A New Kind of Indoor Gardening
Indoor gardening has been a favorite pastime of people for several years. There are a lot of reasons why people maintain gardens indoors: business, pleasure, food and therapy. In recent years, however, hydroponic gardens have become a prevalent alternative to traditional soil gardens a new type of indoor gardening.
The concept on hydroponic gardening – or the growing of plants without soil – is not really a new one. Accounts of hydroponics date back to the early days of Egypt, and it is believed that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were hydroponic. But in our time, technological advances have made hydroponics more commonplace and accessible. Governments now sponsor hydroponic growing on a large scale, and hobbyists now maintain hydroponic gardens in their homes.
Hydroponics is the act of growing plants without soil. The term comes from a couple of Greek words which, together, means “working water.” The nutrients are supplied to the plants in a water solution provided to the plant roots; the soil that normally acts as the anchor the roots is substituted by one of several available substances. Hydroponic indoor gardening can make use of natural light, certain forms of artificial lighting, or a combination of the two. There’s more control to the growth and the yield of the plants since the nutrient solution and lighting are closely monitored.
There is an endless list of advantages of hydroponics. By taking away soil in the equation, plants can be grown in almost any controlled environment – in the dead of winter, in seasons of extended twilight and in places where soil is contaminated. Secondly, hydroponics reduces water usage by 70-90% since the water solution is used over and over again as it washes the roots. Thirdly, hydroponics allows for more direct control of the yield of a plant; by changing the amount the nutrients and lighting, one can promote greater foliage, flowering, and fruit. Hydroponics can also be highly educational for young people and adults alike, as you get a firsthand look at how plants respond to water, nutrients and light.
The good news is, hydroponics isn’t as expensive and as complicated as originally thought of. With the several ways on how to set up a hydroponic system, it is easy to find a relatively cost-efficient and user-friendly alternative. There are also many products available to help simplify the process. Indeed, you can learn a whole new method of indoor gardening by learning the fundamentals of hydroponics – one that is both fun and enriching.
