If cooking is one of your hobbies and you love home-cooked meals, you probably always need fresh vegetables or herbs. Indoor gardening is one way to ensure you always have these. That means a good hydroponic system suitable for vegetables is a necessity. This system of gardening has grown popular in Canada and the world. Its effectiveness allows growing seasonal plants even out of season. For vegetables and herbs, you may need to buy a grow tent in Toronto or online as part of the kit. Below, we explain other items you may need to begin your own hydroponic gardening.
What hydroponic equipment do you need?
Hydroponic systems let you grow many kinds of herbs and vegetables. You can also set up the system so that it is easily movable. That way, you can move it around while cleaning or redoing your interior. Here is the equipment you will need:
Growing medium or substrate
A hydroponic system allows you to grow plants without soil. That means you need an alternative to the soil. It would be a substrate material that can hold the roots, supplying the necessary water and nutrients for the plant’s health. There are various media for this. They include rockwool, sawdust, sand, gravel, coconut fiber, etc.
Lights
Sunlight is the cheapest and best light for plants. It offers a full range of visible and invisible light for any hydroponic system. Six hours of direct sunlight daily is enough for your hydroponic plants. If your window is facing south, you probably have enough sunlight. Other alternatives are grow lights. These light bulbs usually come with an output of at least 4000 kelvin. They will contain enough red and blue lights to sustain the plant. You will need other accessories to set up grow lights, including fixtures, power sockets, and outlets.
Water
You will need water that is at least 98% pure for a good hydroponic system. For this reason, reverse osmosis (RO) is considered the best for this purpose. The water must be free from contamination for the plants to receive proper nutrition. Monitoring the pH level will require other tools as well.
Grow tents
As mentioned, grow tents might be necessary. Especially if you use grow lights. It will improve the environment for the plants and allow you to regulate the humidity, lights, and temperature. That way, you get fresh produce all year.
Nutrients
Plants need nutrition to grow fast and healthy. You will have to get several nutrients solution. These may include:
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Copper
- Iron
- Nitrogen
- Etc.
Some shops sell hydroponic mix solution that contains most of these. You will also need the right tool to measure the solutions. This is called the total dissolved solids meter TDS.
Depending on your type of hydroponic system, you may need additional equipment. For example, pumps may be required if you go with ebb and flow system. The ones listed above are basic if you wish to grow vegetables indoors. Remember, a hydroponic system comprises the medium, water, light, and nutrient.
