Hydroponic Nutrients are Key to Successful Soil Free Gardening

Hydroponics literally means the process of growing plants in water using no soil. The idea behind this is for various media, which carry all of the nutrients in natural soil, to support plant growth. Thus it is these nutrients that are the most important factor in the process of hydroponics. In a soil based environment, fertilizers do not contain all of the necessary nutrients, because soil already contains a great deal of nutrients. But still, in the case of hydroponic plants, these fertilizers are not adequate and therefore fertilizer formulated specifically for hydropolic systems are the ones that you have to use.

The amounts and proportions of nutrients a plant needs varies. Best hydroponic nutrients are sold in solutions with simple labels such as ‘grow’ or ‘bloom’ so that even a novice grower can pick up these solutions easily. Alter your plants’ nutrients during the different stages of their growth cycle. An additional reason for changing the solution is because a depletion of elements is subject during the growth stage of your plant. At certain times, important elements get depleted faster. In an ideal situation you can swap the solution every couple of weeks. Keep in mind that the proportion of nutrient solution and water remains consistent. If the fertilizer level increases due to evaporation of water, it could cause extensive root damage.

Usually the hydroponic nutrient solutions that are available are sold as a concentrate. The grower must follow instructions and consider the plant’s unique needs when he or she mixes it. For instance a weaker solution should be put for plants in poor growing conditions like overheated gardens, low lighting or just crowded plants. A weaker solution can aid even delicate newly planted cuttings. Use a regular solution on your normally growing healthy plants. You are ripe for a stronger solution if your garden can handle high growth with enough carbon dioxide distribution and lighting. Natural sunlight or good grow lighting like fluorescent grow lights are key. When using fertilizer on your plants you must increase the amount slowly over time so that you to keep the plant from burning up.

Although the concentrate to water ratio is between 150-600 parts per million, most plants require 300-400ppm. Remember that this is not to be mixed with any part of a nutrient solution but with water.

Right now, we know we need something more than just soil-based fertilizer, but what do we use?  It is most important to know which nutrient to look for. Your first consideration should be your growing medium–whether it be stone wool, sand, coco, etc. For instance, if coco is the medium you are using, go in for specific nutrients like canna coco nutrients. In the crop stage, a vegetative nutrient formula is better suited for the vegetative stage of the plant such as Super Veg A or Super Veg B.

The medium determines the kind of nutrients required. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are all elements that make up the organic or best hydroponic nutrients. Leaf vegetative growth depends on nitrogen Potassium helps in the process of cell production and phosphorus is responsible for root development and flowering.

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