By Anne Harvester
Hydroponics is a great method of gardening indoors that requires no soil whatsoever, yet produces fabulous yields of fruits, vegetables and flowers. There are many types of hydroponics systems that you can try, including static solution, continuous flow solution, aeroponics and deep water culture. Among the most popular methods of hydroponics is the ebb and flow system.
With an ebb and flow style of hydroponics, plants are grown in a flat containing some type of growing medium. It could be peat moss, rockwool, vermiculite, perelite or many other types of media available to gardeners today. Beneath the flat is a container of hydroponic nutrients, which are dissolved in water. At regular intervals, a pump causes the hydroponic nutrients to flow up into the flat, soaking the roots, after which the solution drains, or ebbs, back into the container. The action of the solution rising and then falling in the medium helps to bring both oxygen and food to the plant roots.
There is some maintenance that needs to occur with the hydroponic nutrients in order to ensure that the plants are not harmed. The solution of hydroponic nutrients needs to be kept warm enough so as not to inhibit activity in the roots of the plant, yet not warm enough for germs to grow in the solution. Ebb and flow takes the temperature issue into consideration; by not allowing the hydroponic nutrients in solution to remain around the plant roots, the temperature of the solution is rendered essentially a moot point.
Some equipment is required to make the ebb and flow system work. A pump attached to a tube allows the solution to be pumped up into the flat, and also brings the solution back down into the container. How many times the growing medium needs to be flooded depends on which is used. To keep things simple with an ebb and flow system, most gardeners put the pump on a timer, so all goes according to schedule without constant attention on your part.
There are several benefits to the ebb and flow style of hydroponic gardening. One is that because of the movement of the solution around the plant roots via the action of the pump, you will not need an air pump but will still achieve appropriate oxygenation of the plant roots. The ebb and flow gardening method also uses less power than other hydroponic styles, and it is a quiet system, making it perfect for use in a home or office.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Hydroponic Gardening - The Waterworks
By Susan Slobac
Growing your own vegetables indoors with hydroponic gardening is growing in popularity today, given uncertainties regarding our food supply. What with the overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as well as the high economic and social costs of transporting food over long distances, more of us are looking closer to home for the food we eat - and hydroponic gardening in your own basement or spare room is as close to home as it gets.
The word hydroponics comes to us from the Greeks, and like many medical and scientific terms, is made up of two elements cidroVs, meaning "water," and ponikoV, meaning "to labor" - literally, "waterworks." Although scientific experimentation with hydroponics date back only about seventy years or so, the basic principles underlying hydroponic systems go back several thousand years. The legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon and China's famed Floating Gardens are two examples. During the Second World War, some sailors attempted to set up hydroponic systems aboard ships aboard Naval vessels in order to supplement their supplies with fresh vegetables.
Although it has its detractors, the fact is that hydroponic gardening is much more efficient and produces up to 50% more that a traditional outdoor garden; because the hydroponics farmer is able to control the delivery of nutrients, plants are able to channel more energy into actual production rather than having to search for food in the soil.
Hydroponic gardening is also actually more environmentally friendly. It may seem counter-intuitive, but the fact is that hydroponic systems use only a fraction of the water required by traditional outdoor gardens. This is because the nutrient solutions used is constantly recycled during the growing period. And, of course because the growing takes place inside, insect predators aren't usually a problem - so you won't need to use any expensive and toxic pesticides.
Hydroponic systems are not particularly difficult to build and set up, but they require a bit of mechanical skill; if you are "all thumbs and Flintstone fingers," your local hydroponic supply store can sell you a complete system. Even if you are skilled enough to build one on your own, however, the proprietor of the hydroponic supply store or website is a good person to know, as s/he can steer you in the right direction and help you avoid potentially disastrous hydroponic gardening mistakes that result in the kind of mess and smells you don't want to think about!
Is hydroponics gardening for you? If you're ready to try your hand at hydroponics, there are numerous Web-based resources at your fingertips that will help you to educate yourself about all aspects of hydroponics gardening.
Growing your own vegetables indoors with hydroponic gardening is growing in popularity today, given uncertainties regarding our food supply. What with the overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as well as the high economic and social costs of transporting food over long distances, more of us are looking closer to home for the food we eat - and hydroponic gardening in your own basement or spare room is as close to home as it gets.
The word hydroponics comes to us from the Greeks, and like many medical and scientific terms, is made up of two elements cidroVs, meaning "water," and ponikoV, meaning "to labor" - literally, "waterworks." Although scientific experimentation with hydroponics date back only about seventy years or so, the basic principles underlying hydroponic systems go back several thousand years. The legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon and China's famed Floating Gardens are two examples. During the Second World War, some sailors attempted to set up hydroponic systems aboard ships aboard Naval vessels in order to supplement their supplies with fresh vegetables.
Although it has its detractors, the fact is that hydroponic gardening is much more efficient and produces up to 50% more that a traditional outdoor garden; because the hydroponics farmer is able to control the delivery of nutrients, plants are able to channel more energy into actual production rather than having to search for food in the soil.
Hydroponic gardening is also actually more environmentally friendly. It may seem counter-intuitive, but the fact is that hydroponic systems use only a fraction of the water required by traditional outdoor gardens. This is because the nutrient solutions used is constantly recycled during the growing period. And, of course because the growing takes place inside, insect predators aren't usually a problem - so you won't need to use any expensive and toxic pesticides.
Hydroponic systems are not particularly difficult to build and set up, but they require a bit of mechanical skill; if you are "all thumbs and Flintstone fingers," your local hydroponic supply store can sell you a complete system. Even if you are skilled enough to build one on your own, however, the proprietor of the hydroponic supply store or website is a good person to know, as s/he can steer you in the right direction and help you avoid potentially disastrous hydroponic gardening mistakes that result in the kind of mess and smells you don't want to think about!
Is hydroponics gardening for you? If you're ready to try your hand at hydroponics, there are numerous Web-based resources at your fingertips that will help you to educate yourself about all aspects of hydroponics gardening.
Custom Landscaping: Putting Greens
By Raily Arena
Thinking of putting in a putting green at home? You may have been looking through the Internet and scouring for people to help you put up your green. You may have also been dismayed at the overwhelming amount of information and contacts that you are coming up with. You may also be thinking of simply doing away with your putting green! Here’s a comforting thought: you’re not the only one experiencing the onslaught of information! In order for you to start work done, here are a few tips that might help you out.
First, distance plays a big role in determining prices, so you may want to scout for landscapers in your area and ask for quotes from them. When asking for quotes, it is important to know what you want, how much you want done, and what the dimensions are for your green and the available space that you have. Most of the putting green landscaping companies can offer you good quotes that will include prices of materials, charges on installations, and other fees that might have to do with your location. You may have to be extra-inquisitive with these companies before and after you get the quote so that you know what options are available to you.
Also, don’t forget to ask for recommendations from friends and family who have already installed putting greens. Do they recommend certain grasses, certain layouts, or a certain company? Look for people who were happy because of their high returns on their initial investment. You may also want to talk to people at your local putting green: if you spot something nice about it, then ask for tips.
Don’t be afraid to ask for samples of putting green turf! You can ask for samples from local manufacturers. You can also ask for a portfolio of these persons’ works, and then visit the putting greens to see the finished product for yourself. True, you might want to stick to online pictures, but nothing beats seeing the finished product up close. You should also talk personally to people in the landscaping firm. Do they know what they are talking about? Are their products really worthwhile and do they really believe in them?
These are only a few tips that you may want to follow as you select who to provide your putting green. There are many options available online, but be sure to have a lot of options open so that you can have several choices in front of you.
Thinking of putting in a putting green at home? You may have been looking through the Internet and scouring for people to help you put up your green. You may have also been dismayed at the overwhelming amount of information and contacts that you are coming up with. You may also be thinking of simply doing away with your putting green! Here’s a comforting thought: you’re not the only one experiencing the onslaught of information! In order for you to start work done, here are a few tips that might help you out.
First, distance plays a big role in determining prices, so you may want to scout for landscapers in your area and ask for quotes from them. When asking for quotes, it is important to know what you want, how much you want done, and what the dimensions are for your green and the available space that you have. Most of the putting green landscaping companies can offer you good quotes that will include prices of materials, charges on installations, and other fees that might have to do with your location. You may have to be extra-inquisitive with these companies before and after you get the quote so that you know what options are available to you.
Also, don’t forget to ask for recommendations from friends and family who have already installed putting greens. Do they recommend certain grasses, certain layouts, or a certain company? Look for people who were happy because of their high returns on their initial investment. You may also want to talk to people at your local putting green: if you spot something nice about it, then ask for tips.
Don’t be afraid to ask for samples of putting green turf! You can ask for samples from local manufacturers. You can also ask for a portfolio of these persons’ works, and then visit the putting greens to see the finished product for yourself. True, you might want to stick to online pictures, but nothing beats seeing the finished product up close. You should also talk personally to people in the landscaping firm. Do they know what they are talking about? Are their products really worthwhile and do they really believe in them?
These are only a few tips that you may want to follow as you select who to provide your putting green. There are many options available online, but be sure to have a lot of options open so that you can have several choices in front of you.
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