are directly available to plants and don't get bound up.
Little or no pesticides are necessary. Plants start out in a disease-free medium.
Smaller containers can be used because the roots can grow without being root bound.
Gardening is possible where it would not be normally e.g. poor soil, rocky areas, even balconies. With the use of artificial lighting it is even possible to successfully garden in a spare room or garage.
Less labour is required than growing in soil because no digging or weeding is required.
Since plants do not need to compete for nutrients, more can be grown in a smaller area.
Fast growing healthy plants grown by Hydroponic methods are more resistant to pests and diseases.
You will also notice improved flavour and texture in hydroponically grown fruit and veggies.
WHAT KIND OF PLANTS CAN I GROW WITH HYDROPONICS?
Just about anything, although some plants are more delicate or require more space than others. Here are some of the veggies we suggest: tomatoes, sweet peppers, cucumbers, squash, snow peas, beans, spinach, lettuce, chard, hot chillies, and broccoli. Also, you can grow all kinds of herbs, flowers, and house plants in your hydroponic garden.
GROWING MEDIUM
An inert growing medium is used in the pots to support plants and protect roots from the sunlight. It gives the roots something to hold on to. Plants need air just as much as they need water, and the key elements to a successful grow medium is its ability to hold an abundant amount of oxygen as well as ample amounts of water. A grow medium must drain well and provide good conduction of nutrient and moisture to the root zone. Common materials are expanded clay (Hydroton) and Rockwool, but sand, gravel, or a mixture of perlite and vermiculite can be used as well.
LIGHT
Light is not an issue for outdoor plants, but in order for sun-loving plants to thrive indoors, artificial light of the correct spectrum and intensity must be supplied. This is accomplished with High Intensity Discharge (HID) lights. There are two types of HID lights - Metal Halides (MH) and High Pressure Sodium (HPS) - and they both cover a different part of the light spectrum. MH lights reproduce the blue end of the spectrum and are used for young plants in the vegetative state as well as for leafy green vegetables such as lettuce and spinach. HPS lights are used for plants which will eventually produce fruit or flowers, such as tomatoes or roses.
