Growing hydroponically at home. Technology for growing greens hydroponically at home. Which substrate to prefer

Growing various greens right in your home is the dream of many housewives. There are no problems with ordinary plants; they can be easily grown near a window, but, for example, with parsley or dill you will have to tinker. This issue can be solved using hydroponics. At home, greens and much more can be grown thanks to it.

Advantages of the method

As you know, during the cold season, grow various plants impossible in the garden. To solve this problem, a hydroponic installation was invented, which allows you to build a small garden for growing such plants in your home.

This method involves using a hydroponic solution. The plant develops and performs its vital functions thanks to the substrate in which the roots of the plant are placed. It receives all the nutrients necessary for ripening from this solution.

For each type of plant that will be grown using this installation, it is necessary to select an individual type of solution. This is the only way to achieve maximum process efficiency.

Installation methods

To grow plants in this way, the installation itself is used, as well as a substrate and a special solution. The installation can be purchased at a specialized store, or you can build it yourself.

It includes a certain number of containers in which you can place soil and plant seeds, as well as a whole system that allows you to supply a nutrient solution to their roots. On the market you can find a huge number of such devices that have individual characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages.

If you want to do the installation yourself, you will need:

These materials will be enough to equip the simplest installation, which will be designed for growing greenery on a balcony or windowsill in winter time of the year.

If you lack the required level of skills, time or desire, then you don’t have to bother making the installation yourself and order the device on the Internet.

Next you need to purchase substrate, with which the pots are filled, its task is to support the roots of the greenery. It does not contain any nutrients and is completely sterile. It is extremely important to ensure that this substance is not exposed to chemicals.

You will also need a hydroponic solution for your greens. You won’t be able to make it yourself; you can buy it in specialized stores. This is a special liquid that contains nutrients necessary for growing plants. Each type of green requires a separate solution.

Preparing for landing

The first step is to correctly determine the location in which the entire installation will be placed. A window sill or glass balcony, because, in addition to nutrients, plants require sunlight and a pleasant temperature.

Substrates must not release any substances and must be sterile. Substances most suitable for greens:

Expanded clay. This is clay that has been exposed to temperatures of more than 1 thousand degrees Celsius. There are no minerals here, but there is a possibility of lowering the pH of the solution. After purchase, rinse thoroughly with water. You can use it several times, you just need to get rid of the remaining roots and solution with water.
Mineral wool. This is one of the most budget-friendly and practical substrates. The main disadvantage is the need for maximum caution when working with cotton wool, since it contains microparticles harmful to the skin. If they come into contact with the eyes or respiratory tract, serious health problems may occur.
Coconut substrate. It contains coir and coconut shells. Unlike the previous option, this one is completely safe for both humans and environment. When its expiration date expires, it can be used as fertilizer. For some time, it accumulates minerals useful for plants in itself, after which it transfers them to the roots. Gives free access to oxygen to the roots and also retains water.
Vermiculite and perlite. They are used exclusively in pairs because maximum efficiency It manifests itself precisely when used together. Vermiculite makes the soil looser, allowing it to absorb more water. Perlite is designed to hold various chemicals and humidity.

The substrate must be able to pass water and air through itself, because without this the plant simply will not be able to carry out its vital functions and, accordingly, develop.

Start of cultivation

Any hydroponic setup requires pre-germination seeds They are placed in soil or peat and watered with the prepared solution. When the plant begins to develop and the first leaves appear, you can transplant it into the filler.

For transplant It is necessary to remove the seedling from the original one along with the soil and wash the roots as carefully as possible. Now you can place the plant in the installation container and cover it with the selected substrate.

There is no need to pour in the nutrient solution immediately after transplanting. The first week is enough to fill the tank plain water. If everything goes as it should, then you can start the solution.

The solution must be prepared in accordance with the instructions for the drug. As a rule, it consists of nitrate, which contains calcium, and complex fertilizer. To prepare, you will need a regular medical syringe of any size. The product is diluted in water in the proportion specified by the manufacturer.

Maintenance requirements for the installation and plant are minimal. But it is recommended to follow them for effective development greenery:

Once every three months you need to completely replace the nutrient solution. If you neglect this point, then over time the solution may be spoiled due to external influence. This can have a detrimental effect on the plant itself.
Under no circumstances should any unnecessary objects or substances get into the solution. This applies to absolutely any particle that may accidentally end up there.
The water temperature in the tank should be approximately 20 degrees. It must be achieved by any convenient means.

Hydroponics has been used by people for many years to grow plants at home. Over time, more and more hydroponic installations for growing greens with advanced functionality are appearing, which only simplify this process.

Today, in an effort to be healthy, most people choose correct image life and balanced nutrition. An important role in this issue is played by the presence of fresh greens in the human diet. For example, a small amount of Salad, consumed as food, satisfies the human need for many vitamins and microelements. Taking all this into account, you can increasingly hear about growing greens using the hydroponics method, which can be used both for your own needs and to create a profitable business.

What is hydroponics?

But before you develop a business plan and purchase everything you need to create a special greenhouse, you need to understand what the hydroponics method is and learn about its pros and cons. In general, about growing greens and other vegetable crops This method has been known for a long time, but the method has gained particular popularity recently. But social stereotypes still negatively affect the development of this technology.

Video about what hydroponics is

The hydroponics method is one of the ways to grow greens without nutrient soil. The greens take all the substances necessary for growth and development from a specially prepared solution. Moreover, as the plant grows, beneficial substances are added to the solution, resulting in a healthy shoot rich in vitamins and microelements. Using a soilless method, you can grow greens all year round, and due to the fact that the absorption of nutrients is faster, and the plant does not need to waste energy searching for nutrients, it develops somewhat faster compared to what grows in the soil. This allows you to provide not only your family with herbs, but also to build a profitable home business selling fresh herbs.

Pros and cons of hydroponics

Having decided to build your own, even if small business, which will be based on growing lettuce hydroponically, you need to weigh all the pros and cons of this method. To do this, you need to know all the advantages and disadvantages. So, the advantages of the method include the following aspects.

The plant receives all the necessary substances from the lungs and in a fast way, grow faster. Therefore, the yield increases several times, which is quite significant if you are going to develop your business.
Since water consumption is controlled, there is no need to monitor the degree of soil dryness and water the crop daily. IN in this case you just need to add water and add nutrients about 2 times a week. Some types of systems are designed to add water once a month.
The plant never suffers from a lack of fluid; its roots are always enriched with oxygen.
The hydroponics method avoids problems such as soil pests. Nematodes, many types of rot, and fungal diseases are not dangerous in this case.
For those who run a business using this method, it will be important that to grow plants you do not need to purchase and prepare soil substrate every time.
At home, hydroponics allows you to obtain greens that are cleaner from various substances harmful to human health, which the plant inevitably absorbs while growing in the soil.

Video about the benefits of hydroponics

The disadvantages include the following:

In order to assemble a system that allows you to grow lettuce using the hydroponics method, you need to put in a lot of effort; it will take a sufficient amount of time to understand this issue. To purchase ready-made solution you will have to pay a certain amount of money. But it is worth saying that if we're talking about about raising own business, then all costs and expenses will pay off quite quickly in the future.
Stereotypes. You can often hear the opinion that various chemical additives that are harmful to humans were used to grow vegetables and herbs using hydroponics. But it must be said that more and more people, having become acquainted with this method, understand that this opinion is unfounded.

For cultivation you can take different kinds salad Both pumped and leaf varieties are suitable. First of all, the processed and prepared seeds are germinated. It is better if a special chamber is equipped for these purposes, where the temperature will be maintained at 18-20 0 C and air humidity at 100%. The seeds are placed in cassettes with a substrate, which is usually a peat substrate. Since seeds need light and moisture for optimal germination, the substrate is well moistened and the seeds are sprinkled only thin layer peat or not sprinkled at all. The cassettes with future plants are kept in the germination chamber for 1-3 days.

There are several growing methods that make the business quite profitable due to relatively low costs with a large yield of the finished product.

Flowing nutrient layer. The so-called NFT method, where the roots of the plant are actually in a box through which a nutrient solution is supplied.

This method allows for an even distribution of nutrients, and since they are washed out evenly, the system “loops”, requiring only the periodic addition of water and microelements in accordance with the load of plants in the box. What is noteworthy here is that most of the root system is in an environment with 100% humidity, only the tips of the roots are immersed in the solution.

You can use different types of lettuce for growing.

Floating platforms. As the name suggests, the lettuce sits on platforms that float in a pool of nutrient solution.

The obvious advantage of this method is complete elimination of additional equipment, unless you have to install an aerator, since the roots are immersed in the solution to a sufficient depth, and in the absence of aeration, the lettuce may die. The obvious drawback is high speed evaporation of moisture, which will require not only frequent addition of water, but also dehumidification of the air in the greenhouse.

Dry hydroponics. Unlike many other technologies, this method involves placing an air pocket between the root system and the “above-ground” part of the plant.

The technique predetermines the division of the plant into parts characteristic of ordinary natural conditions, which allows you to slightly increase the “yield” of the crop and the speed of its appearance. However, a significant drawback is the need to have two reservoirs with different microelements, since when they are mixed, a reaction will occur, which will lead to sedimentation.

Video about growing hydroponic lettuce

If the business involves hydroponics, then you will have to consider the option of building a greenhouse of sufficient size, since in this way it will be possible to solve the issue of year-round availability of crops, and the main thing here seems to be three factors - the stability of the environment (both nutrient and air), its temperature and other indicators ; additional lighting as collateral good harvest autumn, winter and spring period; sufficient space.

Growing lettuce hydroponically at home is also quite simple. This does not require any complex structures or greenhouses. The entire installation is assembled from available materials quickly and easily. You can grow lettuce and other greens this way all year round on the windowsill.

So, you will need:

Plastic pots with holes all over the surface (or special hydroponic pots).
Foam sheet.
Air aquarium compressor.
Black plastic container that does not allow light to pass through.
Substrate.
Nutrient solution.

Growing lettuce hydroponically at home is also quite simple.

To get started you need to prepare a container. If you don’t have a suitable opaque container on hand, you can wrap the outside of the container in foil or paint its walls black. The fact is that light penetrating through the transparent walls can cause the growth of algae, which is completely unnecessary in this process, and can also lead to the appearance of mold.

The dimensions of the foam sheet must be such that it fits freely into the container. There is no need to take too thick material; it is optimal to take foam plastic 2-3 cm thick. You need to make holes in this sheet according to the number of pots. The diameter of the holes should be such that the pots fit freely inside, but do not fall through.

Using an air filter will provide the lettuce roots with sufficient oxygen. Before assembling the installation, it is necessary to pour nutrient liquid into the container. It is better to purchase the solution in a specialized store, since this is the only way to supply the growing plant with all the necessary substances. The drug should be diluted strictly according to the instructions.

Assembling a hydrodrinker with your own hands

After the installation is assembled, the solution is ready, and the cups are filled with substrate (expanded clay, coke shavings, gravel, etc.) and 2/3 immersed in a nutrient solution, you can proceed to planting plants. But you should not plant seeds directly on the substrate. It is best to use damp moss or cotton wool for germination, peat cassettes. Adult plants must be replanted carefully, without damaging the root system.

When growing lettuce at home using hydroponics, you must carefully monitor the nutrient solution; it must be added in a timely manner and must be completely changed once a month. Do not forget also that plants grown on the windowsill in autumn, winter and in early spring additional lighting is necessary, which is easiest to organize using a simple table lamp. The salad will be ready for consumption in 2.5 -3 weeks.

All kinds of vegetables and herbs are available in stores in any season. But in winter and spring, prices are high, and the quality of products from greenhouses leaves much to be desired. How to provide your family with delicious vitamin-rich greens in the spring, when they are especially needed? Method hydroponics at home grow greenery, tasty and fresh, without harmful additives, all year round.

Using the hydroponics method at home, grow herbs that are tasty and fresh, without harmful additives, all year round.

What is hydroponics

This is the name for several methods of growing without soil. At the same time, the roots of agricultural crops receive everything they need for development from a special medium: porous or liquid. Industrial cultivation of all possible agricultural crops using hydroponics has been practiced for decades in countries where there is little irrigated fertile land. In Israel, approximately 80% of vegetables, herbs and other crops are grown hydroponically. In Russia and other CIS countries, hydroponics is actively developing as a business. It is easy to implement and profitable. With its help you can also grow at home green onions, lettuce, mint, parsley, dill, rosemary, various herbs.

The concept of hydroponics includes several cultivation methods:

Actually hydroponics(or water culture). The roots are nourished using this method directly from water enriched with nutrient mixtures.

Features of water technology: plant roots need aeration. Fully water systems, if used, require periodic flooding of the roots.

Substrate culture (or support method). The roots of greenery grow through the layer of substrate. This layer is located on a mesh immersed in a nutrient composition.

Important: when cultivating using the substrate method, it is necessary to constantly maintain an air gap between the aqueous medium and the mesh (3 - 6 cm). This is necessary to feed the roots with air.

Industrial cultivation of all possible agricultural crops using hydroponics has been practiced for decades in countries where there is little irrigated fertile land.

Aeroponics– growing agricultural crops without any substrate at all. With the aeroponic method, the root of the plant is fixed to plastic cover vessel. Most of it is in the air layer (2/3), and the tips are in the nutritional composition.

Important: with this growing method, you need to maintain maximum humidity in the vessels so that the root systems do not dry out.

Chemoculture- an easy way to grow without soil. Suitable for drought-resistant species that are planted in a dry and hard substrate (stone chips, sand, expanded clay, etc.). During the development process, plants are fed with soft water with nutrient mixtures dissolved in it.
Ionitoponics. This is a new and promising method in which a substrate (polyurethane foam chips) impregnated with ion exchange resin is used. These plants are watered clean water, and nutrients are gradually washed out of the substrate during watering.

Why is hydroponics attractive? home grown greenery?

There is no need to water growing crops daily.
At proper care, the roots do not dry out and always receive exactly as much of the substances needed for growth as required.
The growth time of any agricultural crops, including grasses, accelerates by approximately 1.5 times. The yield is also much higher than in a greenhouse bed in winter.
There is no need to buy tens of kilograms of soil for planting and replanting.
A variety of pests and soil diseases do not develop in media used for hydroponics.
The soil gives plants not only useful substances, but also harmful substances that accumulate in it (lead, insecticides, etc.). Substrates are not chemically active, do not accumulate anything harmful and are not released to plants.

The soil gives plants not only useful substances, but also harmful substances that accumulate in it

Hydroponics technologies

The most developed different types hydroponic systems. Can choose suitable way cultivation for any crops except root crops.

Deep sea technology. The root system of grown plants is completely immersed in water. Air saturation - like in an aquarium: special device supplies air in the form of tiny bubbles into the nutrient medium.
Reverse drip irrigation. This system is known to all experienced gardeners. The composition is supplied to each vessel with plants using a dropper. The liquid flows down the roots of the plant, nourishes it, enters the container from below and returns to the irrigation system.
Periodic flooding. In installations for periodic flooding, the container with the plant being grown is filled with a nutrient composition for several minutes. Then the composition is drained through the holes in the bottom. So the plants are alternately fed with air and a hydroponic composition.

Features of growing greens

Spring hydroponic cultivation of green onions is widespread. Every schoolchild knows: if you place an onion with green feathers in a jar of water, then after three days you can eat the grown feathers or crumble them into a salad. But we are faced with the task of growing fresh greens from seeds.

Use small ones plastic containers 5 cm high and the same diameter, or plastic cups. Fill them with any substrate available to you and sow the seeds. Can be planted in one small container:

3-4 lettuce seeds,
up to 20 pcs. lemon balm, basil, sorrel, mustard,
up to 30 seeds of parsley, coriander, dill.

Scheme

Water the pots first warm water and cover with polyethylene for germination. When the shoots appear, you need to place the tray with the sprouts in a well-lit place and then for another week, water the green crops with a suitable composition for hydroponics.

We offer the simplest installation for hydroponic growing, which can be assembled in an hour. All materials are likely to be found in every home.

Take a large container from of stainless steel or plastic. Fill it with water with hydroponic compound dissolved in it. A large container should be opaque, or better yet, light-proof. In such a container, the water will not bloom between changes in composition.
Install an aquarium compressor on the bottom or wall of the container. It is responsible for saturating the composition with oxygen.
Cut a sheet of thin foam plastic (up to 3 cm) to the shape of the container. Your task is to make the foam platform such that it floats relatively freely in a container with a nutrient composition.
Make holes in the foam platform the same size as the plastic cups you will use to plant the seeds. The distances between the cups should be 8 - 10 cm.
Make holes in the bottoms of the glasses for the roots to grow into. Fill the cups with suitable substrate. It can be perlite, coconut fiber, expanded clay, mineral wool.
Plant the seeds in this substrate and place the glasses on the platforms. You can plant from 3 to 20 seeds of herbal garden crops in one glass. You can also rearrange seedlings that you have already grown using the previously proposed method into this installation.
Place the fully completed platform into your hydroponics container. This home installation should be placed in a well-lit area. As the composition dries, it needs to be added.

Hydroponic setup

Fresh greens grow completely (stem length - 30 cm) in a month. During this period you can use this home installation for growing greens. Literally from the second week of use, you will be able to eat dill, basil, parsley, and salad from your own hydroponic installation in the middle of winter. Then you need to cut off all the plants, change the composition for hydroponics and plant new seeds or install seedlings in a tray.

Flow units

Available for sale flow units for growing green and other crops. They are plastic gutters closed on both sides with holes for planting cups on top. Water flows along the bottom of the gutters and rises upward by capillary action, along the roots of cultivated plants and through special substrates. Purchase and install such an installation House master can do it without difficulty.

Agronomists recommend using peat, peat or transitional peat, with the addition of perlite, as a substrate for growing garden herbs in hydroponic systems. Peat should consist of large or medium particles (1 - 2 cm), with a small number of small ones. Recommended pH of the substrate is 4.2. Agroperlite is a prepared substrate, which consists of ¾ silicon oxide, also aluminum oxide, phosphorus, sodium and other elements. All of them are contained in perlite in forms that are not absorbed by plants. Before preparing the substrate, peat is mixed with lime and minerals 10 days before planting the greens. Chalk and crushed dolomite are added. Fertilizers are also introduced according to the following scheme:

DIY greens

pH 6.2-6.4; EC - 2.5-3.0 mS/cm, Magnesium 60-80, N-NO3 200-250; Potassium 300-350; Phosphorus (in water-soluble form) 60-70; Calcium 250 mg/l. The prepared peat is mixed with perlite in a 2:1 ratio. As a result, we obtain a substrate mixture moistened by capillary method throughout the entire volume.

What varieties of greens are suitable for growing in home hydroponic systems?

More than 30 varieties of greens are grown industrially in our country. This:

salad - Grand Rapid Ritsa, Lifli, Revolushion, Lollo rossa, Fanli, Bogemie, Fantaim, Angie, Lokarno;
dill – Alligator, Early miracle, Grinader, Lesnogorsky,
parsley - Italian Giant, Curly, Carnival, Leafy,
sorrel - Gribovsky, Malachite, Belleville.

The growing time for all these species and varieties is from 20 to 30 days. And all of them have proven themselves in home and industrial hydroponic installations.

Hydroponics and self-growing of seedlings

Hydroponics─ a complex of a number of methods for growing plants, without the use of conventional soil and the use of a nutrient medium in the form of artificial substrates. Due to the emergence of this method, cultures are enriched the right amount useful substances, the result of which is a strong root system and intensive growth.

Technology

The technology itself involves placing the root system of the crop in an aqueous solution enriched with vitamins and minerals. Thanks to this, the plant receives beneficial microelements almost instantly.

The most primitive way to use hydroponics today is to grow green onions. And if you build a simple installation, you can boast of a high-quality and rich harvest from the windowsill.

To make it you will need:

Pallet with culture;
Underwater pump to provide the plant with a nutrient solution;
Pump for supplying additional air directly into the solution;
Spray;
A tube for the return of useful substances.

A special feature of this device is the continuous circulation of the nutrient solution. In the upper zone of the slightly inclined tray, mesh flowerpots with plants are installed. From a specially selected tank, using a pump, nutrient liquid flows to the roots of the plant. It slowly flows into the pan, washing the root system of the planted crop. Reaching the bottom of the pan, it again flows into a common tank with nutrient fluid. A spray bottle and a pump for supplying additional air will enrich the solution with the required amount of oxygen.

Advantages and disadvantages

So, let’s first consider all the advantages of such an installation:

This growing method can be used both outdoors and at home. It is important not to forget that each crop needs certain microelements, proper lighting and correctly selected temperature conditions.
Greenery grows very intensively And ornamental plants.
At the exit you can get environmentally friendly products. It's easy to explain. There is no soil, which means there are no pathogenic and harmful substances entering the root of the crop.
The plant is not susceptible to disease and practically does not suffer from the appearance of fungus., again due to lack of soil.

As is clear from the above positive qualities that hydroponics is an indispensable system for the active and painless life of plants.

But, despite such qualities, the installation has also become famous for its disadvantages:

You need to be as well-read as possible in the field of such cultivation.. Without the necessary skills and valuable information, you won’t have to count on a rich harvest.
Some types of systems require financial costs, which will hit your pocket well, but due to the lack of experience in this area, they will be unjustified.

Substrates used

The role of the substrate for feeding plants with useful substances is performed by the following components:

Sawdust. This material is advantageous due to its low cost, but is completely unsuitable for long-term storage. Sawdust is susceptible to rotting and may also contain harmful substances due to the characteristics of individual tree species.
Hydrogel. Very comfortable material. Thanks to the ability for a long time retain moisture, it will provide the plants with the necessary microclimate.
Mineral wool. Optimal and inexpensive material. The only drawback is the inability to pass the required amount of air to the root system of the crop.
Coconut fiber. Quite an expensive material, but it is well worth the price. It is valued for its numerous chemical and physical properties and its almost endless lifespan. Environmentally friendly.
Expanded clay. Widely used in hydroponics and has gained a leading position among common fillers. Excellent moisture retention and lightweight.
Gravel. Due to its low price, it is often purchased by gardeners. But it doesn’t justify itself in any way. It is heavy and completely unable to hold moisture.

Nutrient formulations

To properly prepare the nutritional composition, you need to study a number of mandatory requirements:

The solution must contain all the microelements required by plants;
To obtain a rich harvest, intensive growth and vital activity of the crop, the correct ratio of the presence of microelements in the solution must be observed;
In order to avoid unnecessary calculations of the amount of salts in water, purified water is used to prepare the composition;
If the problem arises of determining the acidity of the composition, this is determined using special instruments;
To determine the concentration of the composition, it is necessary to measure the electrical conductivity. Electrical appliances are also available for sale for this purpose. Favorable meaning will be from 1.5 to 3 mS.
To ensure that the error does not occur and the plant is provided with the elements necessary for life, electrical conductivity must be measured every day and the missing components must be added as necessary.
The solution must be changed once a month;
To make your work and efforts easier, it is easier to purchase a ready-made nutritional composition in a specialized store;
If the technology is followed correctly, fortified greens will please the family very soon.

How to grow greens at home?

Growing greens at home using hydroponic systems is not difficult. If funds allow, it is better to buy a specialized system equipped with all the necessary functions. For budget purposes, you can assemble the installation yourself.

Regardless of the choice, growing a fortified storehouse in the form of aromatic greens requires several rules:

Decide on the type of greens to be grown.
Choose an artificial substrate based on its quality and advantages. Expanded clay is ideal.
Buy special pallets and trays made of plastic for planting plants.
Sowing seeds.
Correctly select the desired concentration of the nutrient solution.
Provide the plant required quantity fluid and constantly monitor its level.

As soon as the plant germinates, an intensive process of absorption of the nutritional composition will begin to occur. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor the amount of liquid and add it as necessary.

Step-by-step instruction

If you decide to opt for purchasing a hydroponic system, then you need to carefully read the instructions for its use. The system for growing greens is relatively inexpensive, but will delight you with an endless harvest of various herbs and onions.

So, the automatic installation has been purchased, what to do?

Step one. To begin with, the hydroponics system needs to be assembled. An assembly manual is always included with all the parts, so this process will be easy to carry out.
Step two. It is necessary to fill the tank with settled water to the required level, which is indicated on it.
Step three. The installation always comes with a set of nutritious fertilizers necessary for intensive crop growth. They are poured into special portioned containers, which makes dosage calculations easier. One of the small containers must be poured into a tank of water. As soon as the solution loses its properties and needs to be changed, the installation indicator will signal this.
Step four. Fill each temporary pot with the special filler supplied to the system. Sow the seeds and close the lids (do not remove until germination). When visible sprouts appear, the temporary pots are removed.
Step five. The greenery sprouts and gains strength, and will grow intensively for 14 days. Then the solution must be replaced with a new one, with the addition of a large container of fertilizer from the kit. On the installation, select the green mode. All! All that remains is to collect an environmentally friendly harvest.

If you decide to buy a home automatic installation, you need to remember that soil fertilizers are not suitable for it. Therefore, to grow greens, nutrients must be purchased specifically for such systems. They are added at the rate of 1 tsp. for 2 liters of water.

The required lighting is adjusted at the installation itself. There is an automatic shutdown timer.

Hydroponic installations

Previously, all the steps to assemble a simple installation at home were discussed. But if you plan to grow not only greenery, but also more complex crops, then you need to consider what kind of installations there are. Only then choose suitable look system that will provide the plant necessary elements and conditions for active growth.

The most common settings:

Installation for deep-sea plants. The system consists of a tank and a pump for circulating water. The root system is completely immersed in the fertilizer composition, and a special pump enriches it with the necessary amount of oxygen;
Wick installation. It is simple in design and use. The nutrient solution reaches the roots by capillary route, slowly absorbing into the substrate. The system is ideal for growing ornamental plants;
Installation using the nutrient layer technique. An ideal system for growing greens and salads. Due to the constant circulation of the nutrient composition, the air comes into contact with the liquid, enriching it with oxygen.

If you plan to study the details of hydroponics, installation methods, types and features of use, you can grow not only greens at home, but also open a small business that will bring a small but stable income.

To get everyone essential vitamins It is important for people to include salads and fresh herbs in their diet. To avoid purchasing parsley and dill in stores, you can use popular technology. A hydroponic greens grower provides lettuce, celery, onions and other crops throughout the year.

The essence of the method

The word “hydroponics” means that water is required for the plant to function. It is saturated with nutrients and used instead of regular soil. Many people think that the hydroponic system is modern innovative technology, forgetting that greens were first grown in this way in England at the beginning of the twentieth century.

The convenience of this method is that it allows you to forget about regular weeding, pest control and provides plants with the necessary conditions For rapid growth and development:

water;
light to carry out the process of photosynthesis;
optimal level of acidity, preserving all valuable substances in greens.

As a result, it grows large, juicy, and is not affected by pests. Dill, cilantro, leaf salad You can cut it 3-5 weeks after planting and quickly get a second harvest. Therefore, hydroponics is deservedly popular among those who grow herbs for sale.

To enrich the water with nutrients, the elements that the plants planted in the garden receive from the soil are used. The installation works perfectly in automatic mode, so the plants do not require daily care. The main thing is to change and add the nutrient solution in time. This is the basic condition necessary for growing seedlings and herbs.

Installation selection

Available in stores big choice hydroponic systems. There you can choose an installation for large-scale operation and for use in a small apartment.

Modern hydroponic equipment comes in several types, differing from each other in the way water is delivered.

With drip irrigation, the nutrient solution flows to the roots of the plants through a thin tube, washes them and pours out of special holes.
With tidal irrigation, the root system is periodically flooded with a solution, which is removed after a few minutes.
With capillary irrigation, the roots are in a substrate that is saturated with nutrient liquid.

The problem is that a store-bought hydroponic setup is not cheap. Before deciding on such a substantial purchase, it is advisable to understand the principle of operation of the system and find out exactly what result you can expect. The best option- make an installation for growing greens yourself.

At home, it is easier to use capillary irrigation. It does not require complex expensive automation, and the design itself takes up little space.

What you need for home installation

Before you start work, you need to prepare everything you need. You will need a sealable water container. Its volume depends on how many plants you will grow. On average, one root system requires 2-3 liters of nutrient fluid. The container must be dark in color, otherwise the water will be exposed to sunlight will quickly deteriorate and “bloom”.

Be sure to purchase a special pump for aquariums. With its help, the liquid is enriched with oxygen. To make it better suited for a hydroponic system, it is advisable to replace its tubes with silicone ones.
Buy a stone that disperses oxygen bubbles in the water. For growing greens, it is recommended to use only new stone to prevent contamination of the liquid with pathogenic bacteria, which leads to plant death.
You will need pots. For seedlings, ordinary plastic cups or small plastic pots are suitable. Make sure that they are no higher than the prepared container for the solution.

When the main components are ready, take care of the substrate. His choice is quite wide. This can be coconut fiber, mineral wool, perlite, expanded clay or any specialized filler purchased in a store.

Finally, you need to select the nutrients. Ready-made concentrates intended for vegetable seedlings are sold on the market. indoor flowers and greenery. Instead, it is allowed to use complex fertilizers.

Manufacturing instructions

First of all, you need to prepare the cups for the seedlings. You need to make small holes in them on the bottom and grooves on the sides with a hot awl. Then you should remove the lid from the water container, place the glasses on it upside down and trace with a chemical pencil. The distance between the glasses should be at least 10 cm. Cut holes in the lid along the outlined outline and insert the pots there.

Make holes in the top of the container for the aquarium pump hoses. Prepare the air atomizing stones according to the instructions and place them inside the tank.
Fill the container more than halfway with filtered water and connect the compressor. For convenience, it is advisable to install the device next to a hydroponic installation. If the system is running smoothly, turn it off and start potting.
Fill them with substrate, pre-soaked with water, close the tank with a lid and insert the pots into place. Their bottom should be immersed in liquid.
Plant 3 seeds per substrate required seedlings, cover each pot with an empty one on top plastic cup to create a greenhouse effect and wait for the seeds to germinate.
Then add the nutrient solution to the water tank, strictly following the manufacturer’s instructions, and remove the empty glasses from the seedlings.

The nutrient solution should be added twice a week. Its concentration should be 15 times less than the original. The pump for enriching water with oxygen can be left on constantly, but it is more convenient to purchase a timer, which is used for aquariums, and program it to turn on for fifteen minutes 4 times a day.

It is recommended to completely change the water in the container once a month. To make this convenient, you can install a special drain valve at the bottom of the tank. Used liquid should not be thrown away. It is useful to use for irrigating plants in the garden or flowers.

In order for cultivation to be successful, it is advisable to sow simple, unpretentious crops for the first time. Dill, parsley, green salad, cilantro, and basil grow quickly and do not require care. Vegetables are more demanding. They need a large tank for the nutrient solution, require special supports and artificial lighting.

Before use, it is advisable to disinfect the container into which water is to be poured. The procedure must be carried out using chloramine.

It needs to be diluted at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. for 10 liters of water.
Pour the solution into the tank, close it tightly with a lid and leave for half an hour.
Drain the liquid, wait until the container is completely dry, and only then fill the tank with growing liquid.

Rapid plant growth ensures maintenance optimal temperature in a container with a nutrient solution. It should vary between 24-30 degrees. If this cannot be achieved under natural conditions, you need to purchase a device that heats water in aquariums.

If greens are grown in winter, when daylight hours are too short, you need to use additional lighting. Buy special phytolamps and turn them on for several hours every day. This will help speed up plant growth and increase yield.

Hydroponics is becoming more and more popular every day. The simplicity and efficiency of the technology gives it every chance of replacing the traditional cultivation of young greens. By building a simple installation with your own hands, you will quickly appreciate its benefits. You will definitely want to make a more complex and powerful device to test its excellent capabilities.