All About Hydroponic Organic Gardening
Hydroponic gardening is a technique in which plants are grown in a soilless medium with the help of water and nutrients. This indicates that the plants can be grown indoors economically, regardless of the season or climate, and can have more growth cycles per year due to a faster growth rate. This prolific gardening technique has become one of the best alternatives to land based agriculture. Hydroponics has become a favorite cultivation technique due to its simple usability. In this growth process, the plants are placed in a growing medium such as rock wool, clay granules, foam, gravel, peat, coconut fibers and then fed with a nutrient solution to grow. Hydroponically grown vegetables are fed all the nutrients necessary for growth without exposing them to harmful toxins, pesticides and pathogens that are present in the soil. This soilless gardening method offers a significant reduction in soil pests and diseases.
A hydroponic grower can grow plants by simulating an ideal growing environment and monitoring certain important growth parameters like temperature, nutrients, pH level, and humidity for their plant growing system. As long as you maintain the proper levels of light, temperature, nutrients, and moisture in your hydroponic garden, you can grow your plants regardless of the season.
On the other hand, in organic gardening, gardeners use animal or plant waste instead of any synthetic compost. To grow plants organically you need to understand the importance of organic matter. Organic matter is a term that includes a wide variety of living and dead plant and animal material, ranging from kitchen scraps and shredded leaves to well-rotted manure and fertilizers. Natural fertilizers help plants grow healthy and strong while providing benefits to the environment as well. Soil for organic gardening needs plenty of well-decomposed organic matter and a proper drainage facility with excellent water-holding capacity. To avoid problems caused by insect infestation, you should check the plants regularly. Pests that can attack your garden are aphids, cabbage worms, cutworms, moths, etc. To prevent their invasion, remove them from plants with running water or spray soap.
There are different types of organic nutrients that provide the necessary complement to your organic plants and help them produce healthier fruits and vegetables. The primary plant nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nitrogen is usually the first ingredient listed on an organic fertilizer label. For hydroponics, you can get organic nitrogen from fertilizers. Organic fertilizers generally contain natural materials from rock minerals, seaweed and fish bones, and composted chicken manure. Available sources of nitrogen include leaf mold and grass clippings. To develop healthier roots, plants need phosphorous. Potassium is available in seaweed meal, ashes, and comfrey leaves. Potassium ensures good size, color and quality of the plant.
Research shows that hydroponic organic foods have significant health benefits because they have negligible chemical and pathogenic traces and have higher nutritional values compared to conventionally produced foods.