Hydroponic Nutrients

Considered to be one of the most efficient and productive way to grow plants, hydroponic gardening or growing is an indoor, soil free style of growing plants. It is an effective and surprisingly inexpensive growing style that cultivates plants which yield healthy, large fruits and vegetables. In this method, the roots of the plants are provided with water containing essential hydroponic nutrients, which are the most prominent ingredient of any indoor growing system. Or in other words, in hydroponic gardening there is no soil used and the plants get all their food and nutrients from a solution of water and nutrients mixed together.

The biggest advantage of this system is that one can control the amount of plant nutrients and minerals for the fruits and vegetables without bothering about the external factors like rains, sunlight, etc. Hence, one has to control the entire process till yielding and then enjoy pesticide free, naturally healthy fruits and vegetables throughout the year. So to achieve the healthiest hydroponic plants with best yield, one has to understand what are hydroponic nutrients, their importance and how to use them.

Hydroponic Nutrients

Both hydroponic and soil grown plants require 16 mineral nutrients to grow well. The top six elements, known as macro nutrients include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S) are required by plants in large amounts. The remaining nutrients, called micro nutrients which are required in trace amounts include boron (B), chloride (Cl), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), sodium (Na), zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo), and nickel (Ni). All these nutrients are important for any growing system and in hydroponic system, the plants receive all these nutrients from its water.

Preparing Hydroponic Nutrient Solution

Most nutrients for vegetables and fruits are supplied in a concentrated form at different stages of plant growth. As the nutrient requirements vary from plant to plant, young plants require a weaker nutrient solution while more mature or grown plants need a stronger solution. The plant nutrient strength is measured in cF or conductivity factor, hence more the nutrients in the water, more is the conductivity. To decide how strong the nutrient solution should be, one has to first note the background reading of the water without adding nutrients. This is because some tap water has fairly high cF reading of 5 and if a person is preparing the nutrient solution for mature plant which requires a maximum cF between 18 and 23, then he/she has to mix the solution accordingly. In this situation, it should have cF more than 23. In case, the prepared solution is very strong, one can add water to dilute it.

The next factor that has to be taken into consideration after preparing the nutrient solution is that of the pH level, i.e. hydrogen-hydroxyl ion content, or acidity, of a solution, which can be measured using a calibrated pH meter. The ideal pH level should be between 5.8 and 6.3, however a slight variance on either side is acceptable. If the pH level is very high, one should add a small amount of phosphoric acid to the water to bring it down.

Advantages of Hydroponic Nutrient System

One of the main advantage of hydroponic nutrient system is that the plants grow nearly 50% faster than the regular soil grown plants and yield better. This is because the regular soil grown plants expand their roots in search of nutrients and minerals but the hydroponic plants are automatically provided with all nutrients they need and so they focus energy on upward growth or growth in the parts of the plants that are more valuable like the leaves, fruits, flowers, etc. The plants are supplied with a perfectly balanced, measured diet containing all necessary hydroponic nutrients required for healthy plant growth. The reviews show that plants require low maintenance, as all one has to do is to check the pH level of the solution and maintain the nutrient reservoir by refreshing it after every two weeks.

Though one can also use homemade hydroponic nutrients, the most simplest and quickest way to provide the hydroponic system with the necessary nutrients is to purchase them from any store and then prepare the solution. While preparing the nutrient solution keep in mind, over fertilizing the plants can be as bad as under fertilizing them, hence make the solution considering the pH level as well as the conductivity factor. Other additives that one can include in the nutrient solution include a plant booster and tonic, and a mixture of essential hormones and vitamins to assist root development and healthy plant growth.