GARDENING

BIBLE
3 IN 1
Dig Into
a New Gardening Adventure
With This Step-by-Step Guide.
Make the Most of Your Landscape, Whether it is
a Hydroponic Garden,
a Small Greenhouse,
or a Vegetable One

RICHARD GREENWOOD
Copyright © 2020 Publishing. All Rights Rеѕеrvеd.

This book is provided with the sole purpose of providing relevant information
on a specific topic for which every reasonable effort has been made to ensure
that it is both accurate and reasonable. Nevertheless, by purchasing this book
you consent to the fact that the author, as well as the publisher, are in no way
experts on the topics contained herein, regardless of any claims as such that
may be made within. As such, any suggestions or recommendations that are
made within are done so purely for entertainment value. It is recommended
that you always consult a professional prior to undertaking any of the advice
or techniques discussed within.
This is a legally binding declaration that is considered both valid and fair by
both the Committee of Publishers Association and the American Bar
Association and should be considered as legally binding within the United
States.
The reproduction, transmission, and duplication of any of the content found
herein, including any specific or extended information will be done as an
illegal act regardless of the end form the information ultimately takes. This
includes copied versions of the work both physical, digital and audio unless
express consent of the Publisher is provided beforehand. Any additional
rights reserved.
Furthermore, the information that can be found within the pages described
forthwith shall be considered both accurate and truthful when it comes to the
recounting of facts. As such, any use, correct or incorrect, of the provided
information will render the Publisher free of responsibility as to the actions
taken outside of their direct purview. Regardless, there are zero scenarios
where the original author or the Publisher can be deemed liable in any
fashion for any damages or hardships that may result from any of the
information discussed herein.
Additionally, the information in the following pages is intended only for
informational purposes and should thus be thought of as universal. As
befitting its nature, it is presented without assurance regarding its prolonged
validity or interim quality. Trademarks that are mentioned are done without
written consent and can in no way be considered an endorsement from the
trademark holder.
Table of Contents

HYDROPONICS
INTRODUCTION
HOW HYDROPONICS WORKS
THE SCIENCE BEHIND HYDROPONICS
CHAPTER 1: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HYDROPONIC GARDENING
AND TRADITIONAL GARDENING
AREAS WHERE HYDROPONIC GARDENING IS BETTER THAN SOIL GARDENING
AREAS WHERE SOIL GARDENING IS BETTER
CHAPTER 2: TYPES OF HYDROPONIC GARDENING
DRIP SYSTEM
DEEP WATER CULTURE
NUTRIENT FILM TECHNIQUE
EBB AND FLOW
WICKING
AEROPONICS
CHAPTER 3: HOW TO BUILD A HYDROPONIC SYSTEM
BUILDING YOUR OWN HYDROPONIC SYSTEM
CHAPTER 4: GOOD PLANTS FOR HYDROPONIC SYSTEM
(VEGETABLES, FRUITS, FLOWERS AND HERBS)
VALERIAN
BASIL
BORAGE
WATERCRESS
ANGELICA
FENNEL
CUCUMBERS
TOMATOES
CHAPTER 5: MAINTENANCE OF A HYDROPONIC SYSTEM
CLEANLINESS
 NUTRIENT SOLUTION
WATERING
RESERVOIR TEMPERATURE
HUMIDITY
INSPECT THE EQUIPMENT
LOOK AT YOUR PLANTS
CHANGE ONE THING AT A TIME
CHAPTER 6: PEST PREVENTION AND TROUBLESHOOTING
NUTRITION FOR HYDROPONICS:
COMPOSITION OF THE NUTRIENT SOLUTION
PROBLEMS WITH NUTRIENTS:
SIGNS OF DEFICIENCY:
THE SOLUTION TO THE DEFICIENCY:
PEST PREVENTION:
CHAPTER 7: HYDROPONICS AS BUSINESS
DECIDING WHAT PLANTS TO GROW
RUNNING THE TRIAL- RECORDS AND REPORTING
EVALUATING THE TRIAL
STANDARDS
PROFIT
SELLING.
CHAPTER 8: HYDROPONIC TIPS AND TRICKS FOR BEGINNERS

GREENHOUSE GARDENING

INTRODUCTION TO GREENHOUSES
CHAPTER 1. TYPES OF GREENHOUSE
CHAPTER 2. PLANNING YOUR GREENHOUSE
CHAPTER 3. GREENHOUSE EQUIPMENT (CLIMATE CONTROL,
LIGHTING, IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, ETC.)
CHAPTER 4. HOW TO BUILD YOUR GREENHOUSE
CHAPTER 5. GOOD PLANTS FOR GREENHOUSE (VEGETABLES,
FRUITS, FLOWERS AND HERBS)
CHAPTER 6. HOW TO GROW VEGETABLES, FRUITS, FLOWERS
AND HERBS IN YOUR GREENHOUSE
CHAPTER 7. PLANTS FOR YEAR-ROUND GROWING
CHAPTER 8. HYDROPONICS IN YOUR GREENHOUSE
CHAPTER 9. MAINTAINING A HYDROPONIC SYSTEM
CHAPTER 10.COMMON GREENHOUSE PROBLEMS
CONCLUSION

VEGETABLE GARDENING
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1. TYPES OF VEGETABLE GARDENING
CHAPTER 2. PLANNING YOUR VEGETABLE GARDENING
CHAPTER 3. HOW TO BUILD YOUR VEGETABLE GARDENING
CHAPTER 4. HOW TO PLANT YOUR VEGETABLE GARDENING
CHAPTER 5. HOW TO GROW VEGETABLES IN YOUR VEGETABLE
GARDENING FOR YEAR-ROUND GROWING
CHAPTER 6. HOW TO GROW FLOWERS, FRUITS AND HERBS IN
YOUR VEGETABLE GARDENING
CHAPTER 7. WHAT ARE THE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU
NEED
CHAPTER 8. HYDROPONICS GARDENING
CHAPTER 9. HYDROPONICS VS. SOIL GARDENING
CHAPTER 10 . SETTING UP YOUR HYDROPONIC GARDEN
CHAPTER 11. EQUIPMENT NEEDED
CHAPTER 12. TYPE OF SYSTEMS
CHAPTER 13. STARTING SEEDS AND CUTTINGS, SEEDS
GERMINATION AND PROPAGATION OF CLONES
CHAPTER 14. PROBLEM AND TROUBLESHOOTING
CHAPTER 15. BEST PLANTS FOR HYDROPONICS
CHAPTER 16. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CONCLUSION
 Hydroponics

The Ultimate Beginner's Gardening Guide

to Create a Growing System.
Grow Vegetables, Fruits,
Flowers and Herbs
at Home Without Soil
Introduction

Hydroponics is used as a controlled agriculture system for growing out of

season crops, for producing crops in areas that are less suited for growing
crops, and in areas where the water supply cannot support conventional
farming. Research centers also take up hydroponics to grow crops they need
to study plant nutrition, plant breeding, and plant diseases because the
conditions under which the crops are grown can be regulated as desired.
Almost all plants can be grown using hydroponics.
When crops are grown in this way, they use up 50% less land and 90% less
water when contrasted with traditional crop-growing methods. However, the
yields from the crops are 4 times more, and the crop growth rate is twice as
fast when using hydroponics. This is possible because the crops have
everything they would need, at the right concentrations.
In place of the soil used in typical agriculture, the farmer or gardener roots
the plants in compounds like vermiculite, clay pellets or rock wool. All
substances used must be inert so that they do not introduce any new elements
into the plant’s environment. The solution of water and nutrients is then
poured over the support material so that the plant can feed into it.
One primary advantage that hydroponics offer over traditional crop
husbandry methods is that when the systems are carefully manipulated and
the growing environment properly managed, in terms of the quantity of water
provided, pH levels and the combination and concentration of the nutrients.
When these conditions are looked into carefully, the crops grow faster. There
is less waste in regards to the consumption of resources. There is also less
reliance on fertilizers, pesticides and other potentially harmful products used
in conventional agriculture.
The development of hydroponics has not only been a response to the current
food and resource problems. It is a solution for the future too. Experts say
that by 2050, about 80% of all the food produced will be consumed in the
cities, which makes it important for the cities to become producers of food.
Currently, most cities are the good ‘black holes’ because all they do is suck in
much of it, and at the same time, the cities are the biggest food wasters.
It is easy to see the wastefulness and excessive nature of normal food
production in comparison to hydroponics. To supply food to the urban areas,
producers need to produce it in large amounts and to transport it there,
sometimes, across vast distances, before it is introduced into the market.
From the initial step of production, harvesting, packaging, and shipping, the
food takes up large amounts of resources that could be saved and re-used
elsewhere. People are involved, pollution-causing fuels, buildings, and other
resources, and this is wasteful, in comparison to what hydroponics entails.
As the world’s population is getting close to 7.5 billion and the demand for
more food increasing just as fast, with emphasis on resource-intensive foods,
it is clear that farming needs to be done even in the cities, and even so, more
productively.
Hydroponic Will Soon Take The Bulk Of Agricultural Production
Although the vast majority of plants are grown using soil, the use of
hydroponics has been rising. Thanet Earth, the largest greenhouse complex in
the United Kingdom, took up controlled-environment agriculture to produce
approximately 225 million tomato fruits, 16 million peppers and 13 million
cucumbers in 2013. This production was 12, 11 and 8 percent of Britain’s
total annual production of these crops, respectively. Thanet Earth made this
record-breaking production with only four greenhouses and was hoping to
add to this number.
In 2015, it was estimated that hydroponic farming has grown, and was worth
$21.4 billion, with an expected annual growth of 7%. It would seem that
hydroponics farming is changing slowly, but steadily.
Besides the changing dynamics of farming itself, other outside forces are
pushing for the change, advocating for more controlled-agriculture, to boost
food production. The earth’s population is one key factor. It is expected that
by 2050, the global population will have risen by a staggering 3billion
persons, and more than 80 percent of the total population will be dwelling in
the urban centers. Since we are already using the available farming areas, the
arid regions too will need to be converted to production centers, and the way
to do this is by introducing hydroponic farming in these areas.
One of the more popular methods is vertical urban farming where hydroponic
farms are stacked one over another, in buildings, even in tall skyscrapers.
This would be an ideal solution, especially when much of the land is taken up
to house the large urban population. It would also place the farms
strategically, right where the fresh produce is needed. Singapore and
Michigan are already constructing these vertical gardens, and south London
is also placing the disused bomb shelters into good use.
Interestingly, as man ventures further and further away from the Earth,
NASA is looking into creating hydroponic farms in space to feed the
astronauts. The research has been taking place at the University of Arizona,
where scientists are looking into the possibility of creating a closed-loop
system that will feel carbon dioxide and human waste into a hydroponic farm,
which will possibly lead to the creation of oxygen, food, and water.
You could look forward to seeing some space-grown tomatoes in the future,
but good luck with the human waste growing material.
How Hydroponics Works
We have already established that in contrast to traditional agriculture where
the soil provides support to the plant, allowing it to remain upright and
providing a supply of nutrients, in hydroponics plants have artificial support
and a solution containing all the required nutrients is provided. The idea
behind the hydroponic setup is simple. It is thought that environmental
factors often limit plant growth, and therefore, by providing a solution that
contains nutrients to the plant’s roots, the gardener provides a constant
optimal supply of nutrients and water. The nutritional efficiency makes a
plant live up to its potential by making it more productive.
The nutrient-rich solution is delivered in a number of ways:
In the first, the plants are placed in an inert substance, as
mentioned earlier, and its roots are occasionally flooded with
the solution.
Secondly, the plants could be placed on the inert substances
and the solution rained on the plant using a solution dripper.
The third option places the plants on a film that slightly
slopes, and this allows the solution to trickle down to the
roots of the plants
The fourth way has the plant and its roots suspended in the
air, and the roots are occasionally sprayed with the solution
 mist.
All the methods described above use machines to do one thing or another,
either by the use of a mister, or using a pump to deliver the solution from its
storage area. The solution must also be aerated so that the roots get the
oxygen they require once the solution comes on. Plants need the energy to
absorb the minerals in the solution, and this absorption process requires
energy, which is made possible by respiration.
Is It Hard?
Certainly, setting up and maintaining a hydroponics system can be quite a
difficult task. This is because the plants need an assortment of nutrients, and
each species’ optimal amount of nutrients varies. In addition, each plant’s
nutritional requirements will change as it goes through various developmental
stages. Local conditions such as the hardness of the water to be used also
matters a lot.
It is also a fact that some nutrients are absorbed into the plant much faster
than others which can cause a buildup of some ions in the solution, hence a
change of the solution’s pH. Once the pH is affected, the absorption of other
nutrients by the plant is hindered because the uptake of some nutrients is pH-
dependent, and because the excess availability of some nutrients prevents the
uptake of others. For example, when the ammonia content is very high, the
calcium uptake decreases, and on the other hand, too much calcium reduces
the absorption of magnesium.
Another critical aspect to be careful about is that some elements react with
one another, and form compounds that are difficult to absorb, which means
that they have to be provided at different times.
With the above different variations, a hydroponic farmer must have a good
grasp of the requirements of plants and the interaction of nutrients with each
other, and with the plants themselves. They must carefully monitor the
solutions they provide to the plants and check to see the changes in
concentration that could come about. The alternative option is for the farmer
to invest in an automated hydroponics system, which is quite expensive, to
run the process on his or her behalf.
Farmers are also obliged to take great care of the solutions they are using to
keep them from contamination by unwanted substances. Most choose to
enclose the hydroponics project inside a greenhouse or a building to ensure
that they alone have control of what is going on in the systems. This
limitation also gives the farmers the liberty to optimize on the environmental
influences of the plant, such as the light, carbon dioxide exposure and the
temperatures, all to maximize the yields received.
This means that hydroponics is just not about growing crops without using
soil; it also means that the farmer has absolute control of the plants and their
growing process, at least.
The Science Behind Hydroponics
As a rule, plants need next to no to develop. They can subsist on a
straightforward mix of water, daylight, carbon dioxide and mineral
supplements from the dirt. Plants can change light vitality into concoction
vitality to frame sugars that enable them to develop and continue themselves.
These supplements can be normally happening in soil and are found in most
business manures. Notice that the dirt itself isn't required for plant
development: the plant essentially needs the minerals from the dirt. This is
the essential reason behind hydroponics - every one of the components
required for plant development is equivalent to with conventional soil-based
cultivating. Hydroponics basically removes the dirt necessities.
There are a few distinct sorts of hydroponic frameworks, however, each
depends on similar beginning ideas. Here, we'll inspect each type, find how
and why it's utilized and see which sorts of plants react best to every
strategy.
Back and forth movement Systems require a medium, for example, perlite,
which fills no need other than to give solidness to the plant's underlying
foundations. The plant gets no supplements from the medium itself. Back and
forth movement frameworks incorporate a plate in which the plant is set in a
medium; underneath the plate in a different holder is a store containing water
and mineral arrangements. The water from the store is intermittently
siphoned up into the plate. This floods the plate and enables the plants to
ingest water and supplements. Bit by bit, the water depletes once more into
the repository because of gravity. Back and forth movement frameworks
work best with little plants like herbs and are normally utilized in smaller
hydroponic arrangements, for example, those in the home.
Supplement Film Technique (NFT) is a water-based framework that requires
no dirt or mediums. They're assembled utilizing wooden channels, which
bolster polyethylene film liners. Plants, for example, tomatoes and cucumbers
are set on the channels, and the supplement improved water is siphoned to the
high finish of each channel. The channels slant down, and water is gathered
toward the conclusion to be siphoned back through the framework and
reused. Just plants with enormous built uproot frameworks will work with
this procedure.
Trickle Systems are set up indistinguishable from a back and forth movement
framework, despite the fact that rather than water being siphoned through one
enormous cylinder, it's siphoned through numerous little cylinders and
channels onto the highest point of the plants. This framework is perfect for
plants that don't yet have a created root framework, and as a recurring pattern
framework, works best with smaller plants.
Wick Systems are like rhythmic movement frameworks in that they're
medium-based. Plants are set into a plate loaded up with a medium, for
example, perlite or rockwool. At the base of each root, a nylon rope is set,
which is permitted to dangle openly, reaching out past the base of the plate.
The whole plate is then set over a repository. The nylon ropes retain the water
and supplements, wicking them up to the plant's underlying foundations. This
framework is alluring in light of the fact that it requires no siphons or other
gear to be bought.
Chapter 1: Difference between Hydroponic
Gardening and Traditional Gardening

Both hydroponic and soil gardening methods have their advantages and
disadvantages, and as you continue to read this book you will discover that
not all plants are suitable for hydroponic systems. However, a surprising
number are, including many that you would not think could be grown without
soil, such as potatoes and carrots.
Areas Where Hydroponic Gardening is Better Than Soil Gardening
Hydroponics save space
Hydroponics takes up very little space, and you can grow an indoor
hydroponic system in your room. Besides, the absence of soil means root
systems are short, so you can grow plants closer together and save space.
Weather free growing
The weather can be the biggest hindrance to growing anything outside. In a
hydroponic system, you have full control over the environment and are
growing indoors, so there is no weather to upset your growing plans!
Lower water use
Growing in soil is surprisingly water inefficient, so in an area where water is
expensive or scarce, it is very costly to grow vegetables. However, a
hydroponic system, despite being made up mainly of water, using
significantly less water than growing in soil because it is more efficient in its
use of water.
Fewer pests
Have you ever lost your crop to pests? Had caterpillars devoured your
cauliflower? Pests are a significant problem when growing outside and mean
either companion planting, using a pesticide, or accepting you will lose a
portion of your crop. Hydroponic plants are grown indoors in an enclosed
environment, so the chances of pests are meager. Of course, there is the
chance that you will find the occasional pest, but as you are regularly
checking the system, you tend to spot any pest problems very early on before
they cause much damage.
Fewer diseases
It is very frustrating to lose your entire crop because of a disease. Although
you can spray for many conditions, there are just as many for which there is
no treatment. As you are growing indoors, diseases are very uncommon.
Practicing proper hygiene and quarantining new plants before introducing
them to the system will help to reduce the risk of illness to virtually zero.
Fewer artificial chemicals
Although there is a significant movement away from the use of chemicals in
gardening, they are still introduced into your garden through the wind and
rain. However, some gardeners will use pesticides and artificial fertilizers.
Growing hydroponically, you use far fewer chemicals, which is a huge
benefit for many gardeners.
No digging
A distaste of many gardeners is the need to dig over the soil, hence the
popularity of systems such as the no-dig system involving layering compost
and cardboard. There is no digging involved in hydroponic gardening, as
there is no soil.
Rapid maturing crops
When you grow plants hydroponically, they mature far faster than if they are
grown in soil or even in a greenhouse. Typically, plants will develop in three-
quarters of the usual growing time, but some can mature in up to half the
time. Obviously, this means you can get more crops per year, and when
combined with the next point, has significant benefits for commercial
growers.
Reliable & predictable yields
Growing hydroponically produces very reliable yields because you are not
reliant on the vagrancies of the weather. Yields are typically much higher
because of the consistent growing conditions, producing up to double the
yield.
Lower labor requirement
Because there is less work involved, you just check the pH and nutrient levels
regularly, there is a lot less labor involved.
Higher nutritional content
Scientific analysis of hydroponically grown vegetables has shown that they
contain up to 50% more vitamins and minerals than vegetables grown in soil.
Obviously, this means some health benefits and is a big advantage for many
growers.
Hydroponics uses less water
When grown via a hydroponic system, the plants need less water. When you
water plants that are in the soil, often the water seeps into the ground, and
some water also gets evaporated. But the hydroponic system is much more
water-efficient, and you use 70 to 80% less water.
Hydroponics systems lower, pests, weeds, and diseases
With traditional soil planting the risk of pests, weeds, and diseases increases;
but a hydroponic system deals with this problem almost completely.
Hydroponic systems grow plants faster
Hydroponic systems grow plants twice as fast as traditional methods, which
means you get more harvests every year. The growing cycle is much more
efficient because the plants get everything it needs.
Hydroponics let you adjust nutrient content for different plants
Hydroponics allows you to tweak and adapt nutrients for every plant.
Areas Where Soil Gardening is Better
Lower initial cost
The initial cost of hydroponics can be quite expensive. But soil gardening has
a lower initial price.
No need to use electricity
A light source is needed in several hydroponic gardening techniques. Also,
some systems use power to aerate the roots.
Less risk of bacteria and mold growth
In a hydroponics system, plants grow in a very moist environment. If
precautions are not taken, then there is a susceptible risk of mold and bacteria
growth.
Now you know the main differences between the traditional soil growing
method and the hydroponics system. In the next chapter, we will explore
more in-depth the process of hydroponic gardening.
Chapter 2: Types of Hydroponic Gardening

If we want to become hydroponic gardeners, the first thing we need to do is

understand what options are available to us. This way we can choose a
method that has advantages and disadvantages that are properly in line with
what we are looking for. This means, for example, if we don’t want to risk
clogs, we could avoid using methods that involve pumps. However, if we live
in an area where we have a hard time controlling the amount of light in our
environment, we might find ourselves looking to a system that uses a pump
rather than one of the simpler ones like a deep-water culture in which light
regulation is also important.
Each of these systems offers unique advantages and disadvantages from
which we can choose. But this does not mean that one particular system is
better than another. Like most things in life, the choice of which hydroponic
system to use should be based on your schedule, needs and abilities. For this
reason, I won’t be extolling the virtues of any one particular system. Instead,
we will look at the most popular systems around to see what their benefits are
and what their disadvantages are. This way, you will have the knowledge
necessary to choose the type that is right for you.
Drip System
This system is one of the most popular hydroponic setups but it was actually
invented for outdoor gardens in Israel. At its most simplified, the drip system
uses a pump to keep a drip of nutrient-rich water feeding our plants. The slow
drip, rather than the typical spraying of water we see in gardens, allows for
less water to be used.
Typically, a drip system is designed with two key parts. The first is the
reservoir of nutrient-rich water that will feed the plants. Above this rests the
grow tray in which our plants are potted. A pump is set up in the water and is
connected up into the grow tray. From there, each of the plants will be given
their own drip line. This means if you are growing four plants in your tray,
you would use four drip lines. Sixteen plants, sixteen drip lines. However,
because we want to give the growing medium, that substance you use to
replace soil (and which we’ll be looking at more in chapter three), time to
breathe so as not to drown the plants, these drips will use a timer system. The
growing medium will slowly release the water back down into the reservoir,
creating a closed system.
A drip system offers us great control over the amount of water and nutrients
that our plants are getting. With this system, we are able to control the drip
both by the quantity and by length. This means if we use too much water in
our drip, we can dial it back; or, if our drip is going too long or too short, we
can adjust the timers that we are using to experiment until we find the length
that’s just right. One of the cool things about the drip system is that while it
may take a while to set up and get right in the early period, once we have
everything in place and know our volumes, the system doesn’t require as
much overall maintenance (depending on the particular setup) as other
methods will. Plus, the materials needed to create a drip system aren’t as
costly as some of the others.
However, a drip system still uses a pump and a clogged pump can see our
gardens decimated in merely a few hours. Of course, this depends on the size
of the system. While the drip system is great for large-scale grow operations,
it might be too complex for smaller operations. Some drip systems use what
is called a non-recovery system which means that the water is not circulated
back into the reservoir. These particular systems require less maintenance
than systems which do feedback into the reservoir but in doing so they create
more waste. This means that regardless of the system we use, we either will
require more maintenance or create more waste.
A drip system works well for a variety of herbs and plants ranging from
lettuce, onions, and peas to radishes, cucumbers, strawberries and pumpkins.
It turns out that these systems actually are fantastic for larger plants. They
also work best when making use of a growing medium in which water drains
slowly like peat moss or coconut coir.
So, if you are looking to grow larger plants, the drip system is a great choice.
Drip systems do require a bit of maintenance and they can be slow to set up
at first but once they get going, they offer a high level of control over the
growing process that any gardener would love.
Deep Water Culture
Considered the easiest of the hydroponic systems, a deep-water culture uses a
reservoir system that the roots of the plants are suspended into. Basically, the
plants sit above and instead of dripping water, they just reach down to take
the water they want. This makes the system quite easy to set up.
A deep-water culture gets its name from the use of a deep reservoir and from
how deep the roots go into the water. Other systems, such as the nutrient film
technique, expose the roots of the plants to the air so that they can absorb
plenty of oxygen. With this system we set up a grow tray above our reservoir,
making sure that the material we use stops light getting through the system to
prevent algae from growing inside and messing up the system. From there,
the roots are suspended in the water and the water itself is kept oxygenated
through the use of an air pump. This is done to keep the roots from drowning
in the water.

That’s pretty much it. It wasn’t a joke to say this is among the easiest of the
hydroponic setups to get started with.
Deep water cultures are great for this simplicity but it is far from the only
benefit that they offer. Because there are so few moving parts in a deep-water
culture, they are rather low maintenance. There is an air pump but we don’t
pump water in this system and so the fear of losing our gardens to a faulty
pump is unwarranted here. The easy setup and lower maintenance of these
systems make them great for people first getting into hydroponic gardening
and wanting to see if the approach is right for them.
However, while the deep-water culture’s pump is air-based and so results in
fewer blockages, they are still put at risk by power outages. Because the air
pump is needed to oxygenate the water, a power outage could see your
garden drown. Depending on the size of the system, it can be really tough to
maintain proper pH levels in the water. A smaller system is harder to make
minor changes in pH level to, as going just a little over or under can make a
massive difference at smaller sizes. Finally, it can be really hard to keep a
balanced water temperature in these systems as we have to be careful about
the exposure of the reservoir to light.
Because of the way the system is set up, with the plants resting above the
reservoir, the suitability of crops for the deep-water culture depends on
several key factors. The first key is the weight. If the plants we choose are too
top-heavy, they can risk toppling over and breaking or even causing the
weight of the setup to shift and knocking the top off. That’s a disaster nobody
wants to experience. The other major point is that we need to choose plants
that like water. This means that plants which prefer dry growing conditions
won’t do very well in a deep-water culture. However, plants such as lettuce
which love to soak up water will love this system.
Besides lettuce, some great choices for this system are herbs like basil and
greens like kale, collard greens, chard and sorrel. Bok choy and okra also
grow well in these systems and offer a variety outside of the traditional
vegetables one thinks of as garden veggies.
So if you’re looking to grow some water-loving plants, deep water culture is
a system that is easy to set up and requires little maintenance. However, we
have to be careful about which plants we pick. If they are too top-heavy or
prefer dry conditions, the deep-water reservoir isn’t for them.
Nutrient Film Technique
With the nutrient film technique, we again use a reservoir of water but this
time we are pumping it into a grow tray that has been set up at a slight angle.
Doing it this way means that gravity takes care of getting the nutrient-rich
water from one end of the tray to the other, where it will then drain back into
the reservoir. More information about how we add nutrients to our water is
covered in chapter four. Because of the design, this system is best used for
plants with a smaller root system. The NFT setup is an active system.
The plants in the NFT system only have the ends of their roots touching the
water, so as to keep the roots able to take in precious oxygen which helps
growth. Because the system only uses a little water at a time, the plants are
never drowned in the water.
Because of the way the plants are positioned, it is very easy to check the roots
for disease in the NFT system. The use of a reservoir of water that feeds back
into itself reduces the overall waste of water and the design of the system
makes it easy to scale the project up or down depending on the size needed.
Plus, unlike deep water cultures, it can be fairly easy to get the pH levels
right using an NFT setup.
However, the NFT also relies on a pump and so the risk of pump failure and
the decimation of your crop is still a possibility that one has to look out for.
Because of the way the roots are slotted into the system, they can block up
the flow of water. This is why plants with a large root system like carrots
aren’t a good fit for the NFT system.
Because the roots are not actually in a growing medium like the other
systems we looked at, this means that top-heavy plants don’t work here
either. However, leafy greens like lettuce or fruits like strawberries have
found great success growing through an NFT system.
Ebb and Flow
The ebb and flow system get its name from the periodic flooding and
draining of nutrient-rich water. It is also known, fittingly, like the flood and
drain system. In this system, water floods into the glow tray and soaks the
roots of the plants. Then the water drains back down into the reservoir. Flood,
drain. Flood, drain. Over and over again, hence the name.
In order to get the system to work properly, we need to set up a pump to
flood the grow tray. We set this pump up on a timer rather than let it
constantly flood the grow tray and drown the plants. An overflow tube is set
up in the grow tray so that the water drains back down into the reservoir.
Depending on how we set it up, we might even include an air pump to make
sure that the roots are getting the oxygen that they need.
The nice thing about the ebb and flow system is that it doesn’t cost a lot to
get started, as the materials aren’t particularly hard to get a hold of. This
system makes sure our plants are getting enough nutrients without drowning
due to the easy to build the structure. Once the system is set up, the hardest
part of running it is out of the way. The ebb and flow system is able to run by
itself once set up but you should still do maintenance to ensure everything is
working properly.
Again, this system uses a pump, which means it can break and broken pumps
are notorious for killing off entire gardens. If the structure fails to drain
properly, the plants risk drowning and the pH levels in a broken system can
be harmful to the plants. This is important to know because this system is
prone to breakdowns and so we have to understand which areas a breakdown
affects most.
One of the coolest things about the ebb and flow system is that it can be set
up to allow just about any kind of plant or vegetable. Not so much the plants
that prefer a dry system but the size is not a concern here the way that it was
in the nutrient film technique setup. Because of how easy it is to build the
structure; we can alter it to fit the needs of our plants rather easily.
Wicking
Out of all of the systems we have and will look at, wicking is the easiest. It is
so easy, in fact, that it is often recommended as an entry point to hydroponic
gardening. Wicking is a passive system with very few parts, there are no
water pumps in a wicked system.
In this system, we once again fill a reservoir with water and keep it beneath a
grow tray. This time, however, we don’t use tubing to get the water to the
plants but rather we set up a wicking material like a rope. This wicking
material is placed into the water and threaded up into the grow tray. Our grow
tray is filled with a growing medium that is good at absorbing and keeping
water because this system works very slowly. Water travels the length of the
wick to slowly feed the plants.
This system is great for its simplicity and can serve as an easy way to start
getting into hydroponic gardening. It is also an inexpensive system, making it
that much easier for the novice grower to invest in. Because there is no pump
to break down, this system isn’t at risk for a premature death the way pump-
based systems are. The lack of a pump also means that this system doesn’t
use up electricity and it can be refreshing to those worried about the size of
their power bill.
However, despite its simplicity, there are still downsides to the wicking
system that we have to consider. The system is inefficient at delivering
nutrients, so plants that need a lot of water and nutrients aren’t a very good
match. The system can also see a toxic build-up of nutrients in the growing
medium if we are not careful to observe how much water is getting in and
being used.
Because of the lower water levels in wicking systems, they are best used for
small plants. Lettuce and the smaller of the herbs make good fits for a
wicking system but water-hungry plants like tomatoes would absolutely hate
a wicking system. For this reason, the wicking system doesn’t offer nearly
the same variety as other systems. But that lack of variety is made up for by
the ease of setup, making wicking a great system for those first trying their
hands at hydroponics.
Aeroponics
Saved the most complex for last. Aeroponics does away with the growing
medium and instead leaves the roots of the plants exposed to more oxygen
and so this system tends to see faster growth.
In this system, the roots of the plants hang down in the open air of the
container in which the system is built. At the bottom of the system is our
reservoir of nutrient-rich water. However, the roots don’t dangle down into
the water this time. Instead, we use a pump from the water to spray the plant
roots with the nutrient solution. This pump is of course set up on a timer, to
ensure we aren’t overfeeding the plants. This makes it so that instead of the
plant spending energy to grow out longer roots in search of nutrients, the
nutrients come to the roots so that the plant can focus its growth elsewhere.
This system is great for producing larger plants since they don’t need to focus
on root growth. The lack of a growing medium also means that the roots
don’t need to take hold; we are bringing the nutrients directly onto them. The
exposure of the roots to oxygen also helps to promote growth. This means
that the aeroponic system is known for producing crops with impressive
yields. This system also doesn’t require a lot of space can so it can be built to
be fairly mobile. Because of the lack of a growing medium, the aeroponic
system is rather easy to clean.
We have to make sure to clean it because the constantly wet atmosphere of
the system makes for an environment in which bacteria and fungi can thrive.
The system is also very much prone to failures related to pumps and loss of
power, which we’ve seen can be a major killer of our hydroponic gardens.
The setup of an aeroponic garden also costs more than the other systems and
it is the most technical of the hydroponic systems, which means the
knowledge to entry is much higher as well. They also require constant
supervision to protect against root diseases, fungi and to monitor pH levels
and the density of the nutrient solution.
However, this system allows for bigger yields and the system can be used to
grow almost any kind of plant. This means that the variety the aeroponic
system offers is unparalleled compared to the other systems we have looked
at.
Chapter 3: How to Build a Hydroponic System

We have every reason to prepare in good faith for our experiments and, from
the very beginning, to eliminate all sources of possible failures. It is
extremely annoying to stop a well-started experiment without achieving
results, just because not enough attention was paid to some “trifle”. About
vessels for experiments should not say much. Their size and shape can be
completely arbitrary. Of course, they should not leak water at all and should
not in any way affect the properties of the nutrient solution. Therefore, it is
not permissible for the walls of the vessels to secrete any substance or absorb
anything from the solution.

Building Your Own Hydroponic System

A wide variety of materials from which experimental vessels can be made
(metals, plastic, ceramics, porcelain, concrete, etc.). It compels us to give one
completely justified advice: each vessel should be covered with an insulating
layer in places where its surface comes into contact with the nutrient
solution. Double coating with good bitumen paint fully meets the purpose
and eliminates unpleasant surprises. However, in this case, you should not
confuse bitumen paint with often very similar preparations from coal tar
containing substances poisonous to plants.
Earth excavations, wooden troughs, and other tanks can be made waterproof
with plastic films. Many amateur and vegetable growers-producers use
earthen ditches for growing plants, and these dredges fully justify themselves
provided that they were coated with phenol-free films. The fact is that some
of the plastic films, in contact with the nutrient solution, release substances
poisonous to plants. For this reason, you have to constantly recommend when
you buy a film and indicate its intended purpose. In this case, you will be
offered the most suitable type of film.
Substrates or Fillers
What requirements should material use as a substrate meet? It must be a
substance with the following properties:

with rather large particles that would not spill out between
the battens of the crate or between the mesh cells;
 able to absorb and retain a large amount of water so that it is
not required to moisturize it daily with a nutrient solution;
resistant against decomposition and not able to rot;
chemically neutral, that is, one that does not emit any
products that can damage plants, and in no way affects the
nutrient solution.

What materials meet these requirements and which of them can we use?
The cultural substrate in which the plants will take root must be selected very
carefully and, if necessary, subjected to preliminary processing. In recent
years, suitability for this series of materials has been studied, many of which
have been deemed suitable. We will consider only the most important of
them, which have already become widespread.
In principle, it can be stated that all used cultural substrates differ in the
following qualities:

they are chemically neutral and, thus, have no effect on the

properties and chemical composition of the nutrient solution;
high resistance to weathering and decomposition allows them
to maintain their structure for a long time;
they are loose, and you can dig into them with your bare
hands without fear of injury;
they are all more or less hygroscopic and, thus, provide
capillary lifting of liquids.

We now turn to the description of individual materials that have passed the
test in practice. Let's start with the substrate, which is often indicated in the
literature as ideal. Since recently it can be purchased in many and most
countries, it may be of interest to us as well. Let’s see what experts say about
“vermiculite”.
“Vermiculites” are secondary minerals that have arisen as a result of
hydrothermal changes in two types of mica: biotite and phlogopite. These are
water-containing magnesium-aluminum silicates, mostly found as inclusions
in such highly basic rocks as dunite, serpentine, and pyroxenite, and often,
and vice versa, including these rocks. So far, deposits of vermiculite have
been discovered in South Africa (Transvaal), Tanganyika, USA (Colorado,
Montana), Western Australia, the USSR (Urals), and Japan.
Now, 17 varieties of vermiculite are already known. The following
composition can be indicated as an approximate composition: 5% AL2O3,
Fe2O3, 22% SiO2, 40% H2O2. Vermiculite ore is stratified like mica and is
colored from dark yellow-brown to light brownish yellow, green or
bronze. The specific gravity of the rock is 2.3 - 2.9, and after stratification -
0.9. Hardness 1.5, melting point about 1360 degrees, water content 4 to
20%. Mining is carried out in open pits and to a lesser extent by explosive
means. The rock is coarsely ground and dried to facilitate further
processing. After this, the rock is milled and sorted by particle size using
pneumatic devices. Heating the ore to dry it is permissible only for a short
time and not more than 140 degrees.
The value of vermiculite lies in its property to increase in volume when
heated by almost 15 times. Heating causes the conversion of chemically
bound water into steam, separating microscopic plates that are layered on top
of each other. At a temperature of 900-1100 degrees, the ore is brought to a
red glow, but this temperature should not be maintained for more than 4-8
seconds. After that, the ore is cooled as quickly. As a result of these two
processes, it turns into a granular, extremely light, stable, free-flowing
product. This treatment of vermiculite is called delamination. After
processing, the final product turns from silver to gold.
The following properties make layered vermiculite valuable and explain the
rapid growth of its use, limited only by its insufficient production: low weight
(1 cubic meter weighs 100-125 kg), incombustibility, impermeability (only
6.2% moisture after content at 100% relative humidity for 300 hours),
indestructibility, indecomposability, resistance to insects and rodents, and
above all an insulating effect in relation to heat, cold, sound, and electricity.
Here is the complete chemical composition of South African vermiculite:
SiO2 - 39.37; TiO2 - 1.25; Al2O2 - 12.08; Fe2O3 - 5.48; FeO - 1.17; MnO -
0.30; MgO - 23.37; CaO - 1.46; Na2O - 0.80; K2O - 2.46; H2O - 11.09, CO2
- 0.60; P2O5 - 0.15; Li2O - 0.03; BaO - 0.03; Cl - 0.02; SO3 - 0.02; S - 0.18;
* at 105C. From this technical description, we can conclude that layered-in
vermiculite is an ideal material as a substrate for growing plants without soil:
it is chemically inert, free-flowing, absorbs water well, and retains its
structure perfectly. According to US practice, it can be used to grow plants
without any pre-treatment.
In Europe, coarse-grained pumice and foamy lava are currently preferred. We
are talking about igneous rocks, somewhat similar to a sponge, and therefore,
have extremely high absorption capacity. Both breeds have a stable structure
and loose, but their chemical properties are not ideal. They contain quite a lot
of free lime and other compounds, which subsequently very readily enter into
undesirable exchange reactions with a nutrient solution. In this case, various
important components of the nutrient solution pass into a form in which they
can no longer be absorbed by plants.
However, these shortcomings can be eliminated through very simple
operations. So, for example, we can wash gravel from the pumice of highly
diluted sulfuric acid until the evolution of gas bubbles ceases. After this, the
gravel from which the lime has been removed is left for many hours in clean
water, after which it is thoroughly washed in running water. At the end of the
flushing, such gravel can be used without any concern.
Another method of neutralizing gravel is keeping it for a day in a solution of
superphosphate in boiled water (750 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of
water). After a day, the excess solution is drained, and the gravel is washed
with clean water, which ends its processing.
In many areas, you can easily purchase blast furnace slag, which after special
treatment can also be used as a substrate. What is this? It is made from the
slag from blast furnaces, a liquid by-product of iron smelting, converted by
the action of water vapor into a gravel-like, highly porous material.
Unfortunately, blast furnace slag has even higher alkalinity than pumice or
foamy lava (up to 43% CaO). Despite this, it can be prepared in the same way
as pumice, but only in this case, you need to be even more careful to
completely remove lime from the substrate. The advantage of thermite is its
low cost, which compares very favorably with the previously mentioned
materials. For the same reasons, special attention should be paid to coal slag,
which can be purchased at a very low price.
For the profitability of industrial soilless plants in most cases, the cost of the
culture substrate is a significant burden. Therefore, it is quite natural that the
search for cheap substitutes for pumice and similar materials began long
ago. Suitable slags are substitutes that are found to be complete in all
respects. Amateur gardeners are fortunate in that they can benefit from the
experience already gained in the production environment.
Suitable for use are well-calcined coal or coke slag; all other types of slag
(for example, brown coal slag) are generally unsuitable for this purpose. The
required amount of slag is thoroughly cleaned of foreign debris and then
mechanically crushed.
With a large demand for production plants in the substrate, stone crushing
machines are mostly used for grinding slag, but we will do with a simple
tamper and sledgehammer. From the crushed substrate, we need to select
fractions with a particle diameter of 0-15 mm, and here, our assistants will be
sieves with the corresponding hole diameter. After that, it is checked whether
the substrate needs preliminary chemical treatment.
There can be quite a big difference between the two types of slag, especially
regarding their suitability for growing plants without soil. Source material,
combustion temperature, and other factors play an important role. It is often
necessary to pre-treat the slag to remove toxic substances from it, especially
sulfur compounds and, of course, lime.
The test is very simple. About 1 liter of the test material is taken from the
slag mass and poured into a glass jar for canning. About 0.5 l of water is
poured into the second jar of the same and very carefully add an equal
amount of concentrated sulfuric acid to this jar (Sulfuric acid is diluted by
pouring it into the water, but you can never pour water into acid. This is very
dangerous!). This diluted acid is poured into the slag until it is completely
coated with the solution. If foam begins to form on the surface of the
solution, gas bubbles with the smell of rotten eggs appear, then all the slag
must be chemically treated. However, if nothing like this happens, then we
are extremely lucky and managed to get a completely usable slag.
The small amounts of slag required for our purposes are best immediately
poured into vessels coated with bitumen paint and filled with sulfuric acid
diluted in a ratio of 1:10 (10 l of water per 1 l of acid). After waiting when
the formation of foam and gas bubbles ceases, a small sample is again taken
from the water-washed slag and subjected to the above test with an acid in a
glass jar. This is necessary because it is very likely that the first pretreatment
of all substrate weights could be insufficient to convert all hazardous
compounds into gaseous hydrogen sulfide (with the smell of rotten eggs) or
into water-soluble sulfates. Thus, if foam appears again in the glass jar and
gas bubbles rise, then the whole procedure should be repeated with a freshly
prepared acid solution.
Before the final use of the slag, it is very thoroughly washed with ordinary
water to remove all compounds that have been converted into a soluble state
as a result of processing, as well as sulfuric acid residues. To verify the
completeness of acid removal in drain water (after repeated washing), a
litmus paper is lowered (such paper will be needed in the future to check the
pH of the nutrient solution); in this case, only a slightly acidic reaction is
permissible. After that, the slag is ready for consumption.
We will not hide that slags, in one respect, do not quite meet our
requirements: the sharp edges of the particles make the slag somewhat less
loose and you have to work with it more carefully. However, this
disadvantage can be largely eliminated by adding to the slag (before the
treatment just described) about 10% silica sand.
Quartz sand, basalt chips, and crushed granite are chemically neutral due to
the high content of silicates in them. Unfortunately, they do not absorb
moisture and their particles have very sharp edges (in particular, granite and
basalt). They can at best be used as impurities to other materials, such as slag
or pumice.
When growing certain crops that prefer moderately moist habitats (such as
cacti, etc.), it is very useful to add basalt chips to other water-absorbing
substrates.
We refrain from using crumb brick, although it was often recommended in
some previous publications. Here, in most cases, you have to reckon with a
very high content of lime, which must be removed. In addition, the crumb
brick does not have a particularly stable structure. After a very short time,
sludge deposits form at the bottom of our earthen excavation or vessel, which
is agitated when the nutrient solution is drained and leads to blockage of
pipes and other interferences. The nutrient solution itself is colored with silt
in a reddish color, which complicates the analysis of the solution, and in
some cases simply makes it impossible. Finally, in the brick crumb, very
often, there are many extraneous impurities of an indeterminate nature
(resins, metals, etc.), which, as substances, that are potentially toxic to plants.
In recent studies, it was possible to prove that the presence of humic
substances in the cultural substrate of a plant for growing plants without soil
has a direct and beneficial effect on plants. This in no way contradicts our
previous reasoning, since humic substances, in this case, do not act as a
source of plant nutrition. The action of humic substances is manifested due to
the following features.

They contribute to the absorption of nutrients because they

increase the solubility of mineral salts and prevent them from
precipitating from solution (the formation of complexes with
organic compounds). In addition, it turned out that plant
roots coated with a layer of humic substances better absorb
inorganic nutrients.

Due to the presence of humic substances, the nutrient

solution acquires "buffering", that is, greater resistance to
reaction bias.

Humus contains various soluble humic substances or related

products such as antibiotics, growth substances, estrogen
substances, etc., which can be absorbed by the plant and
contribute to its better development.

Given these circumstances, it is not difficult to understand why, at present,

some organic matter, mostly peat, is willingly mixed into the substrate. A
mixture of half volumes of inorganic gravel and peat has proven itself, and in
some places, they work successfully with pure peat. In the following, we will
return to this issue and trace the development of individual plants in pure
gravel, as well as for comparison in a mixture of gravel with peat or in pure
peat. In this case, it is necessary to carefully note which particular plant
species respond particularly well to the presence of humic substances.
The substrate from a mixture of peat chips and bed peat is well aerated. No
matter how wet the substrate is, the roots of the plants still get enough oxygen
for respiration, in addition, this mixture does not melt. Peat is difficult to
decompose, and even with strong moisture and high temperature, it is
unlikely to rot.
Chapter 4: Good Plants for Hydroponic System
(Vegetables, Fruits, Flowers and Herbs)

Valerian

Valerian is a herbaceous plant that originates in central Europe and Asia but
is now widespread also in western Europe and North America. The valerian
develops very broadly and can reach a height of one and a half meters. The
rhizome of the valerian plant is composed of many roots that are
characterized by an unpleasant smell.
The typical environment of the valerian is the areas rich in humidity, the
margins of the courses of the rivers, woods, etc. However, we can cultivate it
very well even in our gardens when it has no particular needs. The optimal
climate for the cultivation of valerian is the temperate one, however, this
plant can withstand even temperatures of fifteen degrees below zero; likes
sun exposure but also semi-shaded.
Valerian is multiplied by seed, by the division of the rhizome or tuft. Before
proceeding with sowing, the soil will be worked deeply. If seed
multiplication is chosen, it will be done during the spring period starting from
the seedbed; this operation takes a long time because the valerian has a very
slow development.
Basil

Basil is one of the most cultivated aromatic plants in Italy; in fact, it is a

small herbaceous plant, native to Asia, which came to Europe centuries ago,
and has been cultivated both in Europe and in Asia for a very long time. In
fact, the basil we are used to eating and seeing in the garden is a hybrid plant,
whose botanical name is Ocimum Basilicum "Genoese”, testimony to the city
where the use of basil is more widespread. It is a perennial plant, generally
cultivated as an annual, as it fears the cold, and temperatures below 10°C
cause its rapid deterioration. Basil, as we know it, is just one of several
varieties spread in cultivation; in fact, in the Italian kitchen we particularly
appreciate the so-called sweet basil, with a large leaf and a delicate aroma

Borage

Borage alias cucumber. Borage has a taste of fresh green cucumber, which
makes it excellent in salads or on spreads. In medicine, the seeds of the plant
or the borage oil derived from it are used mainly for skin complaints.
Watercress
Watercress, also called bach or watercress, botanically belongs to the family
brassica (Brassicaceae). In addition to the genuine watercress (nasturtium
officinale), the small-leaved watercress (nasturtium microphyllum) is very
common in Germany. The original range of the two species probably
extended over Europe, North Africa, and southwest Asia. Meanwhile,
watercress as a neophyte, however, can be found almost worldwide. It likes
to settle on shady, clear, shallow waters with a slight current, for example, at
sources or in the shallow riparian zones of clean streams. Watercress is a
beautiful water plant for gardens: it does not only look pretty, but it is also
delicious. Watercress: location, and cultivation.
Watercress is a marsh and aquatic plant and thrives best in water depths of 5
to 20 centimeters. It is, therefore, quite expensive to grow them in gardens.
A natural source of water is best for planting watercress. Which makes it
suitable for hydroponics. It often grows in nature at the edge of small streams
and moats.
You can grow watercress in the pot by pressing the seeds lightly on the
ground and keeping them moist. At a temperature of 20 degrees, the seeds
begin to germinate after about a week. If the young plants have reached a
height of 8 to 10 centimeters, you can put them at the appropriate watering
place.
The true watercress was already in ancient times as a medicinal plant
cultured. Due to its high vitamin c content, the plant was especially valued as
an anti-scurvy. It is also considered a blood purifier. Its name derives from
the Latin name "nasus tortus”, a twisted nose in English - an expression that
results from the reaction to the consumption of the slightly pungent cress
type.
The cultivation of watercress is worthwhile not only because of the beautiful
sight, but it is also extremely healthy: watercress is rich in vitamins c, a, k,
and b2 and was, therefore, one of the few foods in the winter months against
scurvy. In addition, it contains iodine, iron, and calcium, as well as mustard
oils. They provide a slightly pungent taste and have an antibacterial and
digestive effect.
In natural medicine, the fresh leaves of watercress are recommended as a
home remedy for cystitis and congested respiratory tract and to stimulate
digestion and kidney activity.
Angelica
The angelica is one of the few medicinal plants that are native to northern
Europe and from the north - Greenland and Iceland - by planting in the
medieval monastery gardens in the 14th century. Central Europe has become
their habitat. For about 500 years, the effects of this magnificent and stately
plant in herbal books are described. The spectrum ranges from folk medicine
to modern phytotherapy, from the protection against a plague disease to the
magenta therapeutic. Its manifold application in the past has brought the
angelica also many more names, so we find for them names such as
butterbur, theraminwurz, brustwurz, heiliggeistwurz, according to their
preferred use. In the alpine region, we often find the wild angelica or
waldengelwurz - angelica sylvestris l. Although it also reaches a height of
more than one meter and is thus an attractive umbelliferae in the landscape
From these effects, the following fields of application for this aromatic
amarum (bitter agent) can be derived: loss of appetite can thus be favorably
influenced; if dyspeptic symptoms and mild gastrointestinal spasms are
present, these can be well removed with preparations from the root of the
angelica. Often, feelings of fullness and bloating are triggered by stressful
situations that also respond well to this medicinal plant.
In addition to the medicinal use of the angelica root, it is also processed in
herb schnapps, liqueurs, and another digestive (digestive preparations); but
also, the seasoning of sauces, salads, and other foods is the tart aroma of
angelica. The flower stems of the plant are used for candying and thus form a
sweet variation in Austrian pastry art.

Fennel

Fennel is native to the Mediterranean but is now grown worldwide. There are
various sub-forms, of which the seeds and the fennel green are used for
seasoning or the fennel tuber as vegetables.
Fennel has a sweet, aniseed taste. The leaves and tubers are used, especially
in the Mediterranean cuisine for fish and salads. The seeds spice soups,
sauces, grilled meat, and fish, but also taste in bread and cake in alcoholic
drinks such as pastis or absinthe, fennel rounds off the taste of anise.
Fennel needs warm and sunny locations with light, not too moist soil; it is
relatively sensitive. As medicinal plant fennel has many effects: it helps
against flatulence and abdominal pain, in diseases of the upper respiratory
tract and as an infusion against eye pain and inflamed eyelids.
Cucumbers

Hydroculture for cucumbers with your own hands will be very welcome in
the economy if you want to get a good harvest of this vegetable quickly.
Cucumbers are climbers, so it is better in small hydroponics to sow them
along the wall of the pallet, and after the shoots appear, bind them to the
installed at an angle stops. This method helps breeders looking for a way to
grow cucumbers quickly. Such placement of cucumbers does not disturb
other plants that may also be in this range, and the bound cucumbers
eventually produce fruits of much higher quality. Optimal growth of
cucumbers contributes to the bright day up to 14 hours.
Varieties of cucumbers for growing in hydroponics
The most popular cucumbers for hydroponic cultivation are "European"
or "long English" cucumbers. Beit alpha (ba), Japanese or Persian varieties
are becoming increasingly popular (photo 2). They are similar to the
European cucumbers but are smaller (usually 10-15 cm) and in contrast to the
European cucumbers with an average size of 30 to 35 cm. These cucumbers
are gutted and have thin skin and do not need to be cleaned when preparing
salads. Due to its thin skin, the necessary moisture in the room must be
maintained to avoid weight loss. European species - occupy the second place
for hydroponic crops with high yields in confined spaces. Unlike tomato
plantations, which are more robust, cucumber is more tender. They must be
constantly kept under special growth conditions in order to achieve maximum
yields. When cucumbers are left unattended, they quickly get entangled, and
yields drop dramatically. They are then almost impossible to untangle, unlike
tomatoes. Therefore, proper care is required throughout the growth cycle.
What you need to grow cucumbers in hydroponics
If you want to grow tomatoes and cucumbers in your own cottage, you will
need to purchase a hydroponic installation. If the purchase is not possible,
you can create it yourself. This requires:

Expanded clay
Plastic pipes for further planting
Pump
Mineral wool
Mineral fertilizers
Compost layer
Selected medium gravel
Capacity for plants, mostly glasses
Water

The technology of growing cucumbers with hydroponics

Hydroponics will help to cultivate cucumbers in the home, comparable to
those grown in the garden. It is necessary to follow the technology of
cultivation strictly.
Sowing seeds in cassettes
First, the cork stoppers are soaked in a nutrient solution; then, a cucumber
core is placed in the centre of each cork. Hydroponics contains many
nutrients in the solution that help to saturate the seed from within. Powder
vermiculite will help to create an optimal humid environment. After planting,
the seeds of the cassette are covered with a plastic wrap, which is removed
after 3 days. The temperature to be followed is 23-25 ° c.
Replanting sprouts into cubes
Cubes, such as cassettes, are subjected to a solution treatment (as described in
the article) to prepare a hydroponic solution, after which seven days of shoots
can be transferred there. You should take a seedling with a cork and transfer
it to a cube to reduce the temperature by 1 degree. The increased distance
between the cubes contributes to the normal development of the plants.
Sprouting seedlings in such conditions are 1.5 months.
Transplanting cucumber seedlings in mats
Before you plant cucumbers at home, the mats must be soaked in a solution.
Make small holes in the packaging that serve as a drainage function. It should
take place at a temperature of +22-25°C. After the beginning of flowering,
the seedling forms a stem, after which the fifth leaf must remove all flowers.
The germination of the roots in the mat should be done at a temperature of
+21-22 °C.
Features care for cucumbers
If we have decided to grow cucumbers at home, we have to take good care of
them. Before the formation of the first fruit, the stalk must be constantly
removed. As the number of cucumbers increases, it is worthwhile to control
the transition from vegetative to generative growth. Cucumbers should be
carefully watered, with sprinkling begun 2 hours after sunrise and 2 hours
before sunset to avoid deformation of the fruit. The temperature should not
exceed + 19-22°C and + 24°C on sunny days. It is necessary to ventilate the
greenhouse regularly, maintaining a humidity of 70-80% to avoid mildew and
botrytis.
Advantages and disadvantages of growing cucumbers with hydroponics
The advantages of hydroponics are:

The fast growth of cucumbers

Fruit does not accumulate harmful chemicals, which has a

positive effect on human health.
Space-saving in a similar type of cultivation,
 If necessary, plants can be transplanted to another location,
One of the main advantages of the method is that no land is
needed, which is particularly important in areas with a lack
of fertile land.
Cucumbers do not need to be poured frequently.
There are virtually no disadvantages to this type of cultivation, but there are
negative features:

Spending on equipment
Performing frequent monitoring of the temperature regime of plants.

Tomatoes

Hydroponic seedlings, including tomatoes, are grown in small pots floating

or suspended over water so that the tomato roots absorb the necessary amount
of nutrient-rich water necessary for the tomatoes or other hydroponic plants
to grow. An unsinkable support system must first be built or purchased in
order to plant and grow using the hydroponic method.
Instructions
Purchase hydroponic plant trays for growing tomatoes. Trays with larger
holes are used to better support adult tomato plants (remember, if you want to
grow the tomatoes completely in the hydroponic beds or pimp them in a
garden or pot during the warm growing season).
Use a cutter to cut larger holes in hydroponic plant trays with holes for adult
tomato plants too small. Be careful not to let the lower ends taper conically to
allow the root system to fall through to provide better watering results.
Purchase or build a waterbed to place the trays. Build the beds of wooden
frames on the inside covered with a single solid sheet or plastic.
Fill the plant tray holes halfway down the ground and drop a tomato seed into
each hole. Cover the seeds, fill the tray with holes, and then place in the
waterbeds, where the trays remain over water at the surface of the water, with
only enough of the tray so that the tomato plant roots can absorb the
necessary amount of water.
Tips and warnings
Monitor the growth of the plants. Of course, as the plants grow, they will
become heavier; if the plants are too heavy to be supported by the trays, you
will need to use other materials to support the trays. You do not want to soil
the trays by more than an inch deep and risk drowning the root system of the
tomatoes. Bricks work to support the shells and prevent them from sinking
too deep into the water.
Chapter 5: Maintenance of a Hydroponic System

Hydroponic gardens need to have proper care and maintenance, or they will
not produce healthy plants. Not only do they need to be constantly cleaned,
but there are various maintenance checks that need to be carried out in order
to make sure the system remains functioning correctly.
A faulty drain or a leaky pipe or switch could do serious damage to a
hydroponic garden as most of the systems rely on their equipment and parts
to work smoothly.
Cleanliness
In order to stop the build-up of algae, mold, and fungus or to stop attracting
pests, keep the growing room as clean as possible.
Equipment should be flushed and cleaned at least twice a month to maintain
water levels, stop algae growth, and ensure that there are no pests lurking
about the system.
In order to stop pests and various fungal growth, growers should always
make sure their hands are clean. Hands should be kept washed especially
after handling anything that was dirty or in contact with a harmful substance.
Do not let old fallen leaves, stems, fruit, produce or growing media or even
pots or discarded trays lie around the growing areas. Rather throw out any
debris or broken items, and wash and pack away any unused equipment.
Wash all equipment after use and only reuse a growing medium if it can be
reused and it has been thoroughly washed and sterilized. In fact, all growing
mediums, whether old or new, should be thoroughly washed before being
used as not to contaminate the grow pots, grow trays, and the reservoir.
Keeping the growing area and equipment clean cuts down on the chances of
infestation and development of frustrating diseases that are a nuisance to get
rid of.
Nutrient Solution
The proper nutrient solution for the plant type and system type should be
used at the correct ratio of solution to water.
Only use good quality nutrient solutions with an organic base. Advance
nutrients are only required should there be a problem that needs to be fixed,
such as a nutrient deficiency in a plant.
The nutrient solution balance should be checked on a regular basis especially
is it is a recovery system where the solution is being continuously recycled.
Make sure that the solution is flushed and completely refreshed on a regular
basis and that there is no salt buildup since this is very acidic and toxic to the
plants.
Watering
Watering is done in many different ways and is delivered to each of the
hydroponic systems differently.
Make sure the water is always fresh and checked on a regular basis. Algae is
a common problem, as is nutrient build up in the system. An oxygen pump
should be installed in order to ensure the water is being well hydrated and to
keep the water fresher for longer.
Water solutions can come from the tap, drain systems, or rain collection
tanks.
Watering can be on a continuous flow basis or set by a timer that switches on
and off at different intervals during the day.
If possible, a person should always have a backup water solution available in
case of an emergency and their primary watering source is unavailable. Some
plants are very sensitive to their watering schedule and even a few minute's
downtimes and a missed watering schedule can cause some damage.
Reservoir Temperature
The water in the reservoir should be around 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit,
which is the basic room temperature. Water that is either too hot or too cold
can damage the plant's root systems and their leaves.
The reservoir should be topped off with water in order to keep pH and
nutrient levels constant. Change out the water on a regular basis.
Humidity
Different plants and hydroponic systems need the humidity to be on different
levels. There are thermometers that can measure the humidity and
temperature to ensure that the plants are comfortable. Keeping an optimum
level does not encourage the growth of unwanted diseases and fungi.
Make sure plants that love the hotter temperatures get enough humidity by
giving them a regular misting spray. This will help to keep the humidity
constant for the plants that do not like too much humidity.
Inspect the Equipment
The equipment should be thoroughly inspected on a regular basis.
There are a lot of things that can go wrong in a hydroponic system, especially
with the equipment. And the best way to troubleshoot is to try to avoid as
many equipment malfunctions as possible.
The best way to inspect equipment is to keep the entire system in mind.
When doing the inspection starts at one point and work your way through
your system.
Start with the reservoir and all the systems that are dependent on it.
● Water feeding pipe
○ This should be thoroughly checked for crimps that may not be
feeding the solution correctly.
○ Nutrients build up in the pipes so they may need thorough
flushing out or replacing.
○ Check for any blockages in the pipe.
○ Check for any holes or leaks that could deter the flow of water
pressure in the pipe.
○ Check for any algae or mold that may be growing in or around
the pipe.
○ Determine if it may be time to replace the hoses.
○ Give them a good cleaning if they are still viable.
● Nozzles and hoses
○ Check the nozzles that feed the root systems, sprinklers, or
misting systems.
○ When last were they changed?
○ Check for blockages or leakage.
○ Check any joins and washers for leaks.
○ Check for sediment build-up, algae, or mold growing in or
 around these attachments.
○ Give them a good cleaning if they are still usable.
● Drain siphons and hoses
○ Check the drain pipes for blockages
○ When last were they replaced?
○ Check for leaks.
○ Check for algae or mold growing in or around these pipes.
○ They may need to have a good cleaning as part of the system
maintenance.
● Check the reservoir water pump
○ Test the pump
○ Make sure it is still working correctly and pumping the water at
the optimum flow.
○ Check that all pump attachments are not leaking air.
● Check the reservoir
○ Check that there is no build-up, algae, or mold growing on the
reservoir.
○ Check for any leaks.
○ Make sure the water is at the optimum temperature for the
hydroponic system and plants.
○ Check that any air pumps are functioning correctly and
adequately oxygenating the tank.
○ Make sure any oxygen stones do not have unwanted algae or
mold growth on them
● Growing trays
○ Make sure the growing tray(s) do not have any leaks in them.
○ Make sure the growing tray(s) are clean and have not unwanted
algae or mold growing on them.
○ Clean off any nutrient build-up and make sure the trays are clean.
○ For a closed system, the trays must be given thorough flushing
out.
● Growing pots
○ Check that each of the pots is still intact and not broken.
 ○ Replace any that are not functioning correctly.
○ Make sure any growing medium is clean and does not have any
unwanted algae or mold growing on them that could upset the
plant's natural balance.
● Lighting equipment
○ Check that the bulbs are still functioning correctly.
○ Check that the lighting is still adequate for the environment.
○ Check the timers are working correctly.
○ Clean any residue off the lighting system.
Temperature
○ Make sure that any thermostat is working correctly, and that
room temperature is normal.
○ Check that the humidity is correct for the growing environment.
○ Check both the temperature and humidity thermometers to
ensure that they are still working correctly.
Ventilation
○ Make sure that there is adequate ventilation in the growing room.
○ Not enough ventilation can cause mold.
○ Check that all fans and cooling systems are working correctly.
● Support Systems
○ Check that any hanging supports for the plants are working
without causing the plant or system any undue stress.
○ Make sure that the environment in which the hydroponic system
is housed offers the correct infrastructure for the system to
function correctly.
○ Make sure the plants are all supported and planted correctly to
ensure a successful infrastructure.
Tools
○ Are all the gardening tools in working order?
○ Are they cleaned?
○ Are there any that may need to be replaced?
Look at Your Plants
Make sure you keep a vigilant check on your growing plants. Measure their
growth rate, root growth and when they are ready to harvest.
This gives a person a good measure of how the next batch should perform
and something by which to determine if the growing medium, solution, or
systems structure may need to be changed or optimized.
The plants must also be checked to make sure they are getting enough
nutrients, they are growing as they should, and there are no pests or other
infestations. A lot of growing problems and deficiencies can be caused by
various infestations. Some are easy to spot, others may take more of an
experienced eye, but as a gardener gets to know their plants they will come to
instinctively know when something is wrong.
Look for the signs in seedlings such as slow growth, looking sad and droopy,
white fluffy stuff growing on the leaves, etc.
Take the time to look over the plants; do not just rush through it. If there are a
lot of plants to look over, break them into sections and do a revolving sweep
of one section on this day, and the next section on another.
If there is an outbreak, you will need to go through the entire growing area
right away.
Spending time with the plants in a hydroponic environment can also be quite
good for the mind and spirit. Plants and running water are rather therapeutic
and can reduce stress, anxiety and ease tension.
Change One Thing at a Time
If you are wanting to change or expand your system, do not try and do it all at
once.
Choose a section to change, switch it around, or upgrade and start with that.
Before rushing out and buying expensive parts, why not try a bit of DIY and
try to make it yourself. Or at least look around to see what you have available
before rushing off to spend more money on an item you do not really need.
Hydroponic systems are not only flexible and versatile in what they can grow
or how they deliver their solutions, but they can also be easily adapted to suit
the grower's needs and lifestyle.
There are so many great DIY ideas on how to create the perfect hydroponic
garden online these days that it is well worth a try. The money you save
building the system yourself can be better spent on plants, growing media, or
nutrient solutions.
In order to keep a system simple and working for you, think carefully about
an upgrade or addition. Plot it out and then work through one section at a
time getting that part right before moving on to the next.
Chapter 6: Pest Prevention and Troubleshooting

Nutrition for hydroponics:

There are some basics of the hydroponic system, and nutrients are one of
them. This section will help you understand all you need to know about
applying and giving your crops the right nutrients for its survival in the
system.
Since you need to meet all your plant needs, then you will have to know what
you are supplying to the plant and what can be wrong if you do it too much or
do not do it at all. Just as with any nutrient media, there are two things that
you need to keep in your mind just as you are about to begin your
hydroponic; the composition of the nutrient and the fact about all the
nutrients that are supposed to contain. Secondly, you have to know what
strength of this nutrient is needed for the particular crop that you are planting.
This is very important as the survival of your crop is based on your
understanding of this.
Composition of the nutrient solution
Several persons who grow the hydroponic system would want to buy a
premixed media or nutrient solution, and this even needs to be diluted in
water before use. Some of these already made nutrients usually come in 2,3
or even more parts, this is so that the grower can diversify the ratio of the
mineral elements, and this can allow for a very productive vegetative growth
for all the crops.
There are good brands of the already made nutrients in the market, but then
you can easily have some challenges when you want to use them; this is
because they have already been prepared for plants that would grow on soil
hence have to be taken when you want to feed them to your plant in the
hydroponic system.
However, there is a nutrient mix that is hydroponic specific, and you should
get these; for the nutrient mix to be seen as complete, then they have to
contain these elements. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sulfur,
magnesium, manganese, copper, Iron, Boron Chlorine, Molybdate.
The concentration of these elements in your nutrient mix and then the right
concentration that is best for your plant depends on the brand of the product
of the nutrient mix you purchase. This is so because there is no specific
recommendation for the concentrations. Some brands may also contain
elements like Cobalt, Silica, Nickel, or selenium. While these are not so
essential, plants can grow very well without them, yet they are quite needed
for the optimum growth of many crops.
Problems with nutrients:
Whether you choose to make your nutrient solution from the different
fertilizer salt or you buy an already made nutrient mix, you are also prone to
encountering problems, and this usually appears as the deficiency; that is, the
plant can come up with the deficiency of several nutrients. A good reason for
this is a case where the nutrient is too low than the required needed
concentration; the formula you are using not being balanced; some other
times, growers may skip a particular nutrient salt or altogether use a wrong
fertilizer when trying to weigh out the nutrient formula.
Also, even when all the factors are set right, the plant can have some internal
issues that would prevent it from taking up nutrients; this can lead to
deficiency and symptoms that can result.
Signs of Deficiency:
Several signs will detect deficiency when the necessary nutrients are lacking
in the plants. These symptoms are quickly traced to the nutrients that are
being required, and then they are supplied quickly. The growers will need to
know these signs for easy detection.
A lot of these signs are quite easily detected, and they can be also similar to
the other deficiency. Some of them, however, are quite distinct, but then
since we are giving you quite something to worth your while, it is okay that
you get the very symptoms of these, so you can easily.
Below is a list of the symptoms of deficiency for the elements that are needed
by the hydroponic system for each of the elements; you should, however,
note that these symptoms may be different for some crops, but this list should
guide you to have an idea of what exactly the problem is.
Nitrogen
Plants that are deficient in this element are usually very short, the leaves are
very pale looking and have some yellow spot colors on them. However, in the
tomato crop, the leaves and the steps do not show yellow. Instead, they have
a purple coloration underneath the leaves and on the stems.
Phosphorus
Plants deficient in phosphorus have a dark green color, and also appear to be
stunted; this symptom is first seen in the older leaves before the newer leaves.
Also, there is a delay in the maturity of the plant. The weather can affect the
uptake of nutrients by plants, and sometimes, the cold weather can be the
reason why a plant show phosphorus deficiency and not necessarily because
there is a lack.
Potassium
For this element, a deficiency is suspected when the old leaves will become
yellow, and then they are dark spots that are scattered around the leaves; the
death of the plant soon follows this. When there is a severe deficiency, it will
lead to stunted; all the leaves will be yellowed and curled. The lettuce crop
will tend to appear bronze, and also this begins from the matured foliage.
Sulfur
This element is usually available, and the deficiency is not very common;
there can be yellowing of leaves, and this can be seen in small and new plants
grow.
Magnesium; this is quite common for the tomato crop when it does occur,
there can be yellowing of leaves, and this happens between the vein and
which remains green.
Calcium
Deficiency in calcium affects the older leaves, and they become distorted;
they are small in size because they have spotted and dead areas of the plant.
This deficiency inhibits the development of bud, and the root tips will
sometimes die back. When the tip burn occurs on the lettuce plant is a case of
Calcium deficiency. When the root of the tomato crop blossoms, then it is a
calcium deficiency, and this is seen as a deficiency in the fruit and not in the
nutrient solution. And this is a transport problem within the plant; the plant
has issues with transporting calcium from the nutrient media to its fruits.
Several environmental factors can cause this problem.
Iron
This deficiency is quite distinct, it is seen as the yellowing of leaves while the
veins remain green; this is first observed on the new leaves and growth. It
differentiates it from magnesium deficiency, which begins its yellowing from
older leaves. On other crops like tomatoes, iron deficiency can be because of
the cold weather and not caused because of the actual lack of nutrient media.
Chlorine
This deficiency is seen as wilted leaves, and then the leaves become
yellowed, they turn to bronze color and then become necrotic. The roots of
plants that have chlorine deficiency will become stunted and have thick near
their tips.
Manganese
There is a beginning yellowing at the intervener leaves of the older leaves,
and this depends on the plant types. The leaves get dried and brown areas,
and then they begin to drop.
Boron
When plants suffer from a deficiency in boron, the size of the plant begins to
reduce; the plant, as it is growing, begins to die; there is a little bit of swelling
that is noticed in the root system. The leaves are then thickened, they are
yellow with some spots, and then they also appeared curled.
Zinc
A deficiency in zinc will result in stunted growth of the plants and a
corresponding reduction in the internode and the size of the leave. The edges
of the leave may become distorted and puckered; there can also be yellow
spots between the veins.
Copper
It is quite hard to get a deficiency of this element. However, young leaves
will have dark green colors, and they will become twisted, with dry and
brown spots
Molybdenum
This affects the older leaves majorly because they will have yellowing
between their veins; it then moves to the younger leaves; the edges of the
leaves will then develop cupping of leaves.
The solution to the deficiency:
Once the nutrient you use is complete and balanced, you should know that
the concentration will have a primary effect on the development of the crops
and plants. This is why it is essential to measure the nutrient solution using a
vital unit to measure. Several growers will want to have ppm, while they still
use the TDS meter, but there is an improved way of measurement, and that is
the EC (electrical conductivity); this is of better accuracy and right way to
measure your nutrients.
What the TDS or the PPM does is that it measures the EC of the solution,
then they use the approximate conversion to put this to the PPM. The
problem with this is that this kind of measurement cannot be accurate; this is
because different nutrient elements will usually have varying PPM values.
Hence when you use just one PPM value, you will not be able to get the
accurate values of each component. The fact remains that, plants usually
respond to the EC or the osmotic concentration, hence it is wiser to measure
that instead of the PPM. There are lots of EC meters that are sometimes sold
as CF meters; they come with the water-resistant pen meter types, and these
are popularly used among growers.
Depending on your location, it is quite easy to read the measurements and
then also convert from one unit to the other. The standard units used are the
Microsiemens or the conductivity factor. There are also units referred to as
the Millimhos, millisiemens, and the micromhos.
Here is the conversion between these;
1 millisiemen = 1 millimhos = 1000 microsiemens = 1000 millimhos = 10 CF
When you run the correct EC for a crop, you should be sure to get the right
value. This is very important. Several crops such as lettuce and several other
green plants will prefer a much lower EC than those of the fruiting crops such
as tomatoes. Every crop has its unique EC that will aid its growth.
When a high EC is run for a plant, it’s symptoms will be seen as a deficiency.
A crop that is exposed to a high EC is likely to be put under stress. There is
much water stress, and then the plant begins to lose water, the water in the
plant begins to go back into the nutrient media. If the EC is not very severe,
you may eventually see growth, which will be quite slower than the duration
that was envisaged. But if the plant begins to wilt and dry up, then it means
that the EC is entirely too high for the crop.
When the EC is quite lower than it supposed, then the plant will begin to take
lots of water, and this can affect the greenness of the plant; the leaves become
fluffy and soft and light green.
The fruit will have reduced flavor, and the quality of the harvest will be dry,
and the shelf life will also be affected. Other factors affect the EC, and this
includes water uptake from the solution and then making the nutrients higher
during warm periods; however, the EC must be monitored and regulated
frequently.
When you focus on some essential factors, which are the nutrient balance and
nutrient concentration, there will be maximum growth and increased yields;
as soon as things begin to go wrong, there is a need for you to identify and
begin to correct them before it leads to any loss of crop. Ensure that you
watch how your crops are doing so you can think of the best line of defense
when you notice any deficiency.
Pest prevention:
Products used to control pest infestation in Hydroponics are important but it
could be risky applying pest control products when dealing with
Hydroponics. Spray damages on plants grown indoors are far more rampant
than we can acknowledge, mostly because we attribute these things to
something else most times, without realizing that spray bottles can cause our
plants harm. What then is the best way to control pests in Hydroponics?
Troubleshooting in the safest possible to get rid of the pest problem in
Hydroponics. Although these troubleshooting methods might seem a bit
scary, owing to its newness, it is regarded by researchers as the most
favorable way to get rid of the pest problem for plants grown indoors.
Troubleshooting:
● Using predator bug to feed on pest
● The use of sticky traps
● Use of pyrethrin to destroy spider mite
Chapter 7: Hydroponics as Business
It is indeed a fulfilling moment to harvest crops from your Hydroponic
Gardens. Commercial hydroponics is not just about the hydroponic facilities
being set up and managed. To be successful and perform a viable operation,
you need to learn to do a number of other things:
• Choose the right crops to grow.
• Have a feasible physical layout.
• Handle your staff and finances properly.

• Market your products correctly.

Deciding what plants to grow
When deciding which plants to grow on a business hydroponics farm,
consider the following:
• Facility for transplant propagation/cost. What will be the price (in
time or money) to get your initial crops?
• How quick are the plants to reproduce if you intend to propagate
themselves? Are the crops readily available? Is the proposed
planting date the same as the year you expect to begin your
operation?
• How easy is it to grow these plants? Do you have the skills to
expand these varieties, or do your staff? Unless you have better
than average expertise, challenging plants may be more
expensive to produce, and more dangerous to get a benefit from.
• How long will it take for the plant to grow? Many plants produce
a harvest that is ready for sale within months, and others take
years.
• Adequate to your services. Do you have the proper buildings,
equipment, and other facilities under consideration to grow the
particular plants? Do you have space and money to provide
those facilities?
 • Climate suitability. What plants are best suited for growing in
your climate?
• The environment. Operating with the atmosphere is always more
effective than trying to recreate different environments
• Other competent growers are already growing the crop you'd
instead grow? Could you bring in a fair market share?
• Distance from potential customers
• Transportation is expensive and can be hazardous. What are the
other options available?
• Are the benefits (other than wages) likely to be a fair or sufficient
return on your expenditure in terms of time and money

• Your staff skills. Don't pretend to do what you're incompetent to do.

It's likely someone with better skills will do it better and cheaper.
Running the trial- records and reporting
Some measurements can give valuable data, including solution analysis,
foliar mineral analysis, plant height, leaf area, and leaf area index (LAI), fruit
quality assessment, plant dry weight versus fresh weight, water uptake, root
dry weight, yields, marketable yields, taste quality assessment, shelf life, and
photographs. There may be several features the grower wants to test.
Evaluating the trial
Comparing the test plot against a cure or a set of treatment plots will assess
the crop experiment. The trial assessment usually depends on statistical
analysis that decides whether observable variations in control and trial plots
are likely due to actual differences or incidence by chance. Plant and plots
duplication is widely used to enhance statistical estimation. The higher the
replication level, the lower the trial error margin.
Generic statistical analysis should be used for analyzing the trial to determine
the actual outcome of the trial. It can be confusing to simply look at the
species, and draw a conclusion from them. Quantifying the trial by counting
plants and doing a comparative analysis of the data is much more useful in
determining whether any observed effects are significant. For this to happen,
the grower may need to hire a statistician or horticultural consultant's
services.
Standards
Like any business, a hydroponic farm must set and adhere to specific
requirements if it is to be running lucratively. Those standards can be
classified into three major groups:

1. Expenses for efficiency standards

2. Quality standards
3. Quantity standards
Expenses for efficiency standards
A stable relationship must be formed between production cost and selling
price. Both of these numerical statistics need to be constantly monitored and
held at an acceptable level in order to ensure market productivity. If
production costs get too high, income will diminish. In such a case, the
selling price must be raised, or the income percentage may become a
negative-sum (i.e., you may lose money instead of earning it).
Cost of production
The following factors influence the cost of production:
• Site's costs (rent / lease)
• Cost of sites' facilities (power, natural gas, water,
insurance, fees, etc.)
• Costs of products (soil, fertilizer, etc.)
• Unsold product's costs -certain amounts may be
destroyed, die, or become invaluable. (Some horticultural
companies spend as much as 30 percent of their stock.)
• Expenses on labor (your time, as well as your staff, should
be included
• Promotion of marketing (printing, magazines advertising,
etc.)
 • Selling value (transport, invoicing, etc.)

• Tax (do not forget payroll tax, income tax, etc.)

Profit
This figure must be above and beyond the money you earn as wages. You
would better put your money into some form of investment and work for
someone else if you only work for wages (without profit). Profit should be
higher than the rate you can get if you invest your money elsewhere.
Typically, the income should be at least 15-20%. The profit margin in
horticultural companies can vary greatly from crop to crop and year to year.
You will note that some years, and other years, the income will be meager
(perhaps nothing).
The income must be seen over several years on average. New operations
should always have enough resources to support them if they have a few bad
seasons before good seasons.
Price of Sales
The amount for which the products are sold will vary significantly. This can
be because of factors such as overall economic circumstances, general market
supply, and consumer demand.
Quality Standards
The following factors are to be taken note of when considering produce
quality:
• The general appearance of vitality or health such as
marking or lack of markings (e.g., disease, red, bruising,
etc.)
• How it tastes or smell (e.g., how sweet or bitter)

• Freshness (i.e., the faster you can sell it after harvest, the
better the quality will be).
Quantity Standards
Agricultural processing needs to meet such requirements in terms of the
amount, weight, and size of each unit of the commodity being harvested (for
instance, how many strawberries you select per square meter annually and
how heavy each strawberry will be).
• Size is not critical for some plants, but the number is
(for example, orchids are sold as flowers. A little
smaller, or larger flower does not make a big difference
in cost).
• Weight is important for other crops, but the size does
not matter (for example, the beans are sold in kilograms
regardless of whether they are small or large).

• Size and weight of other plants are important also (e.g.,

kilograms of strawberries are sold, but large plants are
priced differently than small plants).
Marketing Your Product
Marketing involves everything involved in bringing the product to the end
customer. If you want to sell your goods well, all aspects of the process must
be identified, and each step must be performed as well as possible. Typical
marketing moves are:
• Packaging and handling of the product–this impacts its
quality and durability for a potential buyer.
• Transit of the goods.
• Promotion of products.
Selling
Considering Your Markets
In general, hydroponic goods, whether they are fruit, vegetables or flowers,
are marketed through the following:

1. Direct selling to the public (for example, from your

property's packing shed or a stand along the road). Several
farmers have boosted their sales with tourism markets and
catering for people visiting their land in other ways. In view
of the establishing of hydroponic tours along with direct
sales of products and perhaps a shop that sells souvenirs,
refreshments, etc. It may be viable. Some of those activities
can include' choosing your own' purchases, where the public
 pays a negotiated price for what they buy.
2. Sales through major markets Major cities thrive markets for
fruit, vegetables, and flowers where farmers sell their
products to business owners. You can hire a booth or sell on
these markets via an agent (who usually takes a
commission).
3. Direct selling to retail outlets It may be possible for you to
market your products and if you are large enough to make it
worthwhile. However, the distribution can be costly and
time-consuming and should not be dealt with lightly. Many
businesses project goods are produced in factories for
manufacturing. Generally, the price paid for the commodity
is fixed, restricting yet assured sales the amount of profit the
grower can make.
Market Research
One key to success in any company is ' knowing the industry. ' When you
know, there is a desire for what you are going to grow, and if you can decide
where that market is, the chance of success will greatly increase (not to
mention sleepless nights). So one of the many crucial things you can do is
research the market in-depth before any new crop is developed. Successful
marketing depends on knowing the people/groups you sell–what they want,
how they can respond to your goods, and what they are going to spend money
on, etc.
If you understand the market place you should take the following steps to
successful marketing:
• Set realistic marketing targets.
• Have strategies for achieving those goals
• Evaluate marketing initiative outcomes and change the
strategies accordingly.

• Market research includes all the practices that enable managers

to make marketing decisions. It tries to make the secret
known, and in most instances, it succeeds partially.
Market Research Steps
• What information is required? If a problem exists, interpret it.
• How can I increase sales by 10 percent, for example? Or
should I change my way of distributing my products?
• Conduct an inquiry. Review past records related to the
problem, talk to people who know who can contribute to this
problem. Try to find some relevant information released (for
example, in trade magazines, statistical departments, etc.). -
You can choose to monitor customers (or potential customers)
if more information is required. Note: this entails far more
prices.

• If the problem remains beyond you, a professional market

research firm may be employed to manage the problem.
Chapter 8: Hydroponic Tips and Tricks for
Beginners
Gardening is a field that has developed gradually since the start of time. Since
the early days until now, people have tried to develop better techniques to
deliver a more effective and easy gardening technique. Different forms and
new and better strategies have evolved over the years. Another such method
is hydroponics.
Hydroponics helps you to cultivate your plants without any natural hazards
throughout the year. Conventional gardening techniques require a number of
external factors uncontrollable for plant cultivation.
Incontrollable variables such as different seasons, weather etc. play a key role
in yield. Nevertheless, approaches that use water solution instead of soil
minimize the risk associated with these variables.
These hydroponic systems can be made in your own home if you are an
experienced plant gardener. You can also go online for the kits made
available by the company. Such kits are available in different sizes and can be
chosen according to your particular needs.
Such kits include the necessary equipment and elements such as lamps,
pumps, containers, nutrient systems, etc. In any case, you will need an in-
depth understanding of plants and their different aspects.
There are many different aspects that make the Hydroponics device cycle a
success. Lighting is such an important aspect. It is necessary that you give the
plants sufficient light to grow.
At least a good eight hours of sunlight should be given to young plants for
efficient growth. Remember always that too much is bad. Make sure that
light is not too high, especially when using multiple lights.
Other very important factors in hydroponics are humidity and temperature.
Each living organism has an ideal level of different environmental conditions,
such as humidity, temperature, etc. If plants are grown indoors, it is very
important for plants to survive in a good environment.
More carbon dioxide can also be introduced into the plant for better growth.
In addition to external conditions, nutrition is equally important. You will be
able to better understand their nutritional needs by studying the plants you
want to produce.
When you have the necessary nutrient solution in Hydroponics, you must
focus on the absorption rate. This ensures that the plant can absorb nutrients
without any problems to the best of its ability. The aim of a controlled
environment is to be able to change every factor in growing plants to
maximize their efficiency.
Air pumps and sleeves can help to improve air circulation throughout the
solution. For a fact, the water used in the process can also be used over and
over again. Whilst it's best to practice gardening before using the
hydroponics, beginners can also grow their favorite plants and vegetables in a
smaller size.
Hydroponic gardening is nothing other than soil-free planting. It is an
economical way to supply plants with food and water. The soil's purpose is to
provide plants with nutrients and to protect the roots of plants.
A plant uses food and water in the soil. The plant is supplied with a full
nutrient solution and a growing medium in the hydroponic gardening to
sustain the root plants.
It allows plants to access water and food more quickly. If you start your first
hydroponic garden, a lot of resources and information can be found online. A
good way to begin a hydroponic garden is to obey useful factors during
gardening.
Some of them are listed below: Grow: you can grow hydroponically
vegetables, flowers and medicinal plants. Many of them include tomatoes,
peppers, cucumbers, orchids and medicinal plants. You can start a garden by
buying seeds online or just buy it from garden centres.
System or method: There are six types of hydroponic systems that you can
use for your greenhouse, including Ebb and Flow, Drip, Aeroponic, N.F.T
and Wick System. Any device, lighting, and growing medium that suits your
plants, garden size and budget can be selected.
Garden area: whether you need a small or large hydroponic garden, you have
to decide. The flow of air and the ability to control moisture and temperature
in the room depending on your area of cultivation.
Your garden always needs clean water and safe electricity. A continuous
water supply with a good pH level is very critical. You need the electric
power supply for indoor gardening to operate water pumps, grow systems
and fans.
Accessories: Depending on the complexity and size of your hydroponic
garden, various accessories including light timers, fans, water pumps and
meters for temperature and humidity measurement are required. Many
hydroponic gardeners will help you to pick different garden needs.
Lighting system: Light is the key component if you plan to start an indoor
garden. Understand your growing space and choose the perfect lighting for
your garden. You can choose high intensity growing lights that provide
sunshine to your indoor garden.
Nutrients: You don't use soil in hydroponic gardening to grow plants. You
must, therefore, provide the plants with full balanced nutrition. Plants require
six types of micronutrients, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium,
Sulfur, Magnesium, in particular.
A plant needs some small traces of vitamins, iron, boron, zinc, manganese,
cobalt and copper. Choose a perfect solution to provide sufficient macro and
micronutrients for your plants.
Growing medium: hydroponic means soilless gardening and therefore soil
needs to be replaced by a perfect medium of production. This rising medium
provides the plants with nutrients. There are enormous varieties of growing
medium that cocoa, organic soil, mats, crushed stones and rock wool can be
used.
Hydroponics is not a difficult planting strategy. In this process, the plant
nutrients are liquefied during the water. A rising medium substitutes the soil
for oxygen, water and nutrients to the roots.
The first step in hydroponics is to buy your supplies. The seeds can be put in
rock wool starter cubes that fit well into the typical nursery tray. The rock
wool should be soaked overnight in a conditioning solution.
Place a seed in each cube.
In each cube. Place the tile under a fluorescent lamp with a semi-circular rim.
Wait for the germination of the seeds and for the roots to come out of the
cube base. This is the moment when the roots are transplanted into the
hydroponic system.
A large yellow pail is required to serve as the external storage that
contains the food and water for your plant. The plant actually sits in a small
green pail with small pants. More products include the fluorescent light bulb,
root help marbles and plant food.
Punch small holes in the smallholder to prevent too much water from
flooding the roots.
Wash the ground from the roots until you see the root system's main part.
Handle the roots with great care.
Place some marbles at the bottom of the little bowl. This can be from 1⁄2
inch to 1 inch to provide enough water and air for proper growth.
Enable the roots to settle at the base to access more water. Fill the bowl
with more marbles once this is finished. Inside the larger container, position
the small pot until it gets balanced.
You can illuminate the plant to speed up production. Water and feed the
plant-based on hydroponic gardening standards. Nutrient, salt and water
measure. You need one Miracle Grow tablespoon, another salt tablespoon
and one gallon of water.
Combine the solution and pour tenderly on the root until the waterline is
almost one inch above the bottom of the small pot in the large container.
Make it a point for your plant to maintain. If the plant leaves turn into
another color, a problem can occur. The water should also not be too low or
too high. The PH balance is better known. To address this problem, change
the water regularly. In any hydroponic supply store, PH level test tools can be
purchased.
Greenhouse Gardening

Improve Your System

with A Greenhouse Building
to Grow Better Vegetables, Fruits,
Flowers and Herbs Even
If You Are a Beginner
Introduction to Greenhouses

A greenhouse is a structure whose walls and roof are mainly composed of

transparent materials, such as glass, in which plants are grown that need
climatic conditions. The size of these structures ranges from small hangars to
industrial buildings. A miniature greenhouse is known as a cold frame. The
inside of a sun-exposed greenhouse becomes much warmer than the outside
ambient temperature, thus protecting its contents in cold climates.
Many glasshouses or greenhouses are high-tech structures to produce
vegetables or flowers. Glass greenhouses have equipment such as filters,
heating, cooling, and lighting, and you can control it by a computer to
optimize plant growth conditions. Furthermore, you can use various
techniques to evaluate the degree of optimization and comfort ratio of the
greenhouse microclimate (air temperature, relative humidity, and vapor
pressure deficit) to reduce production risks.

In the seventeenth century, they constructed a greenhouse

with ordinary brick or wood, with a normal proportion of
windows and some means of heating. When glass became
available, and heating forms became more sophisticated, the
greenhouse became a glass structure. A considerable
increase in the availability of exotic plants in the 19th
century led to strong growth of greenhouses in England and
elsewhere. Major greenhouses play an important role in
agriculture, horticulture, and botany, while amateurs and
gardeners often use small structures.
A modern greenhouse is usually a glass or plastic structure to manage
vegetables, fruit, flowers, and many plants that require special climate
conditions. The basic structural forms are narrow with an A-shaped sloped
roof. Sometimes individuals join two or more greenhouses, so there are fewer
exterior walls, which reduces heating costs.
Greenhouses have large glass areas on both sides and roof to expose plants to
natural light most of the day. Glass is the traditional material, but you can use
plastic films, such as polyethylene or polyvinyl, and fiberglass also.
The greenhouse is partly warmed by the sun's rays and partly by artificial
means, such as steam, hot water or circulating hot air. As a greenhouse can
become too hot and too cold, a type of ventilation system is also needed; they
are usually roof openings mechanically or automatically, and the final
openings allow electric fans to attract and circulate air throughout the interior.
Each greenhouse model includes some temperature control features and other
components to help you utilize the greenhouse’s functions. Some of these
components or amenities include electricity, heat, water, lighting, shelves,
and benches. For example, the heating system enables you to grow your
plants at any time of the year, so you don’t have to worry about which season
is the best for growing each crop. The lighting will enable you to walk into
the garden, even in the dark, and work on the crops, including planting new
ones, trimming, and cutting.
A greenhouse is a closed space used only for growing crops. Greenhouses
allow temperature and humidity to be adjusted in enclosed spaces so that
certain crops can grow and thrive regardless of the weather. A greenhouse is
an environmental enhancement and strategic planning system that allows the
cultivation of plants in climates and seasons that would not otherwise be well
suited for their growth
Chapter 1: Types of Greenhouse

Structure design
Greenhouses are available in various shapes and size suitable for multiple
climatic zones prevailing on the planet. Each zone requires different forms
for giving favorable capable climatic conditions to the development of plants.
The greatest amount of insulation possible, covering of maximum ground
area for the least cost and a structurally sound facility are some of the criteria
for the development of several types of greenhouse. From numerous
greenhouse designs found, for example, is solarium (“lean-to’’, joined to a
house), even and uneven span, "hillside'' and saw tooth types are as yet found
all through the world. A portion of these are economically impractical and
would not meet the necessities of a controlled situation; the sawtooth, be that
as it may, has been used in the horticulture industry of created nations. The
designs showed next are accepted by both European and American guidelines
for greenhouse development. Present-day designs have followed from these
first methodologies. Unsupported green-houses are usually of two types, peak
rooftop (A-frame) or Arch/curvilinear. These designs are bolstered
independent from anyone else; for example, no outer support is given. Arch
rooftop designs are created not because of light transmission contemplations,
however because of financial elements; these can be built for approximately
25% less expensive than a peak rooftop design. The Arched rooftop is
effectively versatile to both unbending and adaptable covering material.
Now and again the unattached peak or Arch designs are joined to frame
"frame and wrinkle'' office or multi-length. This sort of arrangement is
appropriate to the majority of the business greenhouses utilized for
horticulture and vegetable creation. They are more affordable to assemble,
monitor ground territory, and require less heating expense per ground region
contrasted with remain solitary designs (Kacira).
Ridge and Furrow Configuration of Greenhouse Structures.
Greenhouse confirmation as per Mexican Standard (NMX-E-255-CNCP-
2008)
The greenhouse structure designs, as indicated by the Mexican standard, are
given above. Note that the contrast of the mark from the above mentioned yet
the geometric shapes are the equivalent; a portion of these designs include a
zenith or rooftop vent for accomplishing better ventilation.
Designs description
There are some greenhouse classifications as indicated by various criteria (for
example, material for development, spread material sort, rooftop highlights,
and so forth.). In any case, it is liked to list the most significant overlooking a
few features for classification. Among the most well-known kind of
greenhouses on the planet are (Bouzo and Gariglio, 2009):
Arch rooftop – or tunnel
It is portrayed by the state of its housing and its all-metal structure. The
utilization of this kind of greenhouse is spreading because of its more
prominent capacity to control the miniaturized scale atmosphere, its
protection from high breezes and fast establishment with pre-assembled
designs. The most extreme tallness of such greenhouses is between 3.5 m and
5 m. Side dividers receive statures from 2.5 m to 4 m. The width of these
greenhouses is between 6 m and 9 m, and they permit a multi-range
arrangement. Ventilation is through horizontal and rooftop windows.
Advantages:
High transmittance of daylight.
Great indoor air volume (high heat latency). Great protection from winds.
Thoroughly free inside space, giving simple uprooting, automated culturing,
crops driving, and so forth.
Development of medium to low unpredictability (because of the accessibility
of prefabricated components).
Disadvantages:
Significant expense.
They face ventilation challenges if they are worked in multi-length, and there
is no rooftop vent system.
Standard peak – or house of prayer
It is perhaps the most established design, utilized in constrained harvest
cultivation. The incline of the rooftop is variable as indicated by radiation and
precipitation (typically changing somewhere in the range of 15◦ and 35◦).
Width measurements vary somewhere in the range of 6 and 12 m
(considerably higher) for variable length. The stature of the horizontal range
between 2.0 m to 2.5 m and 3.0 m to 3.5 m the frame (likewise constructed
lower than those shown, however, are not suggested). The ventilation of these
greenhouses in a single range has no troubles, turning out to be progressively
troublesome when these are canal associated.
Advantages:
Development of low to medium unpredictability.
Utilization of cheap materials relying upon the territory (eucalyptus shafts
and timbers, pine, and so on.).
• Side ventilation is exceptionally simple. It is likewise simple to introduce
rooftop windows.
• Suitable for both covering materials adaptable and unbending.
• It has incredible offices for depleting water.
Disadvantages:
• Ventilation issues with canal associated greenhouses.
• It has less encased volume than bent greenhouses with a similar peak
stature.
• A larger number of components that decrease light transmittance (more
noteworthy concealing).
• Internal bolster components thwart the development and area of crops.
Sawtooth
A variety of chapel greenhouses, which was first utilized in quite a while
with exceptionally low precipitation and significant levels of radiation were
greenhouses that had a solitary rooftop tilted at points going from 5◦ to 15◦.
The sidelong coupling of such started the greenhouses known as "sawtooth''.
The need to clear water from precipitation decided a tendency in assortment
zones from the centre towards the two finishes.
Advantages:
• Construction of medium multifaceted nature.
• Excellent ventilation which varies from the multi-length house of prayer
greenhouses.
• Use of suitable materials relying upon the region.
Disadvantages:

Concealing a lot more noteworthy than a chapel because of

the more prominent number of supporting basic
components.
Low volume of air encased (for a similar peak stature) than
a house of prayer.
Modular Parral type
These greenhouses are originated in the region of Almería (Spain), made up
of posts and wires called "parral'' which are a changed form of the designs
used to develop table grapevines. Right now, there is a cutting frame
rendition of the first worked with aroused channels as indoor backings, the
utilization of posts stay for horizontal strain holding wind loads. These
greenhouses, for the most part, have a frame stature of 3.0 m to 3.5 m, the
width is variable, extending inside 20 m or additionally relying upon the
length. The slant is practically nonexistent, or in territories with a high water
hazard, ordinarily is between 10◦ to 15◦, which speaks to sidelong tallness of
about 2.0 m to 2.3 m. It is vented uniquely through horizontal openings.
Advantages:
• Low-cost development.
• Large volume of air encased (great conduct contingent upon the heat
dormancy).
• Negligible rate of rooftop components in the block attempt of light.
• High wind load obstruction.
Detriments:
Poor ventilation.
The danger of breakage by overwhelming precipitation because of the low
seepage limit. Development of high unpredictability (requires specific staff).
In zones of low radiation, the low slanted rooftop speaks to the low take-up
of daylight.
Venlo house
These are glass greenhouses where the boards lay on the water assortment
channels; they are commonly utilized in Northern Europe. The width of every
module is 3.2 m, and the dispersing between posts the longitudinal way is
around 3 m. These greenhouses have no side windows (perhaps because in
Holland there are very few requests for ventilation). Instead, it has rooftop
windows, opening substituting (coordinated side and by the other) whose
measurements are 1.5 m long and 0.8 m wide.
Advantages:
The better heat exhibition because of the kind of material utilized: glass, and
unbending materials as of now.
• High level of control of natural conditions.
Detriments:
Significant expense.
The transmittance is influenced, not on account of the spread material,
however by the enormous number of supporting components because of the
heaviness of the spread material. Being an inflexible material, enduring quite
a long while, their light transmission is influenced by dust, green growth, and
so on.
Greenhouse plan by the atmosphere
Not all greenhouses are planned equivalent. A plan that functions admirably
in a cool atmosphere with long virus winters, snowfall, low light and high
breezes won't be the best design for a sticky, tropical atmosphere with
variable light force. Various greenhouses are described by the degree of
insurance from the outside condition they can offer and the ability they can
give producers to control within the condition to a particular arrangement of
shapes. The degree of protection required relies upon the kind of crop being
developed and the neighbourhood atmosphere. The target with building any
greenhouse is to discover a plan that will permit the producer to defeat the
most restricting climatic issues in their specific zone and acquire the greatest
development rates conceivable from their crops. The necessities of
greenhouse designs because of various climatic zones that can be found the
world over are (Morgan, 2012):
Dry tropical or desert atmospheres
The principle ecological dangers are high breezes vehicle drying residue or
sand, which can impact the two harvests and greenhouses. Basic tents with
shafts developed with high-tractable steel wires to shape an essential design
over which a solitary layer of fine creepy-crawly work is extended and
verified around the frames. Moist can be expanded by hazing or clouding,
which likewise acts to diminish temperatures. Further developed hello there
tech, PC controlled and cooled designs are additionally being used in
atmospheres like this.
Subtropical desert and Mediterranean atmospheres
A design that can be heated yet at the same time keep up a cool situation in
summer are fundamental. Right now atmosphere an appropriate design is the
"cushion and fan'' cooled plastic greenhouse with top vents and heating.
Alongside concealing over the outside of the greenhouse, this creates a
perfect domain during dry summer conditions.
Moist tropical atmospheres
Good tropical greenhouse designs can be as straightforward as a downpour
spread or plastic rooftop with open or move upsides secured with bug work.
In bigger greenhouses, the design is best planned with a "saw tooth'' rooftop
format which permits great venting of the sight-seeing inside the greenhouse
on crisp mornings. Heating, what's more, protection isn't required, and vents
can stay open. Moistening systems and air-development fans can be utilized
to cool the earth inside this sort of design, and portable heat screens can be
utilized to decrease approaching daylight on brilliant, cloudless days and
pulled back to permit greatest light entrance under cloudy conditions. High
breezes from tropical storms or sea tempests can be a significant hazard right
now.
Mild atmospheres
Efficient heating of the air inside the greenhouse and protecting and keeping
up this heated air is the primary thought. Cultivators need all year high
development rates and most extreme crops in these situations usually select
greenhouses highlighting completely clad side dividers, rooftop and side
vents, permitting enormous ventilation regions and PC control of ecological
equipment, for example, heaters, shade or heat screens, hazing and vents.
Mild zone greenhouse designs regularly utilize plastic cladding "twin skins''
where the space between the two layers of plastic is expanded, offering
improved protection and better natural control.
Cold calm atmospheres
Greenhouses for this sort of condition need strong dividers and firmly built,
relatively soak strong rooftops to convey snow stacks that would fall plastic
film designs. These greenhouses are frequently twofold protected by
introducing plastic film within dividers and situating retractable heat screens
over the overhang at stud stature. To forestall heat misfortune, vents are
frequently kept shut throughout the winter months.

The world agro-climatic zones show the most appropriate greenhouse design
designs, considering the above data.
Most present-day hydroponic greenhouses for all atmospheres nowadays
highlight a stud stature of at any rate 3.05 m and at times considerably more.
Despite the sort or plan of the greenhouse or what harvest is being grown, a
tall greenhouse design gives a superior situation for plants and a bigger
cushion against minor changes in outside temperatures. The subsequently
improved limit with regards to air development is a fundamental part of
present-day greenhouse editing that has been shown to profit various crops by
improving transpiration and decreasing malady. The volume of air that
should be heated in cooler atmospheres can be diminished by pulling heat
screens over the greenhouse rooftop around evening time and heating just
under the screen, this makes an enormous protection layer over the screen
and under the greenhouse rooftop, along these lines easing back the pace of
Heat misfortune through the cladding (Morgan, 2012).
For improved harvest creation and quality, a cautious choice of greenhouse
design, coating, and atmosphere control system is required. All greenhouses
ought to be planned appropriately to withstand all conceivable burden factors
for security and legitimate functionality purposes. The National Greenhouse
Manufacturers Association (NGMA) distributes principles that give direction
for deciding design loads for greenhouses (Kacira, 2013).
Chapter 2: Planning your Greenhouse

There are a lot of considerations to be made before you buy a greenhouse.

There is a budget, but other factors may well influence your budget. If you
live in a particularly cold area, then double glazing and heating are important,
but in a hotter area, the primary considerations would be airflow and
ventilation.
What Size to Buy
Bigger is not always best, but many people aspire to a large greenhouse.
What size to buy will depend on the space you have available plus what you
are planning to grow. Of course, no matter what size you buy when you start
to use it you will run out of space and wish you’d bought a bigger one!

If you are buying a second-hand greenhouse or picking one up for free, then
you have less choice in size and will usually make do with whatever comes
up.
The most common size is 8’ x 6’ though you can get slightly smaller ones
and very much larger ones. This is a good starter size, but you need to be
aware that your space is limited and you will struggle to fit a lot in. However,
it is a great size for starting seeds and growing a few tomatoes or chili plants.
Check any local planning or zoning regulations before you buy a greenhouse.
If you are on an allotment, then check their rules too. The last thing you want
is to put up your new greenhouse only to find you have breached a rule and
then have to take it down. On allotments, you often need written permission
for a greenhouse and to position it in a certain way. As to HOA’s, their rules
are anyone’s guess so check and be certain.
I would recommend visiting a shop that sells greenhouses and walking into a
few different sizes. This will help you to visualize the space better and work
out which one is best for you. Just remember to avoid the sales person’s
charm, or you may end up with a very expensive greenhouse!
When looking for a greenhouse, you need to consider how easy it is for you
to maintain and use the greenhouse. If your greenhouse takes a lot of time to
maintain each year, then it means less time doing other jobs.
That’s the greenhouse I inherited which, as you can see, is a marvel of British
engineering. Quite how it is still standing is beyond me as I understand it is
well over 20 years old, but it shows what can be made with a bit of creativity!
Positioning Your Greenhouse
Where you will put your greenhouse can influence the size, as well as other
factors. You need to position it, so it gets good sun throughout the day.
Avoid north-facing slopes as the amount of light will not be sufficient. Do
not build your greenhouse at the bottom of a slope as it is likely to be the
location of a frost pocket, meaning cold air will gather around your
greenhouse. This makes your greenhouse colder, requiring more heating and
reducing the benefits you get from your greenhouse.
Though if you have no choice but to site your greenhouse facing north that is
still better than not having a greenhouse at all!
Depending on your preference you may choose to align your greenhouse in
one of two ways.
Firstly, you can align it so the sun tracks down one side of the greenhouse.
The advantage of this is that one side gets lots of suns and the other gets less
allowing you to grow plants that require less sun or need a bit of shade on the
side of the greenhouse furthest from the sun.
Alternatively, you can align your greenhouse, so the sun shines on one of the
small ends so the whole greenhouse gets sun throughout the day.
Which you choose is up to you, and it may be that the locations available to
you in your vegetable plot influences the alignment.
As an 8’ x 6’ greenhouse is virtually square, the alignment to the sun is not so
important. For larger greenhouses, it does become more important to ensure
you maximize the sun for your plants.
Something else to consider is the direction of the prevailing wind in your
area. Typically, you will position the door away from the wind. This helps
secure your greenhouse and make it a little less susceptible to wind damage.
You want to position your greenhouse where it is not under trees. Should the
trees lose branches, then it will damage or even destroy your greenhouse.
Ideally, you want your greenhouse located in a sheltered spot where it is not
going to be subjected to high winds. This may not always be possible, but if
you can do this, then it will help prevent damage in the future.
If you are planning on using an irrigation system or installing electricity, then
your choice of the site needs to consider this. It needs to be somewhere that
you can supply these services to without too much work or expense. If not,
then you are stuck watering by hand and using paraffin or solar heaters like
most gardeners!
Choosing the Best Floor
All of these decisions need making before you buy your greenhouse and this
is probably one of the most controversial!
Which floor you choose will depend a lot on what you are planning on
growing in your greenhouse and your environment.
Your choices are:

1. No floor, just use the soil

2. The concrete path down the middle, soil to either side
3. The concrete path down the middle, weed membrane on
either side
4. Complete concrete floor
They all have their pros and cons, but it is a personal decision based on your
site, budget, and available resources.
The picture is the inside of my inherited greenhouse. It contains a central
paved path with weed membrane on either side on it laid on the soil.
The problem with this is that the weed membrane does not extend outside of
the greenhouse, meaning the hard to reach edges become infested with
weeds. This is okay on the left-hand side but the right-hand side has staged in
place so is extremely hard to weed.
The lesson has been learned, and on my next greenhouse, the inside will be
much more weed proof! But back to choosing the best floor for your
greenhouse.
The first option is by far the easiest because you don't need to do anything.
The downside of this is the weeds will love the heat in the greenhouse and
will thrive. You will have a lot of weeding to do, and this can be very
awkward to do when the plants are fully grown.
Some people do grow directly into the soil using bottomless pots. Just be
aware that although this option is cheap, you will be battling weeds inside
your greenhouse as well as outside. You also run the risk of introducing soil
born pests and diseases if you do not change the topsoil in your greenhouse
every year or two.
Having a paved path down the middle of your greenhouse is great as it helps
with access and isn’t too expensive. You can leave the soil bare on either side
or cover with a weed membrane.
This method works well, as when you put staging in your greenhouse, it
becomes very hard to weed underneath it.
Putting weed membrane down will be effective in keeping the weeds away
providing you use a decent quality membrane. Expect to replace it every 2 to
5 years, depending on what you use as it will perish and eventually allow
weeds through.
The final option is by far the best but is also the most expensive as you have
to buy paving slabs for the whole greenhouse or poured concrete. With a
larger greenhouse this can soon become expensive. It is also more work as
you have to lay sand and hardcore as well as level the paving.
The advantage of this method is that it is a low maintenance solution. When
done properly with weed membrane under the sand, you should get years of a
weed-free greenhouse.
As everything will be in pots, you can also move your plants around so you
can reposition them as necessary to get them more or less sun as required.
Glass vs. Polycarbonate Panes
Again this is a personal preference, and both types of the panel have their
good and bad points.
Glass is the more expensive solution, and the most fragile, panes can get
broken by accident or vandals and need replacing.
However, glass technology is quite advanced, and you can get some great
thermally insulated glass which is ideal for colder areas or heated
greenhouses.
Most greenhouses use horticultural glass which typically comes in 2’ square
panes so you can end up with overlapping panes. The disadvantage of this
type of glass is that it breaks easily into very jagged and sharp pieces.
Because of the size, the panes come in you overlap them, and over time this
can become dirty and grow algae, which looks unsightly.
You can buy specially toughened glass for your greenhouse, meaning it isn’t
going to shatter from a simple touch. It is still breakable, but it will survive an
impact from a football though a more solid ball will break it. Just be careful
of the edges of toughened glass as that is its weak point. When handling this
make sure you never let the edges touch a rough surface.
Plastic or polycarbonate panes are much cheaper to buy and for most
applications just as good as glass. The big advantage is that they are a lot
harder break which is important if you have kids as accidents do happen.
Because the polycarbonate panes are much lighter than glass, they are also
more susceptible to wind damage. In high winds, they can flex and pop out of
the frame!
Glass is much heavier and gives your greenhouse a more rigid structure,
something that is lacking with the polycarbonate panes.
Many polycarbonate panes are slightly opaque, meaning you cannot see in or
out clearly. This may not bother you, but some people don’t like it, and it can
reduce the amount of sunlight your plants get.
You should also be aware that most polycarbonate panes are twin-walled,
meaning there are two sheets of plastic with an air gap in the middle. Over
time water seeps into this gap and algae forms, which you cannot remove.
This has an impact on how much light gets into your greenhouse and also
looks untidy. Surprisingly, polycarbonate can cost even more than toughened
glass!
Both are easy to get your hands on, being available in many glaziers. My
personal preference is the plastic panes purely from the point of view that
they are harder to break and less likely to smash if people throw stones at it.
However, if I were to heat my greenhouse, then I would look at glass panels
for better insulation and heat retention.
Half Brick Greenhouses
This type of greenhouse has several layers of bricks before the greenhouse
itself starts. These are not so common these days but are still an option.

Because of the weight, you will need a more significant foundation for your
greenhouse. You need to dig down about 18 inches and lay a concrete
foundation which will then support the weight of the bricks and the
greenhouse itself.
Also known as dwarf wall greenhouses, these harken back to Victorian times
when the glass was more expensive and brick cheaper. Today, though, brick
is more expensive, but the greenhouse does look great and there are some
advantages!
The Victorians were masters of engineering and ingenuity, and these dwarf
wall greenhouses had a very specific purpose.
The brick heats up slowly during the day than the glass which means it helps
to keep the greenhouse cool. However, at night the bricks retain the heat and
cool more slowly than the glass which keeps the greenhouse warm.
Another advantage is that brick doesn’t break. Typically, it will be the lower
panes that break as you mow or strim around the greenhouse and kick up
stones.
Of course, these half brick greenhouses also look great and are a fine addition
to any garden.
Wood vs. Aluminum Frames
Wooden frames look great on a greenhouse, but they are more expensive and
will require regular maintenance. You will need to treat the wood every year
to prevent it from rotting and keep it looking great. Eventually, though the
wood will need replacing and it can be difficult and time-consuming to
replace single pieces of wood.
Wooden framed greenhouses look great and when looked after will last for
many years. Because of their weight and natural strength, they are less
susceptible to wind damage. So if you live in an area with high winds, then it
may be worth investing in a wooden frame to prevent damage to your
greenhouse.
For the smaller size greenhouses, it will come as two side panels, two end
panels, and two roof panels.
All you need to do is bolt it all together, though you will need help due to the
weight of the wood and size of the panels.
Larger greenhouses will come with more panels. You will need to ensure you
have suitable access to your greenhouse site so you can get the panels to the
right place.
Aluminum frames are much cheaper to buy and will usually come flat
packed, so you have to assemble it yourself. They will also usually fit in your
car so you can take them home then and there rather than wait for delivery.

This does mean you can do a lot of it by yourself as it is much lighter than
wood, but it is also more likely to twist. With an aluminum greenhouse, you
need to ensure that the greenhouse is square and level, which can take time.
Although much more affordable than wood, aluminum is a lot lighter. This
means you need to take extra care to secure it to the ground to prevent wind
damage. High winds will tear an aluminum greenhouse to pieces, twisting the
frame and shattering the glass. When properly secured though it can survive
all but the most severe storms.
Some greenhouses come with powder-coated frames which gives them a nice
color. A powder-coated frame will last a good ten years without any
treatment and can last 15 to 25 years without any need to paint, which surely
is good news for us all!
Powder coating is a chemical process which coats the aluminum frame with
colored powder. This is baked on. The range of colors available is good
though you will need to get your greenhouse from a supplier that offers this
service. You can expect to pay a premium price for this coating though.
Which you choose is up to you, but most of us will go for aluminum frames
purely from an affordability point of view.
Greenhouses vs. Polytunnels
In many ways, a polytunnel is very similar to a greenhouse in that it insulates
your plants from the weather and helps them thrive.
Polytunnels are typically made from plastic or aluminum pipes and covered
with a strong plastic sheeting.
These are much cheaper than greenhouses, but they aren’t quite the same.
A polytunnel is much weaker than a greenhouse and more likely to be
damaged in high winds. It also does not provide the same level of insulation
as a greenhouse. It is still excellent for growing plants and keeping them
warm, but in the colder months, it will be harder to heat and keep warm.
A lot of serious growers will start their plants off in a greenhouse before
moving them into a polytunnel to complete their growing season. Frost tender
plants are then often moved back into the greenhouse in winter for that extra
protection from the weather.
A polytunnel is a good starter for growing with many similar considerations
to a greenhouse. Remember to buy the strongest you can afford and secure it
against the wind fully.
 Chapter 3:
Greenhouse Equipment (Climate Control, Lighting,
Irrigation Systems, etc.)

Technology advancement has made owning and running greenhouses simpler

than ever before. Options of environmental control help the professional
horticulturist or home gardener by automatically adjusting light intensity,
humidity, and temperature from a remote location or within the greenhouse.
A system of environmental control would enhance plant life within the
structure by offering a continually monitored atmosphere, producing a more
consistent yield.
You can automate your greenhouse environmental control systems according
to your requirements. Greenhouse accessories are pre-set in phases in line
with the plant’s needs and gardener’s choice. These systems present the most
significant advantage by providing the facility to control light intensity,
adjust humility, adjust the temperature, and monitor the atmosphere, to
mention some of the operations.
Accessories Controlled
Cooling systems, heating systems, fogging, systems, misting systems, vents,
and fans are all controlled by control systems. The operations could be very
straightforward and offer an immense benefit to keeping your greenhouses in
ideal shape.
The first phase of execution could be as simple as on/off switch to control
fans circulation. By semi-automating a control system using a timing device,
a thermostat, or a humidistat, the accessories will run only when necessary;
this saves energy and reduces the operating costs. A fully automated system
can be controlled through a cell phone, by remote programming system on a
PC, or semaphore, saving a considerable amount of time. The fully
automated system could be programmed to keep a particular set of conditions
for stable plant comfort, putting into consideration the circumstances outside
the structure, which might affect the growth of plants.
Advantages of Automated System
Improve Vegetation Quality: Mimicking a colder night temperature, boosts
the quality of vegetation as it more directly simulates the natural
environment. Precise humidity and temperature control offer consistent
growing conditions to improve production and quality.
Reduce costs of fuel: Lowering the temperature of a greenhouse at night
when eighty percent of the heating takes place, lessens the consumption of
energy. Centralizing temperature sensors, controlling them with a single unit,
prevents cooling and heating systems from running concurrently.
Increase Production: An automated system permits you to focus on growing
the plants, not adjusting settings.
Advanced Accessories
Additionally, to regular greenhouses accessories, environmental control
systems could be programmed to contain advanced elements like remote
programming, semaphore, soil sensors, photo and light sensors, drip systems,
foggers, and coolers. Your time can now be spent tending to plants instead of
messing with their growing environment. Asides the time and cost-
effectiveness of the greenhouse control system, Mother Nature will also
benefit. Control systems lessen the use of chemicals to aid the growth of
plants as the environment is more closely adjusted to produce the perfect
condition and reduce energy costs and waste. Here are some of the
greenhouses advance accessories:
Greenhouse Benches
These benches will make performing gardening functions stress-free.
Whether you’re transplanting, pruning, potting, or washing farm produce,
benches provide alternatives in space and height utilization. The greenhouse
benches are built to complement any existing or new structure. The
polyethylene grid-top and galvanized mesh offer both good drainage and air
circulation while giving room for light to pass through to the plants
underneath.
Raised Seedling Beds
Seeding beds are another fantastic accessory for greenhouses. Unlike
conventional greenhouse benches, they extend growing beyond only pots. A
seedling bed is about six inches deep and is supported on four legs. It is often
filled with soil for growing plants. Seedling beds are the ideal way to bring a
vegetable garden or flower bed straight into the greenhouse. With this, you
don’t have to get on your knees to plant and tend the garden as the bed is
raised.
Gravel Bench
This is specially used to produce moisture. This type of bench is tailored for
use in greenhouses or with plants such as orchids. You can use a fixed bench
built with a metal top rather than a conventional mesh top. To apply, fill the
top of the bench with gravel and water to create a source of moisture for the
flowers.
Grow Lights
A greenhouse such as a lean-to with low light and conventional side walls or
ceiling wouldn’t generate the amount of natural heat needed by specific
plants. The addition of grow light is a simple solution. There are also
conversion lighting kits. The grow light permits high-pressure sodium light
bulb and metal halide to be interchanged. You can rotate the bulbs as the
greenhouse advances and plant selections change. These lightings promote
new growth and keep plants healthy. There are several forms of grow light in
the market nowadays; for example, compact fluorescent produces light and
incandescent light. Most of these models may not last long and are dangerous
if water comes in contact with their bulbs. I recommend lights featuring high-
pressure sodium or metal halide bulbs:

I. High-Pressure Sodium
A high-pressure sodium (HPS) bulb has a yellow glow that isn’t as visually
pleasing as the blue light metal halide produce. The bulbs can last for twenty-
four thousand hours (about five years). HPS bulbs are suggested for
greenhouses with enough lighting but want to produce more flowering plants,
fruits, or vegetables.
II. Metal Halide
Metal halide bulbs emit a blue tint that mimics real sunlight and can last for
twenty thousand hours. Plants become fuller when placed under a metal
halide bulb. If you want to elongate daytime growing hours, the ideal option
is the metal halide system as you can turn the light on before sunset and again
a few hours after sunset.
Heat Mats
When propagating plants or starting seeds, a heat mat will be a useful
propagation tool. Plug the waterproof rubber mat into an outlet to generate
heat. The heat will produce warm seedling trays that will help to grow plants
faster.
Plant Hangers
For you to take advantage of all the available space within your greenhouse,
plant hangers will help just in achieving that. You can hang orchid boxes
along with hanging flower baskets. You can also hang tomatoes pot if you
wish. You can as well install multiple rods in your greenhouse to offer ample
space, and hang many baskets from it for an ever-growing plant assortment.
Advanced Ventilation
Eave vents and ridge vents are a crucial part of any functioning greenhouse
with a serviceable passive system of ventilation. When the air is not vented,
it turns out to be stale, stagnant and gives room for diseases to breed. To
avoid this scenario, you need to install eave vents and ridge vents in your
greenhouse. Both systems work similarly but on different parts of the
greenhouse. The two units are operable panels of glass-enclosed within a
frame separate from the structural framework of the greenhouse. The vent
will open by a motor that is dampness-resistance, or manually with the help
of a rod operator. It will open to a specific direction and give room for air
into the building. Both systems have screens that prevent debris and insects
from gaining entrance to the greenhouse.

Ridge Vent
The ridge vent is essential for a greenhouse. Warm air upsurges and builds up
at the top of the greenhouse. When you open the ridge vents, the warm air
breaks out, and fresh, cold air breaks in. The ridge vents will also enable air
circulation. If there is light wind outside, it will get into the structure and help
in circulating the air; this will lessen the spread of diseases. If your
greenhouse is in use of exhaust fan/intake louvers, the ridge vents will help in
getting rid of hot air, so fresh air can go into the building.
Eave Vents
The eave vents are situated on the walls of the structure and would also open.
And this allows fresh, cold air into the building. The air would spread
through the room and reduce the temperature. It makes the house calmer and
helps lessen the emergence of disease in greenhouse plants. You can also add
rain sensors to the units so the when rain or snow hits the vents, they close
automatically. If you operate an environmental control system in your
greenhouse, you can program the ridge vents into your specified system.
Without aeration, your greenhouse would become a glass box filled with
stagnant air.
Advance Watering Systems
The perfect methods of providing your plants with essential sustenance are
watering systems. Watering with the hand can become time-consuming and
tedious as your plant collection grows. An automated system of watering is
well-suited for plants that require high humid environments. There are
several available watering systems. For example, a misting system that sprays
a mist and makes the air to be saturated. The water drips are larger than the
ones provided by a fogging system.
You can fit all the systems with different nozzle heads and utilize them
within the same greenhouse. There are various flow rates for different nozzles
so that you can create poles-apart zones. You can use a larger fluid nozzle to
make sure seedlings don't dry out, while a small amount of water might be
perfect for mature plants. You can program all the systems to work on a
timer to control the amount of water that reaches the plants
Drip Misting System
You can use a drip misting system for a slow release of water. This system is
perfect if you travel frequently or you have busy schedules. This system is
run in such a way that it provides constant water supply to individual plants.
You can fill the tubes and rearrange the holes.
Riser Misting System
This system is programmed for the utmost flexibility, and it's mobile.
Therefore, if you regularly change the layout of your greenhouse, riser
misting system will be your best option. You can place this system anywhere
on the bench and move to a different area whenever you like.
Suspended Misting System
These misting systems are lifted above the benches of the greenhouse to give
room for unhindered bench space. In the suspended misting system, you will
directly insert the nozzles into the water source. The building runs the
benches length, and it's suspended from a jack chain that you can position at
any height you prefer.
Retractable Hose Reels
Water is unavoidable in any greenhouse. If you don't use a system or
watering can, then the probable option is the hose. Most gardeners are aware
that hose can be bulky and occupy valuable space. When it uses a hose
holder, and the unit usually twists and folds under the hose weight. To
prevent these, a retractable hose reel that is mounted to a wall or rafter will
help. A simple tow of the entire length of the hose retracts unit will provide a
neat appearance and prevent tripping hazards. The reel turns left and right,
giving maneuverability all through the greenhouse. You can also mount these
units outside a greenhouse by attaching them to a garage or home.
Greenhouse Shelving
Shelving options offer additional growing and storage space for any
greenhouse type. You can attach a shelf to the rafters in front of glass
windows or add it to a solid wall. If there is enough space, you stack shelving
on a wall. You can use this shelving for any conventional or glazed building,
as they are designed to go with the aesthetics of the environment. You can
turn a bay window into a miniature greenhouse by adding shelving. Garden
windows usually contain several shelves for growing plants.
Best materials for shelving:
Glass
Glass is conventionally used in garden windows since it gives room for the
sun to get to the shelves, and provided that you use saucers under the plants;
it requires a minimal level of glass cleaning. The glass shelves would be the
perfect artistic match to the façade of the window.
Wood
Wood is another aesthetically attractive option for shelving. I recommend
cedar or mahogany since they can endure humidity and moisture. Once you
have stained the wood, it will look like a conventional English greenhouse.
Using wooden shelves will reduce sun to lower shelves, which is best for
shade-loving plants like orchids.
Metal
Metal is solid and allows for the flow of air into the plant's bottom. The
aluminum mesh is an excellent option for bonsai that usually demands the
movement of air to thrive. Metal won’t warp or rust and is a handy option for
any greenhouse.
Polyethylene
Polyethylene is almost the same with metal shelving in form and benefits.
The main variation is that the former is plastic with reprocessed substance.
The polyethylene is black and covers dirt quickly, while metal shelving is
silver.
Bench Shelving
The lower bench shelves for greenhouses are handy for plants that flourish in
the shade or minimal sun conditions. These benches can be about eighteen
inches deep and position beneath the existing greenhouse benches. Addition
of the lower shelf increases the available growing space and provides added
storage space for equipment and supplies.
Shelf Supports
The shelving supports could be either a decorative corner or a simple metal
bar. Decorative corners are an ideal option when aesthetics matters. You can
attach a metal bar from the above or beneath the shelf to create a hanging
shelf. They are available in different forms that mimic the traditional
structural design and English greenhouse.
Chapter 4: How to Build Your Greenhouse

Now that you understand what a greenhouse is and what you need to get
started with planting, you need to know what materials you need to build
your greenhouse. This sounds like a massive feat, and in some respects, it is.
Depending on the size and style of the greenhouse you want this can either be
a really hard part of the job or a really easy part of the job.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to do all this building yourself. There are
plenty of companies out there that can assist you from start to finish. This
doesn’t mean you don’t have a say in how your greenhouse is built, it simply
means you’re requesting the help you need. There’s zero shame in admitting
when you need help and letting the experts come in to help you. There are
some steps that you can follow when it comes to building your greenhouse.
Even if you are having other people build it for you (like a reputable
greenhouse company) read these steps so that you can have a big hand in the
personal design and construction of your greenhouse.
1. You need to first choose what kind of greenhouse you want to build.
This includes the style and the frame of your greenhouse. There are dozens
upon dozens of types of greenhouses, and you must decide which one will
suit your needs best. There is no point in creating a budget for yourself until
you’ve chosen what type of greenhouse because this can impact the cost of
the building.
2. Once you have a clear image of what you want your greenhouse to look
like, you want to make sure that it is functional and long-lasting. Sometimes
you might even want it to look a specific way. That’s okay. This is where you
get to have fun and customize your greenhouse to you. You get to choose the
type of doors you want in your greenhouse and the hardware that is used to
build it. A word of caution: make sure that the doors are quality and well-
insulated because you don’t want them messing with your greenhouse
climate. The hardware side of things means the type of material you are going
to have held your greenhouse in one piece. Any greenhouse you build needs
to have all the correct brackets, bolts, and other hardware items to ensure that
it remains together no matter the weather outside.
3. You need to decide what coverage you are going to go with next. Your
budget and greenhouse needs will play a role in what type of covering you
choose. They can vary in thickness and material type. However, keep in mind
your covering needs to be durable for all weather conditions. You don’t want
extreme winds to tear into your covering. You can install this on your own if
you choose, or you can have someone do it for you.
4. When it comes to building a greenhouse, you cannot skip out on things
such as ventilation or cooling systems. Your ventilation system should
probably cool your greenhouse so that your plants don’t overheat from
excessive levels of heat. You could even try and use shading to your best
advantage to cool your greenhouse down. Your ventilation needs will vary
depending on the size of your greenhouse.
5. Once you have ventilation picked out you need to decide on what type
of heating system you are going to use. Climate control is about more than
merely cooling things down. Your heating option might be using natural gas,
oil heaters, water heaters, propane heaters, convection tubing, or any of the
other various heating methods employed in greenhouses. It’s up to you to
decide which one matches your budget and your routine.
6. You already know that maintaining control over the heating and cooling
in your greenhouse is essential to providing your plants with the proper
climate that they require. You want your greenhouse to be energy-efficient in
a perfect world but also for it to be functional. You can use a thermostat or
even computer programs to help you maintain control of your greenhouse
climate. Greenhouse climate controls are normally very user-friendly so you
shouldn’t have to worry about it being over complicated. Make sure you
choose the right environmental control regulator to suit your needs and
expertise level.
7. As a newbie when it comes to greenhouses, there’s a lot to keep in
mind. You ultimately have to decide what is worthwhile to have with you
when you start in your greenhouse — don’t worry, mistakes can be corrected
at later dates. Some of the things that can help a novice in the field of
greenhouse gardening are items like a CO2 generator and irrigation systems.
The CO2 generator will make sure your plants are getting what they need to
maintain their growth. Having a system to irrigate your plants can ensure they
get their needed water (however, you can also do this by hand if you prefer).
There are lots of different systems out there to help you maintain perfect
conditions in a greenhouse, but they are not all necessary for your specific
needs. Weed out the ones you need from the ones you don’t to minimize your
costs.
8. You might not immediately think about benches in your greenhouse;
however, they are a nice added feature that provides you comfort in your
greenhouse. Benching can be used to store your plants, or even for you to
have a place to sit in your greenhouse.
9. Once you know everything that you need and want for your greenhouse
it’s time to place an order for the materials. You can either do this yourself
and have it delivered for you to build or you can order them through a
company that will come and set the greenhouse up for you.
10. When you’re all done you go ahead and build your greenhouse. It is
useful to buy all your materials from one place because they can often
provide you with instruction manuals on your build to better assist you in
putting the greenhouse together.
Side note: Before adding a greenhouse to your property make sure that you
have consent to build from any local authorities that you need it from and that
you understand the possible tax implications it may or may not have for you.
Tips to Building Your Greenhouse
No matter how prepared you think you might be, there is always something
that blindsides you, that you were unprepared for, and that you might have
had no clue about.
Building a greenhouse might appear to be a daunting task, and it comes with
its own sets of challenges. However, it doesn’t have to be as difficult as it
first appears. Keep these tips in mind when you get ready to build your
greenhouse to avoid any major mistakes when you first start.
Before you do anything, triple check the size of the area that you want to
build in and then think about spacing in your greenhouse. Make the best use
of your space and don’t overbuild to where your yard is crowded. A smaller
greenhouse will still provide you with a yield of fruits and vegetables that
you can use to feed your family. There are many options and bigger isn’t
always better when it comes to greenhouses. For example, if this is your very
first time building and working with a greenhouse then you might decide to
start small — even if your space allows for a larger greenhouse. There are
two things to keep in mind with this. The first is that smaller greenhouses can
present more of a challenge when attempting to regulate the climate. The
second thing I want you to remember is that you can always expand your
greenhouse when the time is right for you. So, don’t get too hooked on if you
chose the wrong size greenhouse in the end. Adjustments later on in the game
are still possible.

The ideal greenhouse for the family grower will roughly be 6 feet by 12 feet.
When you have considered your space and the size of the greenhouse that
you want to build it is also important to keep in mind the area you want to
build it. Remember that the south side of your home will get the best sun
exposure which will be beneficial to your greenhouse. In cases where the
southern side of your home won’t do, you can use the western side as your
next best plan.
However, there is more than the sun to consider when you are placing your
greenhouse in your yard. For example, during the middle of the snow, you
might be more inclined to pop into the greenhouse to get some vegetables for
dinner if it was closer to a door in your home. See, there’s a lot to consider?
Ideally, the area you place your greenhouse in will also be an area with
proper drainage. It can also be useful to add additional protection to your
greenhouse by placing it close to a fence or shrubbery that will act as a shield
against winds.
Do you use a kit from a company or do you build it all yourself from start to
finish? While the greenhouse kit might seem higher in price than doing it all
yourself, you might be saving yourself time and money in the long run by
having everything you need in front of you with a map to put it together.
This ultimately comes down to your expertise in building and your comfort
level ensuring that everything is put together correctly for your greenhouse.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to make sure that both your
ventilation and heating systems are up to par and working as they should be.
You want to regulate the temperature in your greenhouse which means that
you need to make sure that your ventilation system can release the excess
heat and moisture before it destroys your crop.
The roof provides its series of issues to be concerned about. Most
greenhouses have peaked roofs and this is for a variety of reasons. However,
for those that live in snowy climates, the main reason is so that the snow
doesn’t gather and collapse your roof. You can combat this if you choose to
go for other roof styles such as the dome. You merely need to make sure that
there is plenty of pitch on the roof to prevent snow and ice from collecting all
in one area.
Flooring is another aspect of your greenhouse. Do you see where every
aspect of your greenhouse can be personally tailored to your preferences?
While gravel flooring is best for beginners since it is low maintenance and
provides great and simple drainage, some people prefer to use concrete tiling
in their greenhouses.
Finally, you need to think about how you are going to get the sun’s rays into
your greenhouse and to your plants. There is a wide range of materials that
you can use for greenhouse windows, doors, and roofs. For example, there is
glass, polycarbonate, and plastic sheeting specifically designed for
greenhouses.
The material you use will be decided by your budget and what you prefer to
work with. Glass will easily be both the heaviest and most expensive of all
your material options. Polycarbonate that is used in greenhouses can be
likened to plexiglass. The polycarbonate is specially treated to make sure that
it doesn’t wear down due to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This will be your
middle-range product because it remains more costly than the greenhouse
plastic sheeting and it can be more difficult to install as well. However, you
need to consider where you live and the weather you experience because the
polycarbonate will hold up better to extreme weather than the plastic sheeting
will.
Plastic sheeting is a cheaper and viable option for your greenhouse. The
biggest thing to keep in mind with this is that you have bought the sheeting
from a company that specifically manufactured it for greenhouse use. That
means it should have ultraviolet protection because it will ensure that your
sheeting has a longer life while you use it. Like other materials, you will find
that you can also get plastic sheeting in different thicknesses. It’s good to
understand your greenhouse needs because the thicker sheeting will hold up
better in detrimental weather, but it will let less light into your greenhouse as
a result.
How to Expand a Smaller Greenhouse
Greenhouse expansion is not as uncommon as you might initially think it is.
Often new growers get the hang of what they are doing, and their greenhouse
space quickly becomes too small for their needs. If you’re feeding your
family or a community with your greenhouse, then over time you might want
to have more space to include a wider variety of fruits and vegetables.
Sometimes the expansion of your greenhouse goes beyond simply making a
few spacing adjustments and you end up needing to physically expand it.
This can be a difficult process. Especially when your greenhouse is already
set up and functioning perfectly. You know now that there are so many
systems to consider when you start talking expansion and the first will be
your heating and ventilation system. If you feel like expansion is over your
head or skill abilities — because let’s face it many of us are better gardeners
than we are builders — then reach out to your local greenhouse company and
see if they can help you with the designs and building. This doesn’t mean that
your input goes away, simply that you are handing over the building to a
more experienced team. If you feel like you know your greenhouse inside and
out and the best person for the job is, of course, yourself then go for it.
Regardless of whether you do it yourself or get a company to help you, your
expansion process will look something like this:
● First, establish what size you want your expanded greenhouse to be.
Keep in mind that this might not be the last time you have your greenhouse
expanded so please be aware of that and keep space allotted for potential
growth in the future. It helps to build your greenhouse expansion slightly
bigger than what you think you will need at this moment. This allows you
space for future growth within your greenhouse as well and prolongs the time
between possible greenhouse expansions.
● When you look at space and size, you also need to plan for the best
outcome for your plant’s growth. This means that you want to ensure your
greenhouse is running at its best climate levels to continue with the proper
production of your crops. This is where you consider all the extra systems
like vents, ventilation systems, material types, style and build of the
greenhouse to promote the environment you want inside for your plants.
● It’s great to think about expansion in terms of what we are bringing in
that is new to the scene, however, you must also bear in mind what you
already have and what to do with those items. Some of the systems you have
in place for your greenhouse will still be sufficient to run and protect your
plants even with the expansion. Other systems might need to be updated,
replaced, or duplicated to maintain the proper climate for your old plants and
the new ones coming in. Get a second opinion because this is where your
expansion can become costly and you want to make sure that you are doing it
the right way.
● There’s a lot to consider and do before physically expanding your
greenhouse. Part of that is double-checking the regulations of where you live.
Sometimes you might need to speak to a building inspector or get another
permit to build for the expansion. You don’t want to expand and
unknowingly break any laws that force you to tear down all of your hard
work. So, acquaint yourself with all regulations about your greenhouse
building and plan accordingly.
● The other caveat is that with an expansion you need to keep in mind
you will produce a bigger yield.
While you expand your greenhouse, there might be a temporary change to
your climate and this could impact your plants. During this time you need to
keep a closer eye on your fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs to make sure
that they are receiving everything they need during this time of transition.
Once you start on the expansion and you have the minor details sorted out
you will discover that it is much the same process as it was when you were
building your greenhouse. Some materials such as glass will be more difficult
and expensive to expand than plastic sheeting.

Chapter 5: Good Plants for Greenhouse

(Vegetables, Fruits, Flowers and Herbs)
Before we get down to talking about the fruits, herbs, and vegetables that you
can grow in your garden, you might need to know about two vital terms.
Annuals
These are plants that transform from seed to flower and back to seed all
within a single growing season. If you visit the market for seeds, then you
might not always find true annuals. If you got yourself a true annual, then it
should complete its entire life cycle within a single year. The leaves, stem,
and root of the plant die every year. You might have to replace the seeds
every year during springtime.
Benefits of Growing Annuals
● Annuals are efficient plants. They grow quickly and hence, you can
collect the fruits (or vegetables) of your harvest quickly. Start growing
them and within a year, you will be using them in your food.
● Annuals typically cost less than perennials. If you have enough annuals,
then not only will you spend less on them, but you will have a large
number of ingredients to work with by the end of the year.
● It is also easier to grow annuals. For most annuals, you plant them
(ensuring that the soil and garden conditions are ideal), ensure they have
adequate sunlight and water them. You might have to make changes to
 your greenhouse environment based on upcoming seasons. But you will
only be making the changes once since you are going to harvest your
plants by the end of the year. In the case of perennials, you need to make
changes to your greenhouse year after year to ensure that they grow
properly.

Image: You can harvest annuals year after year.

Cons of Growing Annuals
● Remember how I mentioned that you might have to make changes to
your greenhouse for upcoming seasons? It is important, nay, almost
imperative that you are prepared for upcoming seasons, especially winter.
Annuals are sensitive to the cold and if you are not careful, you might
lose them during the cold parts of the year.
● Annuals attract more pests than perennials, including slugs, aphids, and
other insects.
● If you are the kind of person who does not have a lot of time to spend in
the garden, then you might have difficulty focusing on annuals. They
require constant attention.
Perennials
These are persistent plants that require multiple growing seasons to fully
mature. Every winter, the top part of the plant might die off (though this is
not always the case) and then regrow once again from the root system during
spring. You can harvest multiple times by using a perennial plant.
Benefits of Growing Perennials
● Perennial plants are low maintenance in the long run. Once you have set
the right conditions and ensure that they adjust to the climate, you don’t
need to check on them as frequently as you would annuals.
● Because it takes longer to harvest perennials, they can enhance the
beauty of your garden. At the end of the day, you might not be looking to
just grow plants; you might also be thinking of creating a beautiful space
in your garden.
● Perennials are also good for the soil. They leave behind nutritious soil
once they are removed. In some cases, you can plant new crops on the
soil that you used to grow perennials.
Cons of Growing Perennials
● You need to wait for the harvest. Annuals will be ready with their
products within a year. With perennials, it's not always the case. Some
perennials even take several years before they begin to yield anything. A
good example of such a perennial is asparagus.
● You cannot place perennials anywhere in your garden. They occupy
space for a long time, which means that you need to make sure that you
have space for annuls. If you are only growing perennials, then you will
have to wait a long time before your first harvest.
● Some perennials can turn to weeds easily. One has to be careful when
picking perennials to make sure that they have chosen the right plant for
their garden.
Fruits
Imagine plucking a fruit grown in your garden using ideal conditions. The
fruit is fully ripe and warmed by the sun. And it is in your hands right now.
The flavor is going to be more delicious compared to the ones you find in the
supermarket. That is the kind of fruit you are going to grow in your garden.
Of course, planning to grow the fruit is one thing, but growing it is another.
Fruits require less work compared to vegetables. Once they are planted, the
trees or bushes will keep producing year after year. The pruning process can
sometimes be frustrating at first, but it gets less complicated and difficult the
more you do it. Eventually, you will be making fewer mistakes in future
pruning processes.
Pruning is the process of removing certain parts of the plants, such as a bud
or an extra branch, to maintain the health of the plant. Pruning is also done
for aesthetic reasons, such as removing an unwanted leaf or two to make the
overall presentation of your plants better.
You can choose a wide variety of fruits to work with or based on a specific
color (if you are planning to arrange your garden using a specific aesthetic
plan).
You can also choose between cool-season crops or warm-season plants.
Here are some cool-season crops that you can work with:
● Honeycrisp apples
● Pears
● Apricots
● Cherries
● Cherry plums
Warm-season plants:
● Kumquats
● Pomelos
● Avocados
● Passion fruits
● Guavas
● Kiwis
● Mandarin oranges
● Lemons
● Winter squash
Easy Fruits to Grow in a Garden
If you are unsure about what fruits are the easiest to grow in your garden,
then perhaps this list might help you.
Strawberries
When freshly picked from the garden, these citrus fruits are juicy and perfect
when eaten by themselves or in a smoothie. These fruits are so versatile that
they can be grown in hanging baskets, raised beds, gardens or even indoor
pots. Strawberries grow well in sunshine and soil that has a proper drainage
system.
Raspberries
These fruits can be grown in small clumps throughout your garden or
containers. Raspberries are not too demanding and can be harvested starting
from late summer to early fall.
Blueberries
These plants provide beautifully scented and nutritious berries before late
summer. They are perfect in containers, but you can grow them in your
garden to add color to it. You should ideally grow them in moist and acidic
soil, so prepare to have sulfur with you. Try to look for self-pollinating
blueberries since they allow you to only need one plant to produce many
fruits. It takes a while to fruit blueberries since you will be able to harvest
them after 3 years. However, you can always add them to your garden to
throw in a splash of warm colors. There is something beautiful about entering
a garden with blueberry plants. Blueberries are one of the few plants that you
can water with rainwater.
Figs
Want to bring the flavors of the Mediterranean to your garden? Then you
cannot go wrong with figs. These sweet, chewy, and creamy fruits are easy to
maintain in your garden. They love sunshine and warmth. It is best to grow
them when their roots are restricted if you are planning to grow them in
containers like a raised bed. Otherwise, you can use the plant of your choice
for your garden. You might need to wait a little while to fruit the figs since
they start to truly grow during fall and won’t be ready for fruiting until the
following summer.
Image: Strawberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow. Besides, who does
not like strawberries?
Gooseberries
These fruits are succulent and hardy. They are low-maintenance and they
make a unique ingredient to savory sauces. They prefer fertile soil and you
have to keep them in semi-shade. Make sure that you keep them watered
when you spot them ripening. They can be combined in many foods or eaten
raw.
Apples
What can you say about this popular fruit that hasn’t been saying a thousand
times already? It has its adage. You can grow a wide variety of apples,
depending on your preference. You need to maintain well-drained soil, but do
not choose sandy soil for the purpose or you might not grow the apples well.
Make sure that you prune the fruits every winter so that you avoid stunted
growth. You can also plant two different kinds of apples and they might
pollinate each other, making it easier to work with them.
Blackberries
The best part about these fruits is that they are adaptable. They can grow in
almost any soil with little attention required from your side. Beware of the
fact that these fruits come with thorns. But, you can always make use of a
thornless variety like the apache group of blackberries.
Honeyberries
These fruits are hardy and tough, but they are packed with nutrients. To grow
them properly, make sure that you have well-drained soil and provide
adequate sunlight. Because of their toughness, you don’t have to constantly
pamper them. They are quite capable of growing without too much
supervision. I recommend growing them in pairs since it increases pollination
between them.
Goji Berries
These fruits have a liquorice flavor. They can withstand coastal conditions
where there is constant wind. It is important to provide them with proper
sunshine and you should only harvest them when they are fully ripened.
Currants
You can choose from red, white or black currants. They not only make
delicious snacks, but you can turn them into jellies and jams. They require
full sun, but they also need proper shade. Provide them with around 6 hours
of sunlight and then place them in the shade.
Vegetables
The advantages of growing vegetables in your greenhouse or garden are
threefold:
Advantage #1: Flavor
They taste better. When you grow your vegetables and start enjoying them in
your meals, chances are that you are going to find it difficult to go back to
supermarket bought foods. Additionally, to increase commercial yield, many
producers use the process of hydroponics, where the roots are left dangling in
the water. While hydroponics technology is not harmful, it does not produce
vegetables with full flavors. The vegetables appear softer than they should
and are almost tasteless. You can also pick vegetables that you grow at the
peak of their ripeness, which is not true for vegetables that you find in the
supermarket. When picked at the right time, you can enjoy home-grown
ingredients before their sugars convert to starch and they lose some of their
flavors.
Advantage #2: Nutrition
When you grow vegetables in your garden, they tend to be more nutritious.
You grow these vegetables carefully, monitoring them at each stage of their
growth. They are provided with the right amount of sunlight and water. Once
they have ripened, you immediately pick fresh produce and use them for
food. In supermarkets, you are not always getting fresh produce. Some of the
produce is stored for weeks before it makes it to the market shelves.
Advantage #3: Variety
There is a greater opportunity to have more variety of vegetables, even when
you have seasonal restrictions. Supermarkets bring better quality foods if they
fit a particular season. For example, you find good quality sprouts in July and
high-quality tomatoes during December. With your garden, you do not have
to face such restrictions. No matter when your vegetables ripen, you are
ready to harvest them and enjoy their flavors.
Choosing Vegetables
Despite the variety of vegetables presented to you, there is still the matter of
picking which variety to grow. I would suggest picking those types that are
not easily available in the shops, such as purple-podded French beans rather
than the usual green variety, or elephant garlic rather than the regular type of
garlic you find everywhere. By choosing a unique plant, you can experiment
with not just plant type, but with flavors as well. If you feel that you would
rather not take the risk of growing unknown varieties of foods, then you
could try growing them alongside the readily available types. For example,
grow elephant garlic along with regular garlic. Since you are growing two
vegetables of the same type, your gardening methods will be the same for
both types.
Most of the vegetables that you might grow to belong to two main categories;
warm-season vegetables and cold-season one. The time of planting for each
vegetable depends on weather conditions. You need to know what conditions
the vegetables can tolerate. Cold-season vegetables usually grow best in early
spring or during late summer. Some even grow during late autumn, when the
weather has cooled down a bit. On the other hand, warm-season vegetables
are ideally grown during late spring or summer. They can also be grown
during early autumn when the weather has heated up a bit.
Image: Choose vegetables carefully. Take into consideration factors such as climate into consideration,
among others.

If you are growing cool-season crops, then you have to make sure that they
mature when the weather is cool, otherwise, they might go to seed. Warm-
season crops must begin to grow after the end of winter. In some cases,
gardeners look for the last frost of winter and check if warm-season crops are
growing. If they are, then the gardeners will have a good harvest. If they
don’t, then they have to find another solution.
If you are planning to grow cool-season crops, then you should plant them in
a temperature range of 40-50°F. When they start growing, then the ideal
temperature range for their growth should be 70-75°F. Cool-weather crops do
not produce well if the temperature during the day reaches 80ºF or higher.
Some of the cool-season vegetables that you can grow are:
● Parsley
● Peas
● Broccoli
● Brussels sprouts
● Cabbage
● Kohlrabi
● Leeks
● Onions
● Spinach
● Turnips
● Radishes
● Rhubarb
● Rutabagas
● Asparagus
● Collards
● Garlic
● Horseradish
● Kale
When it comes to warm-season crops, they grow best at a temperature range
of 65-86°F. However, try to maintain a temperature of at least 74°F.
Some warm-season vegetables that you can grow are:
● Sweet corn
● Tomatoes
● Cucumbers
● New Zealand spinach
● Muskmelons
● Okra
● Peppers
● Pumpkins
● Squash
● Snap beans
● Eggplant
● Lima beans
● Sweet potatoes
Whether you choose cool-season or warm-season vegetables, make sure that
your greenhouse is ready for the vegetable. Prepare the soil, remove any
weeds, and check for pests as well.
Herbs
Want a little oregano to add a beautiful scent to your food? Want to make use
of fresh chives that simply enhance the flavor of your food? Or are you
looking for some parsley to add to your pasta?
 Image: Herbs are easy to grow in the garden.

Herbs are a wonderful addition to any food. Whether you want to use them to
enhance the fragrance of the food or you are looking to create a variety in
flavors, herbs are your best to creating wholesome and delicious food.
Herbs are famous for their perfumes. Many herbs are used for medicinal
purposes, but a fair share of those that have a wonderful scent is used in the
culinary world. Aromatic oregano, mint and lemon balm are just a few of the
herbs that you might find in many kitchens.
Herbs are also well-known for attracting beneficial wildlife to your garden. If
you have herbs planted next to your fruits or vegetables, then you are only
going to attract those pests that are useful for you, such as certain species of
spiders. Herbs also help mask the smell of fruits and vegetables, keeping
away those pests that could cause harm in your garden. Most notably,
gardeners who face problems with aphids grow herbs in their garden. The
scent of the herbs easily keeps away the creatures.
But there is another reason for growing herbs in your garden. Despite their
benefits, they can be quite expensive to purchase, especially when you are
trying to get large quantities.
Which is why, if you choose to plant your herbs, then you are going to have a
plentiful supply of herbs all summer.
Planting Herbs
When it comes to herbs, there are no set seasons perfect for planting them.
You can plant your herbs during any season. You just have to make sure that
the soil does not get too wet and cold. Your only focus should be on the type
of herb. Are you planning to grow annuals or perennials? If you are planning
to grow both, then what ratio of annuals would you like against perennials?
You might also think of which herb to grow. Here is a list of herbs you can
work with.
Annual Herbs
● Basil
● German Chamomile
● Summer Savory
● Parsley
● Dill
● Chervil
● Cilantro/Coriander
Perennial Herbs
● Catnip (if you have feline overlords in the house, I’m sure they will
appreciate a little catnip from their “hooman” servants)
● Chicory
● Lemon Grass
● Mint
● Oregano
● Roman Chamomile
● Lovage
● Marjoram
● Caraway
● Feverfew
● Sorrel
● Tarragon
● Winter Savory
● Ginger
● Fennel
● Lemon Balm
● Horseradish
● Chives
● Echinacea
● Chives
● Chives plant
Chapter 6: How to Grow Vegetables, Fruits,
Flowers and Herbs in your Greenhouse
The selection of greenhouse species and cultivars should not be based on
single farmer programs but should be the product of an organized program
that takes into account agro-environmental restrictions, technological
development, and socio-economic opportunities for a particular area. Good
farming practices in greenhouse cultivations involve selecting genotypes best
suited to a given agricultural context; however, the method is complicated,
with a wide variety of solutions to consider. Throughout intensive production
systems, such as greenhouse farming, specific fundamental issues need to be
addressed before choosing the most appropriate plant or cultivate:
What to harvest
When to produce
How to produce
Where to sell the product
A farmer has the option of choosing a plant for its high economic value, and
designing the most appropriate security, increasing systems and technologies,
or selecting and capitalizing on a crop suitable for established farm structures.
In most situations, the competition is the limiting factor for intense year-
round productions: large yields can be obtained with optimum management
of a greenhouse climate conditions, but they may not fulfill consumer criteria
(offer does not meet demand). When economic factors (markets) and political
decisions (subsidies for certain crops in specific areas) may have a significant
impact on crop selection, the emphasis here is on alternatives for different
greenhouse agrosystems, most closely linked to the agro-environmental
constraints. The option of cultivar often depends on the type of farm:
medium- and large-scale farmers may sell their products on domestic and
international markets, whereas small-scale farms grow to meet the needs of
the family or for minimal income on local markets. Compared to open-field
cultivations, greenhouse technologies allow a large number of species to be
grown in a specific geographic region as they replicate optimum climatic
conditions for certain species in a controlled environment, irrespective of the
external environment. The risk/reward ratio is a significant determinant of the
level of technology implemented in greenhouse systems that indirectly
reflects the current geographic distribution of greenhouse typologies: more
secluded (heated, closed and semi-closed) in central/northern Europe; less
secluded (cold, open or semi-open) in southern Europe and the
Mediterranean. It is an essential factor when choosing plants and cultivars, as
various varieties may well conform to specific cultural requirements and
protected habitats for the same species. Cold greenhouses and covered
cultivations focus on vegetable crops belonging to the families of the
Solanaceae (tomato, pepper, eggplant) and Cucurbitaceae (melon, summer
squash, watermelon, cucumber) under moderate climatic conditions. Such
crops (representing > 80 percent of the protected area in most Mediterranean
countries) respond to cold greenhouse conditions and meet local market
needs. The popularity of safe farming is attributed to:
Wide intake;
Great adaptation to unstable climatic conditions within cold
greenhouses due to indeterminate growing habits of the
crops; and
Long growing cycles (more continuous use of greenhouses
during the year).
On the other hand, Leafy determines crops do not embrace
the latter qualities and thus may experience bolting control-
related problems with effects on yield and quality of the
product. To preserve the economic sustainability of the
established greenhouse industry and enhance the
performance of farms introducing protected cultivations in
new areas, crop choice may become increasingly important.
Crop choice will identify organisms and genotypes capable
of providing different produce typologies, taking account of
environmental and economic conditions, crop characteristics
and specifications, harmony between crop and microclimate,
and soil characteristics and plant-borne diseases, more
specifically:
Consumer criteria
Environmental comfort
 Economic and social sense
Consumer gap
Field-scale
Production requirements
Labor requirements
Climatic conditions
Security characteristics imply
Probability of successful climate control
Soil requirements and soil-borne diseases
The key criterion for market demand for a particular product is a
differentiation between common greenhouse crops and other small crops
(specialty crops, e.g., squash flowers, or goods are eaten locally, e.g.,
gombos). In all cases, given the increasing costs of production and the short
shelf-life of vegetable products, crop selection should ensure an optimal
match between production and duration of shipment to the market. The
economic concerns involve the connection between the prices of the
commodity and the returns of the farmers. Production costs are not fixed: for
example, labor may range from a factor of 1 to 8 in Mediterranean countries.
Fertilizers, chemicals, and transport often vary considerably in quality. If
growers plan to grow for local markets, alternative solutions such as pick-
your-own, roadside markets, or agreements with local grocery stores can be
implemented to reduce transportation costs. Such schemes, however, are not
accessible in greenhouse agriculture, which relies mostly on organized retail
delivery or agreements with supermarkets and supermarket chains. The
provision of on-farm (or nearby) cold storage rooms is helpful–also crucial–
in maintaining the consistency of perishable goods before transport. There are
other essential crop criteria to be addressed in addition to the natural texture
of field and shelter (e.g., tunnel depth and height of vertically trained plants).
In general, the higher the climatic conditions, the lower the compliance with
the most widely utilized indoor shelters in mild winter climes. The labor
requirements should be considered, as should the availability of labor during
the growing cycle. The time and labor needed for a specific crop should not
be overlooked, especially in small (family) fields, and, if necessary, the
demand should be measured in advance. Also, some tasks may require
different levels of specialization requiring additional investment in training or
technological equipment (e.g., hydroponic fertigation units). Protected
agriculture can be in a wide variety of situations involving the external
conditions. Greenhouses are situated in different climates but with higher
concentrations in regions where winter is mild, and places where temperature
threats are low; however, the extension to areas with significant climatic risks
has taken place. Besides, under protected cultivation in mild winter climates,
the characteristics of greenhouse construction and the frequent total absence
of active climate control have a significant effect on the microclimate (Baille
2001). Thus, since farmers depend on first crop defense systems, selecting a
species that matches the particular climatic conditions while maintaining
reasonable control of the growth climate (e.g., tomato vs. pepper) is
essential.
Greenhouse manufacturing is an economic sector that is very dynamic and
must cope with rapid changes in market trends and consumer preferences.
The choice of cultivar is essential for each crop and the typology of specific
products. Cultivars that produce fruits with varying characteristics in the
greenhouse production system are not valid alternatives that must meet strict
production and market requirements. Cultivars for controlled cultivation vary
dramatically from those used in open-field vegetable production: they are less
vulnerable to environmental restrictions and can, therefore, better articulate
their capacity for yields. Depending on the level of technology used in
protected cultivation (e.g., cultivars adapted for long-cycle crops), different
cultivar-specific requirements may also exist, however. Owing to restricted
greenhouse climate control, growth techniques in Mediterranean greenhouses
had been focused on adjusting plants to a suboptimal atmosphere. The
preference of one cultivar over another can be influenced by a range of
factors, and farmers, traders, and customers have different perspectives. For
example, possible yields, prolonged harvest period with consistent product
quality, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses are essential
considerations of farmers. The advent of stress-tolerant cultivars calls for a
significant reduction in chemical treatments, environmental pollution, and
cost of production, thus providing new opportunities for the application of
advanced cultivation methods and organic greenhouse growth. Nonetheless,
when introducing resistant cultivars, the durability of the specific resistance
under different microclimatic and agronomic conditions must be addressed.
Long shelf-life and any features that render the commodity distinctive and
highly appreciated (and therefore requested) by customers are essential
factors for the trader. The drug has to be simple to use, flexible, with
excellent taste and safety products for the user. Cultivar preference would
theoretically take all of the above considerations into consideration, but in
reality, growers identify different priorities about commodity destination and
specific market objectives. It is necessary to choose cultivars that can respect
the environmental conditions and technological factors involved in the
manufacturing process in specific areas. Recent advances due to rapidly
developing breeding technologies have resulted in a substantially broader
portfolio of new cultivars with genetic characteristics for improved disease
resistance, adaptability to suboptimal temperature and light, and other
specific features, such as parthenocarpy and greasing suitability. While the
above traits are all significant in greenhouse growth, it is vital to determine
their sensitivity in the actual growing area under different conditions. This is
not an easy task, as the high rate of reconstruction of the suitable cultivars
and the absence of comprehensive agronomic production testing indicate that
there are no reliable data to provide useful information to the farmers.
Because of the many characteristics that a cultivar is supposed to have, seed
and breeding firms are seeking to satisfy market demands and extend the
cultivar range. Furthermore, there are legislative, regulatory and qualification
criteria for product quality and safety, as well as limits on chemicals used in
agricultural production (Leonardi, 2005), all of which increase the pressure
for the selection of high-quality cultivars capable of tolerating most prevalent
pests and diseases in the greenhouse. Simultaneously, seed companies
continue to force their offerings on the market with a consequent decline in
germplasm variability and the inevitable loss of essential and useful genetic
traits. Systematically organized breeding projects are required to conserve
local genetic resources suited to specific environments so that biodiversity
can be capitalized, preserved, and maintained.
It is necessary to develop a local screening system for evaluating and testing
recently released cultivars in a representative greenhouse region (with
funding from local administrations and research institutions), to assist
farmers and promote the advancement of vegetable cultivars in parallel with
standard practices established by seed and breeding companies (Williams and
Roberts 2002). Such an extension program should also provide farmers with
technical advice on cultural aspects to reach the yield and quality potential of
specific species. The feed-forward-feed-back process between growers,
extension programs, and seed companies will build an effective system for
maintaining and valuing underexploited genetic capital. There is increasing
interest in crop diversification in greenhouse agriculture, more than in other
agrosystems, to maintain the economic viability of the existing greenhouse
industry and improve the performance of farmers who have planted covered
crops in new areas. An essential aspect of the economic survival of covered
crops is the discovery of new plants for incorporation into farming systems.
Besides the basic requirements of adaptation to cold greenhouse conditions,
they should guarantee an economic return that must be competitive with that
obtained with other crops. Results of an EU research project in the 1990s,
covering many European countries, demonstrated the promise of certain
specialty crops, including crops grown on small acres, indigenous vegetables,
gourmet vegetables, miniature vegetables and vegetables that are scarce or
uncommon in some regions. Throughout recent years, the popularity of
specialty vegetables has dramatically increased. There are other new crops
(e.g., okra, orach, rocket, asparagus, lettuce) that give satisfactory agronomic
results but somewhat limited market demand. Paradoxically, the most critical
example of diversification relates to a well-established crop: tomato (La
Malfa et al., 1996). In recent decades, new plants have been developed to
produce new types of fruit by capitalizing on its intraspecific genetic
diversity. Cherry and cluster tomatoes in Italy were quite rare 20 years ago
and now account for more than 50 percent of greenhouse growth. For the
sustainability of the entire production cycle, crop diversification, obtained by
growing new species or varieties and in some cases new cultivars, is
necessary. The introduction of new crops may compensate for commodity
losses due to unexpected biotic or abiotic pressures, or market fluctuations,
and improve the overall resilience of the agrosystems. The use of transgenic
cultivars allows adding valuable traits to greenhouse crops is an increasingly
important issue in this respect. Although still under consideration, the use of
transgene technologies in agriculture to boost the development process's
environmental sustainability is a common practice in many nations. It could
be approved in Europe in the future. Nevertheless, crop diversification in cold
greenhouses in the Mediterranean is unlikely to reach the heated greenhouse
levels. Leaving aside the economic factor, a heated greenhouse can be
tailored climate-friendly to almost any plant condition. At the same time, in
unheated greenhouses, plants may conform to an internal environment that
relies on the external temperature. These species ' photothermic requirements
should not be too high so that they can be met by simple modifications of
internal microclimatic conditions; however, they should not be so low that
they reduce or nullify the benefits of the greenhouse environment in terms of
productivity, quality, and harvest time. New crops must withstand widely
variable thermal ranges daily and seasonally for these environments. The
minimum and maximum temperature ranges achieved every day in these
environments are often outside the thermokinetic scope, i.e., the biologically
acceptable thermal period. This period is not always well established for
crops with new candidates. A greenhouse can yield the most significant
beneficial effects on plants with a long cycle and infinite production, to
enable the more extensive use of a greenhouse. Specific considerations are
weighed when picking new crops in addition to the plant characteristics:
operational issues (e.g., using the greenhouse during summer rest periods as
well) and commercial motives (e.g., enhancing efficiency by increasing the
delivery period). Given the substantial interspecific and intraspecific diversity
of vegetable plants (hundreds of species in the Mediterranean Basin alone),
diversification in a cold greenhouse is therefore very restricted. Based on this
study, it can be inferred that, in terms of shelter typology, the characteristics
of a candidate new crop for Mediterranean cold greenhouses vary. In
comparison, the main requirements for new plants in the Netherlands for
heated greenhouses are year-round planting, tolerance to soil and heating
crops, high yield capacity, low labor requirements, high thermal requirements
(making outdoor cultivation impossible), and high quality relative to open-air
goods. All other factors–the cost of production, product quality, and overlap
in the production calendar with other open-air crops–are valid for heated and
unheated greenhouses.
More than 1,000 species are consumed as "vegetables" worldwide. In
greenhouse outputs, there are several origins of new crops:
plants imported from other countries;
small species and varieties developed in the past, and now
ignored or not routinely grown;
Cultivars of plants already commonly grown in greenhouses
but capable of providing new characteristics to vegetables;
species to date only produced in the open air; and
 wild species, consumed as vegetables.
Adapt to agro-climatic and social conditions;
meet customer specifications; and
be lucrative and profitable.
Innovative crops related to traditional ones and able to
produce new types of vegetables include cherry tomatoes
(20 years ago), beef tomatoes (recently), immature pea pods,
small eggplants, small peppers, tiny strawberries, yellow
and variegated green bean pods, and yellow courgettes.
These should be considered new to certain areas (in the
Mediterranean), although elsewhere they might already be
well known. The competition is undoubtedly a major
driving force in introducing a new seed. Seedless
watermelons were a popular product with widespread use.
In other instances, a specific product may not be widely
distributed, such as gombo (Abelmoscus esculentum). Still,
it reacts to very particular consumer demand (in this case
from Asia and Africa). New crop success relies on market
opportunities. Consequently, diversification could be aimed
at producing relatively small quantities of a particular
product if it is directed at a specific market. Sadly, the
current greenhouse farming systems do not have adequate
tracking and knowledge on new crops to create a database to
be used as a guideline. This also obstructs further
development of these crops and the likelihood of up-to-date
cultural technologies emerging.
Conclusively, Species and cultivar selection is a significant factor when
considering the sustainability of protected cultivations. While the selection
process is complicated, some key aspects can be clarified. The decision is
based on a step-by-step approach to understanding competition and goals,
followed by a detailed study. This method is focused on the understanding of
existing know-how and on the prospect of carrying out experimental
activities; it is to be called fluid and, therefore, adaptable to the ongoing
development of societal, economic and agronomic circumstances; thanks to a
feedback study
Chapter 7: Plants for Year-Round Growing

When you plant your plants in a greenhouse, you can allow them to give you
harvest as often as you want to. Plants will only give you a harvest when they
are ready to. However, with the process of growing your plants on a
schedule, you can make sure that you have some sort of harvest coming in all
year long. We will look into how this works and some tips and tricks to help
you along the way.
First, let's look into why you would want to have a harvest all year long. If
you have plants that can be harvested from all year long, you have fresh fruits
and vegetables available to you every day of the year. If you grow enough
plants, this could even replace your produce purchases at the grocery store. It
will allow your family and yourself to be the healthiest versions of yourself
that you can be. It will give you something to look forward to each day, and it
will allow you to continue to feel the success of growing in your greenhouse
throughout every single season. Having a year-round harvest greenhouse can
be a challenging process, and we will look into these struggles below along
with the benefits—but it can be a great thing as well.
Next, let's look into how you can make this happen. How can you possibly
have a greenhouse that has to products available to you every single day of
the year? It sounds like something that would be fairly difficult. In reality, it
is a simple process. It requires a lot of work and a lot of planning, but once
you get that plan into action, I can be a simple thing to follow through with.
To learn about how you can make this happen, let us look into what we
already know. We already know that you can plant in greenhouses all year
long. We already know that you can keep your plants alive in your
greenhouse all year long and that you do not need to keep planting new plants
for each season. Your plants can stay alive. We know that this is possible
through the use of heaters and adequate lighting through artificial sources
when it is winter, and we know that this is possible through fans and vents
when it's hot in the summer. When you have a greenhouse that can be used
every season of the year, you can, of course, plant in every season of the
year.
No, let's look into what we do not yet know. We do not yet know how you
can have plants give you a crop all year long. Of course, you are not going to
get a tomato plant to keep producing your tomatoes constantly day after day
for years straight. Fruits and vegetables have growing seasons. They have
seasons were they grow food and seasons were they prepare themselves to do
so. You cannot make an apple tree have apples all year long. You cannot
make an orange tree grow oranges all year long. The plants need to have their
time to prepare themselves oh, they cannot have food on them every single
day.
Because of this, there must be another way to allow you to gain a crop from
your greenhouse every day of the year. This other way is by planting your
plants on the schedule. When you plant a seed, you know when it will
become mature by the number of days it provides you on the back of the
packet. For example, if a tomato plant takes 120 days to reach maturity, this
will be listed on the back of the seed packet. When you know how long it will
take to produce fruit or vegetables, you will be able to count on that plant to
produce a crop for you at that time. Because of this, you will then know if
you plant a tomato plant that you will have tomatoes in 120 or so days. The
same holds for every type of plant. When you plant something, you should be
able to tell how long it will take that seedling to turn into a plant that bears
food.
Now, if you want to have every month of the year filled with these tomatoes,
you will need to plan a harvest for each month of the year. To do this, you
will need to pick out that month that you want the plan to be ready, and count
back 120 days or however long it takes tomatoes to reach maturity. Once you
count back these 120 days, you will find that the day that you need to plant
your seed on. Columbus Day, you will probably want to plant many seeds. If
you plant many seeds, you will have a better chance of getting at least some
of them to survive.
After you have planted your seeds, go ahead and find the next date when you
would like a new tomato harvest to happen and do the process all over again.
If you want your hair was to happen once a month, you can simply plant the
seeds on the first day of every month. Once you have gotten the pattern
started, the math will always be 30 days later. Because of this, you can
simply plant on one day of the month every month.
If you plant one day of the month every month for a year, you should then
have a harvest coming in every single day of the year. As long as you care for
your plants in a way that allows them to bear fruit and vegetables, will have
your plants set up on a staggering schedule to give you a crop.
You can choose to do this year-round growing with one type of plant or with
all of your plants. If you only want carrots year-round, for example, you
could simply just choose to keep planting carrot seeds when you want them
to grow. If you want all of your plants to have a harvest every day of the year,
you will do this with all of your plants. To do this, you might need a bigger
greenhouse. If you only have a small greenhouse, you can consider only
doing year-round growing with your favorite plants.
Another important factor to consider when growing plants all your robes is
that your females need to be ready for every season. If you live in a cold area,
you will want to make sure that your greenhouse is winterized and ready for
the cold winter. You will want to make sure that your heater is working and
that it is running, as well as that all cracks and holes that could be in your
greenhouse are covered and are not letting air in. He will also want to make
sure that any big jobs are done before winter comes so that you do not have
to open the doors or windows for long amounts of time as this can make the
air in the greenhouse become very cold very quickly. If you are growing your
round and you live in a place that has very hot summers, you may want to be
prepared with things like some shades and vents on your greenhouse for air
circulation. For the spring and fall, you need to be prepared as well. The
preparation for these seasons varies based on where you live—but for the fall,
you should be prepared for winter; and for the spring, you should be prepared
for summer.
Why do you need to have your greenhouse ready for every season? You need
to have your greenhouse ready for every season because you are growing in
every season. If you have a harvest every day, that means you are growing
every day. This means that your plants need to be alive and healthy every
day. To make this happen, your greenhouse needs to be repaired and in the
optimal environment for the health of your plants as well as their success
every day of the year. This means that you need to take your seasonal
preparation and care very seriously. It has a much more detailed approach to
this information.
Another thing to consider when you look into year-round growing is that you
need to be ready to do a lot of work every single day of the year. When you
do year-round growing, you do not have an off-season. You do not have a
break in between crops where you do not need to go out into your
greenhouse. You do not have a time where you are not doing multiple jobs at
once. You are growing seedlings, planting seeds, caring for plants, and
harvesting all in the same day. This means that you are around growing can
take a lot of your time and energy in ways that typical greenhouse gardening
cannot. Of course, for this extra effort, it does provide a lot of added benefits
with its increased amount of crop and harvest, but it needs to be a level of
work that you are ready for if it is something that you want to consider. This
extra work also takes up a lot of extra time. If you want to have a year-round
growing garden inside of your greenhouse, you need to make sure that you
have enough time to do so. Finding the time to prep for each season, plant
seeds, care for your plants, and harvest all at the same time can be
challenging. Year-round growing inside of your friend house is a
commitment that you need to be all in for if you want even to consider it.
With extra harvests, year-round growing also comes with extra costs. If you
want to grow plants year-round, you will be buying many more seeds. You
will also be buying much more soil, and maybe even many more trays if you
cannot reuse the old ones. You will be using more water well water in your
extra plants, and he will be using more light to provide the heat and lighting
that your extra plants need. Make sure that you can cover these extra costs if
you are ready to have extra harvests year-round growing in your greenhouse.
Another thing that you should know about year-round gardening is it is great
for people who want to sell their crops. If you are looking to sell fruits or
vegetables, year-round gardening can be a great choice. If you do your
gardening and sell your crops, you will be one of the few farmers or
gardeners who can sell fruits and vegetables during their offseason. If you
can sell fruits and vegetables during their offseason, you will have a huge
advantage over your competition. Typically, people miss fresh fruits and
vegetables in the wintertime. If you can provide them with you is, you will
have a lot of business. You will have a lot of happy customers, and the extra
work that you put into your year-round gardening will pay off quickly.
Year-round growing can be hard. Because of this, we want to share with you
some pieces of advice. Let's look into some tips and tricks that you can use to
make year-round growing easier for you. Our first step is that you should
start with a plant. Make sure that you know what you want to do. If you do
not have a plan in place before you begin, you are around growing can seem
overwhelming. You need to know what types of plants you want to have and
when you want to harvest them. You also want to have a plan for where you
are going to grow your plants since they take up extra space as well as how
you are going to get the extra resources. You may even want to plan out how
you are going to have enough time to spend growing all of these plants at
once.
Our next tip is that you should make sure you have a large greenhouse for a
creative space plan before planning on having a year-round harvest. It is okay
if you have a small greenhouse, but if you do have a small greenhouse, you
need to be creative with the small space that you have. Look into different
shelving units, or even considered growing one set the plants underneath the
normal bench with artificial grow lights to maximize your space.
Also, if you are planning on participating in year-round growing, consider
asking for help. Ask your friends and family to help you with watering once
in a while. Ask your neighborhood children to help you with planting seeds.
These are things that your family, friends, and neighbors would probably love
to help you with if you asked him. The extra help would also give you the
ability to care for plants in a way that you may not be able to do on your
own.
Along with that last tip, if you offer some of the harvests to your helpers, they
may be much more willing to help. Tell your neighbors that they can take
some tomatoes whenever they like if they come over and help water them or
help you plant some seeds. If you spread the word that you are helpers will
get it back in produce that comes from your garden, you will probably have
many more volunteers as well as much better luck getting them actually to
come and help.
Our biggest tip for year-round growing is to be prepared. Look ahead at the
challenges that you might face. Be ready for what you need to do if you have
some sort of greenhouse emergency. Make sure that you understand you will
be using many more lights and much more water. Understand that you will be
spending a lot of time in the greenhouse. Make yourself comfortable with
these facts and even happy with them. If you do these things, it will be much
easier for you to grow your plants year-round in a greenhouse.
Even though growing plants year-round in a greenhouse is hard, we want you
to find success. We believe that if you follow these tips and tricks and learn
all the information that we have shared with you, you will be able to have
success at year-round gardening. As long as you have the tools, knowledge,
and passion necessary to do this large task, you will have great success.
Overall, it is easy to see that year-round growing inside of a greenhouse is a
difficult but rewarding task. It is something that takes extra time, extra
money, extra resources, extra effort, and extra dedication to keep up with.
Along with all of these things, however, year-round growing in a greenhouse
also provides you with added benefits. It gives you harvests year-round. It
allows you to have healthy food to put on your table every day of the year. It
allows you to plan for what you want to eat and when you want to have it
ready. It is a rewarding and beneficial process in many ways. Year-round
growing can be a great thing to do—you just need to make sure that you are
up for the challenge before you begin.
Chapter 8: Hydroponics in your Greenhouse

The possibility of hydroponic (gardening without soil), has been around since
the hour of King Solomon. There are a couple of preferences with hydroponic
gardening over conventional gardening - for instance, the pace of
development of a hydroponic plant can be up to half quicker than a dirt plant
become under similar conditions.
What's more, the yield of the plant is additionally greater! The explanation
behind this is the plants get their sustenance took care of straightforwardly
into their foundations from supplement rich water. Since this water is so high
in supplement content, the plant needn't bother with huge roots to scan for
nourishment. What's more, since the plant exhausts less vitality in developing
roots it has more vitality accessible to be beneficial over the root line!
Hydroponically developed vegetables are solid, enthusiastic, and reliably
dependable. This type of gardening is spotless and incredibly simple, and it
requires next to no exertion.
Hydroponic gardening is likewise valuable to the earth. For instance,
hydroponic gardening utilizes significantly less water than soil gardening
because of the consistent reuse of the supplement arrangements.
Furthermore, fewer pesticides are important in hydroponic yields - they are
not as essential. Also, topsoil disintegration can't an issue since hydroponic
gardening frameworks utilize no topsoil.
How precisely does a hydroponically developed plant get its nourishment -
sustenance it ordinarily gets from the dirt? All things considered, these
supplements come in fluid or powdered blends and can be bought at a
hydroponic inventory store. What's more, similar to soil, hydroponic
frameworks can be prepared with natural or concoction supplements. In any
case, you should realize that a natural hydroponic framework can be
extensively more work to keep up since the natural mixes have an inclination
bunch.
Hydroponic frameworks are regularly arranged as aloof or dynamic. A
functioning hydroponic framework moves the supplement arrangement with
a siphon. A detached hydroponic framework depends on the slender activity
of the developing medium or a wick.
In a detached framework, the supplement rich arrangement is consumed by
the medium or the wick and went along to the plant's underlying foundations.
In any case, a drawback with this technique is that they are typically
excessively wet and don't supply enough oxygen to the root framework for
the best development rates.
Hydroponic frameworks are likewise portrayed as recuperation or non-
recuperation. In recuperation frameworks, the supplement arrangement is re-
coursed for reuse. In a non-recuperation framework, be that as it may, the
supplement arrangement can't.
You might be uncertain of whether to purchase or assemble a hydroponic
framework. If you have a 'designing psyche' and need to manufacture one,
consider getting one first just to get acquainted with the inward activities.
Purchase a framework which doesn't cost a great deal of cash. It will give you
a superior comprehension of how hydroponics functions and the hands-on
experience can merit the expense of the framework as you will have the
option to reuse the parts when you choose to construct one.
Hydroponics gardening is a famous and developing interest and many are
seeing this as fun, exciting Free Reprint Articles, and simple to begin.
Although there is a wide range of sorts of hydroponic frameworks, they all
work utilizing similar essential strategies. As a matter of first importance,
hydroponic developing frameworks permit plant roots to come into direct
contact with supplements and oxygen, which are both fundamental to plant
development, without utilizing soil. Rather than soil, some hydroponic
frameworks utilize different sorts of developing media, as stone wool,
mudrocks, coco coir, vermiculite or perlite to offer help for a plant's
underlying foundations. In other hydroponic frameworks, similar to those that
fuse hydroponics, no developing media is required by any stretch of the
imagination.
Concerning plant supplements, these are conveyed legitimately to plant roots
through a water-based, supplement rich arrangement. This arrangement can
be applied to the roots utilizing a few different techniques. A portion of these
techniques incorporates, however, are not restricted to, the roots being
suspended in the supplement arrangement, for example, the profound water
culture strategy or the roots can be clouded with the supplement arrangement,
which is utilized in hydroponics, a.k.a. fogponics or mistponics.
Notwithstanding, abundant supplements and oxygen are not by any means the
only components that assume a fundamental job in plant development. Light,
alongside supplements and oxygen, must be accessible for plants to
assimilate, as it is a basic segment in photosynthesis. Much like the
supplement arrangement, legitimate measures of light can be conveyed to
plants developed hydroponically in a couple of different ways. Some
hydroponic frameworks are open, depending on normal lighting, while
different frameworks depend on artificial lighting to furnish plants with
satisfactory measures of light.
What is hydroponics utilized for?
Hydroponics is rapidly picking up prevalence in places where customary
cultivating just isn't an alternative. In huge urban communities, there is next
to zero access to agronomically reasonable land. In any case, hydroponics
fills in as an answer for the issue of constrained developing space.
Hydroponics tackles this issue because it tends to be executed anyplace. This
applies to enormous scope, business ranches, however little family gardens
also.
The mix of hydroponics and vertical homesteads has allowed numerous
enormous urban areas the chance to approach crisp privately developed
produce. This is the reason in numerous enormous urban areas hydroponic
ranchers are purchasing up unused structure spaces of every kind imaginable
and utilizing them as vertical-ranch building spaces. In huge urban
communities, vertical ranches have been worked in spaces, for example, void
distribution centers and old delivery compartments. Many accept these kinds
of hydroponic homesteads can positively affect urban networks by giving
crisp produce and supporting neighborhood nourishment supplies.
For what reason is hydroponics so famous for indoor gardening specifically?
Developing plants inside with hydroponics permits gardeners to make a
garden in their home regardless of whether they have a constrained measure
of room. Notwithstanding having the option to develop plants in a limited
quantity of room, indoor hydroponic gardening has a few advantages. One
especially reasonable advantage is that hydroponic gardening is considerably
less messy than soil gardening. Also, indoor gardens can be a practical
wellspring of great produce all year, given the ecological conditions are kept
ideal.
Indoor hydroponic gardens have a few other auxiliary advantages too. By
developing plants inside, gardeners can control numerous parts of the
developing condition. This incorporates the control of plant sicknesses and
bugs. Last, however surely not least, an advantage that may not be often
considered, is that plants developed inside guide in cleaning the demeanor of
different poisons and discharge oxygen once again into the encompassing
indoor condition.
What are the benefits of hydroponics?
One of the most perceived advantages of hydroponics is that nourishments
developed in indoor hydroponic frameworks are not liable to developing
seasons. Indeed, nourishment developed along these lines can be created all
year in significantly less time. Not exclusively can crops be developed in
each season, the yield in hydroponic homesteads is twofold the production
yield of soil-based ranches because the development cycle is continually
restarting. Yield can't higher, yet numerous hydroponic ranchers guarantee
that the nature of the hydroponically developed product is a lot higher.
Hydroponic ranches not just beat customary homesteads underway; they don't
have a portion of the significant hindrances that accompany soil-based
cultivating, especially in the territory of asset utilization. Albeit hydroponic
frameworks rely upon water and water-based answers for performing
appropriately, they use around one-twentieth of the measure of water utilized
in customary gardening and cultivating.
This is because in most hydroponic frameworks the water is often reused and
reused, restricting the general sum that is required. Also, hydroponic
homesteads don't deliver run-off. In conventional cultivating, run-off can
prompt the corruption of the general condition. In any case, with hydroponic
homesteads, water can be reused on various occasions.
Notwithstanding utilizing significantly less water, hydroponic homesteads
don't require a similar measure of upkeep that customary ranches do. For
instance, hydroponic frameworks don't generally require pesticides because
hydroponic plants are developed in controlled situations and therefore are not
defenseless to soil-borne sicknesses, vermin, or organisms.
Hydroponic homesteads likewise require considerably less work than
customary ranches because they are in minimal spaces, often as midsection
elevated levels. Therefore, gathering and replanting is a lot simpler with
hydroponic frameworks (no burrowing or weeding required!), making the
general upkeep of hydroponic frameworks insignificant.
What are the drawbacks of hydroponics?
Although the benefits of hydroponic cultivating enormously exceed those of
conventional cultivating, the weaknesses have shielded hydroponic
cultivating from being executed for a bigger scope. The greatest impediment
of hydroponic frameworks is that the underlying set-up costs are
exceptionally high.
Some little, locally situated hydroponic frameworks can be assembled
generally economically, yet huge scope cultivating tasks can accompany a
sticker price that runs into a huge number of dollars. This is because
enormous hydroponic cultivating frameworks require significantly more
specific gear and specialized information than is required in customary
cultivating.
Enormous hydroponic homesteads additionally require consistent supervision
and checking. The measures of supplement arrangement, lighting, and
oxygen that plants get are painstakingly observed by experts. Moreover,
hydroponic cultivating is vulnerable to something customary grounds ranches
are not: power blackouts. In case of a force blackout, plants can dry out and
harvests can be lost.
Force utilization by huge scope hydroponic homesteads is additionally a
worry. Numerous indoor hydroponic ranches rely upon artificial lighting to
furnish plants with their light needs as opposed to depending only on the sun.
Be that as it may, numerous producers accept that if these disservices can be
settled, hydroponic frameworks could be a monetarily suitable option in
contrast to conventional cultivating.
Chapter 9: Maintaining A Hydroponic System

Hydroponic gardens need to have proper care and maintenance, or they will
not produce healthy plants. Not only do they need to be constantly cleaned,
but various maintenance checks need to be carried out to make sure the
system remains functioning correctly.
A faulty drain or a leaky pipe or switch could do serious damage to a
hydroponic garden as most of the systems rely on their equipment and parts
to work smoothly.
Cleanliness
To stop the buildup of algae, mold, and fungus or to stop attracting pests,
keep the growing room as clean as possible.
Equipment should be flushed and cleaned at least twice a month to maintain
water levels, stop algae growth, and ensure that no pests are lurking about the
system.
To stop pests and various fungal growth, growers should always make sure
their hands are clean. Hands should be kept washed especially after handling
anything that was dirty or in contact with a harmful substance.
Do not let old fallen leaves, stems, fruit, produce or growing media or even
pots or discarded trays lie around the growing areas. Rather throw out any
debris or broken items, and wash and pack away any unused equipment.
Wash all equipment after use and only reuse a growing medium if it can be
reused and it has been thoroughly washed and sterilized. All growing
mediums, whether old or new, should be thoroughly washed before being
used as not to contaminate the grow pots, grow trays, and the reservoir.
Keeping the growing area and equipment clean cuts down on the chances of
infestation and development of frustrating diseases that are a nuisance to get
rid of.
Nutrient Solution
The proper nutrient solution for the plant type and system type should be
used at the correct ratio of solution to water.
Only use good quality nutrient solutions with an organic base. Advance
nutrients are only required should there be a problem that needs to be fixed,
such as a nutrient deficiency in a plant.
The nutrient solution balance should be checked regularly especially is it is a
recovery system where the solution is being continuously recycled.
Make sure that the solution is flushed and completely refreshed regularly and
that there is no salt buildup since this is very acidic and toxic to the plants.
Watering
Watering is done in many different ways and is delivered to each of the
hydroponic systems differently.
Make sure the water is always fresh and checked regularly. Algae is a
common problem, as is nutrient build up in the system. An oxygen pump
should be installed to ensure the water is being well hydrated and to keep the
water fresher for longer.
Water solutions can come from the tap, drain systems, or rain collection
tanks.
Watering can be on a continuous flow basis or set by a timer that switches on
and off at different intervals during the day.
If possible, a person should always have a backup water solution available in
case of an emergency and their primary watering source is unavailable. Some
plants are very sensitive to their watering schedule and even a few minute's
downtimes and a missed watering schedule can cause some damage.
Reservoir Temperature
The water in the reservoir should be around 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit,
which is the basic room temperature. Water that is either too hot or too cold
can damage the plant's root systems and their leaves.
The reservoir should be topped off with water to keep pH and nutrient levels
constant. Change out the water regularly.
Humidity
Different plants and hydroponic systems need the humidity to be on different
levels. Some thermometers can measure the humidity and temperature to
ensure that the plants are comfortable. Keeping an optimum level does not
encourage the growth of unwanted diseases and fungi.
Make sure plants that love the hotter temperatures get enough humidity by
giving them a regular misting spray. This will help to keep the humidity
constant for the plants that do not like too much humidity.
Inspect the Equipment
The equipment should be thoroughly inspected regularly.
There are a lot of things that can go wrong in a hydroponic system, especially
with the equipment. And the best way to troubleshoot is to try to avoid as
many equipment malfunctions as possible.
The best way to inspect equipment to keep the entire system in mind. When
doing the inspection starts at one point and work your way through your
system.
Start with the reservoir and all the systems that are dependent on it.
•Water feeding pipe
•This should be thoroughly checked for crimps that may not be feeding the
solution correctly.
•Nutrients build up in the pipes so they may need thorough flushing out or
replacing.
•Check for any blockages in the pipe.
•Check for any holes or leaks that could deter the flow of water pressure in
the pipe.
•Check for any algae or mold that may be growing in or around the pipe.
•Determine if it may be time to replace the hoses.
•Give them a good cleaning if they are still viable.
•Nozzles and hoses
•Check the nozzles that feed the root systems, sprinklers, or misting
systems.
•When last were they changed?
•Check for blockages or leakage.
•Check any joins and washers for leaks.
•Check for sediment build-up, algae, or mold growing in or around these
attachments.
•Give them a good cleaning if they are still usable.
•Drain siphons and hoses
•Check the drain pipes for blockages
•When last were they replaced?
•Check for leaks.
•Check for algae or mold growing in or around these pipes.
•They may need to have a good cleaning as part of the system maintenance.
•Check the reservoir water pump
•Test the pump
•Make sure it is still working correctly and pumping the water at the optimum
flow.
•Check that all pump attachments are not leaking air.
•Check the reservoir
•Check that there is no buildup, algae, or mold growing on the reservoir.
•Check for any leaks.
•Make sure the water is at the optimum temperature for the hydroponic
system and plants.
•Check that any air pumps are functioning correctly and adequately
oxygenating the tank.
•Make sure any oxygen stones do not have unwanted algae or mold growth
on them
•Growing trays
•Make sure the growing tray(s) do not have any leaks in them.
•Make sure the growing tray(s) are clean and have not unwanted algae or
mold growing on them.
•Clean off any nutrient build-up and make sure the trays are clean.
•For a closed system, the trays must be given thorough flushing out.
•Growing pots
•Check that each of the pots is still intact and not broken.
•Replace any that are not functioning correctly.
•Make sure any growing medium is clean and does not have any unwanted
algae or mold growing on them that could upset the plant's natural balance.
•Lighting equipment
•Check that the bulbs are still functioning correctly.
•Check that the lighting is still adequate for the environment.
•Check the timers are working correctly.
•Clean any residue off the lighting system.
•Temperature
•Make sure that any thermostat is working correctly and that room
temperature is normal.
•Check that the humidity is correct for the growing environment.
•Check both the temperature and humidity thermometers to ensure that they
are still working correctly.
•Ventilation
•Make sure that there is adequate ventilation in the growing room.
•Not enough ventilation can cause mold.
•Check that all fans and cooling systems are working correctly.
•Support Systems
•Check that any hanging supports for the plants are working without causing
the plant or system any undue stress.
•Make sure that the environment in which the hydroponic system is housed
offers the correct infrastructure for the system to function correctly.
•Make sure the plants are all supported and planted correctly to ensure a
successful infrastructure.
•Tools
•Are all the gardening tools in working order?
•Are they cleaned?
•Are there any that may need to be replaced?
Look at Your Plants
Make sure you keep a vigilant check on your growing plants. Measure their
growth rate, root growth and when they are ready to harvest.
This gives a person a good measure of how the next batch should perform
and something by which to determine if the growing medium, solution, or
systems structure may need to be changed or optimized.
The plants must also be checked to make sure they are getting enough
nutrients, they are growing as they should, and there are no pests or other
infestations. A lot of growing problems and deficiencies can be caused by
various infestations. Some are easy to spot, others may take more of an
experienced eye, but as a gardener gets to know their plants they will come to
instinctively know when something is wrong.
Look for the signs in seedlings such as slow growth, looking sad and droopy,
white fluffy stuff growing on the leaves, etc.
Take the time to look over the plants; do not just rush through it.
If there is an outbreak, you will need to go through the entire growing area
right away.
Spending time with the plants in a hydroponic environment can also be quite
good for the mind and spirit. Plants and running water are rather therapeutic
and can reduce stress, anxiety and ease tension.
Change One Thing at a Time
If you are wanting to change or expand your system, do not try and do it all at
once.
Before rushing out and buying expensive parts, why not try a bit of DIY and
try to make it yourself. Or at least look around to see what you have available
before rushing off to spend more money on an item you do not need.
Hydroponic systems are not only flexible and versatile in what they can grow
or how they deliver their solutions, but they can also be easily adapted to suit
the grower's needs and lifestyle.
There are so many great DIY ideas on how to create the perfect hydroponic
garden online these days that it is well worth a try. The money you save
building the system yourself can be better spent on plants, growing media, or
nutrient solutions.
To keep a system simple and working for you, think carefully about an
upgrade or addition.

Chapter 10: Common Greenhouse Problems

Problems can pop up in greenhouses no matter how well you treat your
plants. Do you not feel bad if any of these problems pop up? Simply look
back at this information and figure out how you can solve the issue quickly
and effectively. We will look into the problem in detail, who learn why it
occurs, and learn how to fix it. Let's get started.
First, let's look into what to do if you get bugs in your greenhouse. Is there
something that you would think of dealing with outside? You do not want to
need to deal with them inside of your greenhouse. The first reason is that you
are already in a structure—you should not have to deal with something like
bugs. The second reason is if bugs are in your greenhouse, it is not like
they're simply going to be like when they are outside. If bugs are in your
greenhouse, they probably think that they are there to stay. You will need to
do something to get them out of your greenhouse. They are not going to fly
away like they were outside.
Let's start by looking into why bugs get into greenhouses. If there is any
space that allows bugs to get into your greenhouse—like a crack or hole or
even vent or door that was open for a few seconds—bugs can get in. Bugs go
inside greenhouses because they know they're filled with plants and because
they want to pollinate them. Bugs can also go to clean houses just to simply
explore. Other bugs are looking for plants to eat. You do not want these latter
bugs in your greenhouse. You do not want your plants to get eaten by anyone
except for you.
Next, let's look into some ways that you can prevent bugs from getting into
your greenhouse. One of the easiest ways to prevent getting bumped into
your greenhouses is to look at the things that you are bringing inside. If you
are bringing inside a plant, make sure there are no bugs in it. If you are
bringing in new soil, make sure you do the same. Anything that you bring in
should be checked to ensure that there are no bugs that could hurt your plants
on them.
Another thing that you can do to avoid getting bugs in your greenhouses to
make sure that they do not have a way in. Make sure that all cracks and holes
are filled. Also, if you have a fence, you could consider putting a screen on
them. You can put screens on the windows as well. You can also make sure
that when you come in and out of the greenhouse, you do so quickly and you
do not leave the door open.
It is also a good idea to not plant anything around the outside of your
greenhouse. If you put plants around the outside of your greenhouse, these
plants can attract bugs. If you attract bugs next to your greenhouse, they will
likely know that there are plants inside and they will likely find a way in.
You want to keep all of your outdoor plants far away from the greenhouse to
avoid this happening.
Now, let's look into what to do if you already have bugs inside of your
greenhouse. In an outdoor garden, you might reach for the pesticides. This is
not a great idea inside of a greenhouse not only because they are toxic
chemicals but because in such a small space they can be a hazard. One
helpful way to catch bugs inside of your greenhouse is to use bug traps like
tape. You can hang out tape all-around in your greenhouse, and it will not
affect your plants. It will, however, catch the bugs that you do not want to be
there. You could also consider making sure to get rid of anything that will
attract bugs. For example, make sure that there is no standing water available
in your greenhouse. If your bugs are not attracted to anything inside of your
greenhouse, they may leave. If you are having a hard time with bugs in your
greenhouse, you could always ask a professional exterminator for help.
Something that can be problematic is your greenhouse disease. Many
different things can cause diseases in your plants. These diseases can come
from mold, bacteria, and viruses. Greenhouse diseases can be some things
that are hard to beat. Let's look into some ways that you can prevent these
diseases from occurring in your greenhouse.
What is the most important thing that you can do to prevent disease in your
greenhouses? It is to sanitize. You want to make sure that you sanitize
everything after you use it. You will need to sanitize 2, trays, and even
shelves. If you do not sanitize your tools, it increases your risk of spreading
disease inside of your greenhouse from plant to plant. This is because if one
plant had a disease and you used a shovel to scoop it out and throw it away,
and then use the same shovel in another plant, the new plant would probably
get the disease as well just from being touched with the same shovel. The
spread of disease in plants inside of greenhouses is similar to the spread of
disease in humans. If you stay clean, you will have a much better chance of
not spreading diseases.
You allow someone to watch your humidity and make sure that you are
greenhouse does not get overly humid. If your greenhouse is too humid, mold
and fungus are likely to grow on your soil. If these grow in your soil, your
plants will get the disease because of them. Mold and fungus can also spread
very quickly and easily. It is something that you want to avoid having in your
greenhouse.
When watering your plants, you will want to make sure that the tool does not
touch your plant's insurgencies, and you will also want to make sure that the
water does not splash while you are watering. If water splashes from one
plant to another, it can spread disease. Because of this, you will want to use a
tool for watering that does not allow water to splash. You will want to use the
tool that has a light spray that soaks into the soil and does not splash at all.
Another thing that can help prevent disease is to make sure that plants have
adequate space between them. If your plants are too close together, they will
be touching each other, and this can cause them to spread diseases to each
other. If your plans are spaced apart, when one plant becomes diseased, the
ones around it will not be touching it and will likely not become diseased
along with it. Sometimes, it can be a hassle to spread plants out in your
greenhouse because it feels like a wasted space, but it is better to waste space
than to allow all of your plants to become sick.
One last thing that you can do to protect your plants from disease is to look at
them every day. Walk around your greenhouse and look for signs of disease.
Look for things that look out of the ordinary. If you see a plant that does not
look healthy, consider taking it out of the greenhouse and quarantining it for
a while. This will allow you to tell if the plant is infected with the disease as
well as keep it away from other healthy plants to make sure that they do not
catch a disease if it has one. With this process, it is helpful to know what
plants look like when they are diseased. If the plant has mold or fungus, you
will probably be able to tell right away. If it has mold growing in the soil or
mushrooms growing in the soil, it means that it has mold or fungus. This is
one of the easiest diseases to tell if your plant has. Another sign that your
plant has a disease is that it has large, raised brown lumps on its leaves. These
lumps typically mean the plant is sick. Plants that seem to be dying even
though you are taking great care of them can be diseased as well. Any plant
that is showing signs that are not normal should be taken away from your
healthy plants just in case a disease is present.
Next, let's look into what to do if a plant is serious. If you see that a plant is
diseased, make sure you take it out for a greenhouse right away. This will
help to make it not infect other pants. Also, you should look at helping it right
away—especially if you can save your plant when all signs of the disease are
gone and bring it back to the greenhouse. If not, at least, you only lost one
plant and not your entire greenhouse to a disease.
If you take the necessary precautions to make sure that diseases do not enter
your plants and take it seriously when a plant is looking unhealthy, you
should have success in keeping this problem away.
We are going to look into what to do if you look at some plants in your
greenhouse and see that their leaves are turning yellow. Yellow leaves are a
common occurrence and plants, but they are not a good sign. There's
something that you want to deal with and help right away. If you do not help
a plant that has yellow leaves, it will likely die from the cause of the
discoloration. Many different things can cause yellow leaves in plants, so let's
get started in figuring out what they are.
The first thing that can cause yellow leaves in plants is something called
moisture stress. Moisture stress is when a plant gets either too little water or
too much water. If a plant is not watered often enough, it will have both dry
soil and yellow leaves. If a plant is watered too much, it will have wet soil as
well as possible mold or fungus growing in it and yellow leaves. It should be
pretty easy to tell the difference between these two problems. You will know
if you have been watering your plant a lot or if you have forgotten many days
in a row. Even if you do not know this information, you will be able to tell by
the moisture level in the soil. If your plant has yellow leaves that have too
much water or too little water, it is very easy to fix. Simply make sure that
you give your plant the accurate amount of water starting at the moment that
you notice the yellow leaves. If your plant is under-watered, you can consider
giving it a water soak. To do this, you can soak the plant in water in assessing
or in a tub for anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. If your plant is
overwatered, consider giving it some period without water. Once it is dry
again, however, make sure you water it normally. Do not wait too long to
water it again because then it could turn yellow from not being watered
enough.
If you find yellow leaves on a plant and you know that you have been giving
it the correct amount of water, think about how much light it is getting. If a
plant does not get enough light, its leaves can turn yellow. If you have a plant
with yellow leaves and you know that it has not gotten enough lately,
considering moving it to a location that it will get more sun in. If you do not
have a space in your greenhouse available where this plant and get more sun,
you will need to give the plant adequate artificial lighting to help it survive.
This again is an easy fix. If you find a plant with yellow leaves and it needs
like, once you give it light its leaves should correct themselves, and it should
go back to being a healthy plant.
Another reason why a plant can have yellow leaves is that the temperature for
the plant is wrong in the environment that it is in. If your greenhouse is too
hot or too cold, the leaves of plants can turn yellow. Most likely, if this is the
cause, many plants in your greenhouse will have yellow leaves and not just
one. This is because all of the plants are experiencing the same temperature,
not just one. That is one good way to tell if yellow leaves are caused by
temperature. If a plant in your greenhouse is too hot or too cold, you simply
need to fix the temperature in the greenhouse to allow it to go back to normal.
Once the plant reaches the temperature that it wants to have, it should fix
itself, and its leaves should start growing green instead of yellow. This again
is an easy fix if you notice it while the plant is still able to be healthy.
If you believe that the environment for your plant is completely perfect and
that you have been wondering it well, the yellow leaves may be caused by
something else. The last cause for yellow leaves that we will look into is
plant nutrition. If you have been treating your plant perfectly and it still has
yellow leaves, this could be the cost. Typically, you will be able to tell when
plants are turning yellow from a nutrition problem because the yellow will
appear in strange patterns. It will not just be a yellow leaf for half of the
yellow leaf. The yellow may come in lines, or it may appear only in the veins
of the plant. Usually, when a plant has a nutrition problem, it is either caused
by having too much fertilizer in the soil or by the plant having a disease. If
you have been treating your plant and have not put too much fertilizer in it,
consider separating the plant from the others to make sure that you are not
allowing it to spread disease.
Overall, there are a lot of causes that can cause a plant to have yellow leaves.
Luckily, most of them are very solvable and very easy to figure out. When
you look at your plants and consider what it means and what it is not getting,
you will be able to figure out why it is yellow, and you will be able to fix it
quickly.
The last issue that we are going to look at is the occurrence of dying plants.
Dying plants are typically caused by one of the greenhouse problems that we
have already mentioned. They are typically caused by greenhouse problems
that go on seeing, however. Because of this, if you keep a good eye on your
plans and watch their symptoms, you should not have to deal with dying
plants.
If you have plants that have bugs in them, for example, you should be able to
notice the bugs right away. Every time you go into the greenhouse, you
should see bugs flying around, or you should see bugs crawling on your
plants when you inspect them closely. You may even notice that your plants
are being eaten by these bugs. These signs are hard to miss. However, if you
miss them, you will start to see dying plants in your greenhouse.
The same is true with diseases. If you have these plants in your greenhouse
and you do not notice them, you will eventually have dying plants instead. If
you do not catch the disease in time, the disease will spread. They will kill
the plans that they have already gotten too, and they will spread to even more
plants. If you do not notice diseases in time, they could wipe out your entire
greenhouse. This would be a tragedy. It would take all of your work and
bring it to a loss. If you do not notice diseases in your greenhouse, you will
eventually have dying plants in your greenhouse instead.
Once again, the same holds the yellow leaves. Yellow leaves usually have
easy fixes as we read about just now. However, if you do not notice yellow
leaves and you let the plants continue to suffer and not get what they need to
survive, you will eventually have dying plants instead. You need to notice
your yellow leaves when they are only on a few leaves of the plant. If you
notice that your plant is covered in completely yellow leaves, it is probably
too late to save.

Conclusion
The greenhouse is a system of change and management of the environment
that allows plants to grow in climates and seasons that otherwise do not fit
well with their growth. It is an environment in which you can control the
factors that promote the growth of plants. Factors such as heat, humidity,
ventilation, sun, etc. These factors and many others determine the quality and
quantity of their performance.
The construction and design of a greenhouse should be made based on these
factors because they can determine the optimal greenhouse performance.
Make sure the site has easy access to the water, electricity and other
necessary public services. High, stable soil is needed to avoid unnecessary
water accumulation. Find a place where there is decent ground for growing
plants or the potential to grow. Expandability must also be considered.
Greenhouse plants are exposed to many pests and diseases. In addition to the
particular problems of plants, some many pests and diseases attack plants in
greenhouses. Therefore, health and control of pests must be carried out.
Insects such as aphids, whiteflies, leaf miners, etc. affect performance in a
greenhouse.
The list of pests above may seem painful or even frightening, but remember
that this is an exhaustive list of major pests. It's unlikely you'll get them all.
You can go years without it. It is better to be prepared. If you know how to
recognize parasites and fight them, you've won the battle.
Many problems with pests and diseases caused by the greenhouse effect can
be greatly reduced by only observing a good cleaning practice. Always
remove all old plant materials and greenhouse composts, and whenever you
use a knife to cut or remove damaged plants, always clean these tools with a
good garden disinfectant. Also, always keep very strong chisels and pruners,
as this will reduce damage to plants, which can cause infection or pest attack.
The area around a greenhouse should be kept relatively free of weeds and
plant material that can carry pests. This can be done with winter fabric or a
plant covered in a barrier at least 10 feet wide around the structure.
Preferably, an area with grass should be maintained beyond this area.
Pests often enter the main entrance of a greenhouse because it is the path of
least resistance. A lock entry is essential in greenhouses equipped with fan
and pad ventilation systems. An airlock can only be obtained by installing a
room that locks the door of the greenhouse.
Greenhouse gardening offers many benefits that go beyond the benefits of
conventional gardening. One of the main benefits of growing greenhouses is
that they offer a longer growing season. Temperatures do not vary so much in
a greenhouse because solar radiation is trapped within the enclosure, which
retains heat in the structure. The growing seasons can be extended even in
cold climates.
With a greenhouse, you don't have to worry about the weather because
everything is covered. Even if it is raining outside, you can garden and stay
dry. You have the opportunity to grow a variety of plants when using a
greenhouse. It allows people to experience exotic plants that are not found in
the area.
 VEGETABLE
GARDENING

Build step-by-step your garden

simply and easily.
Grow Vegetables, Flowers, Fruits
and Herbs at home even
if you are a beginner.
Include a year-round growing plan.
Introduction

Vegetable gardening includes choosing a site, planning the garden, preparing

the soil, selecting the plants and seeds, planting a crop, and cultivating the
plants until they are ready for harvest. The final result is a new product to
consume, share, or market.
Anyone willing to spend some time daily or 2 to nurture the crops may grow
a vegetable garden. It does not take a good deal of cash, time, or ability,
though some of each will be useful. With practice and patience, your skills
will improve each year. Do not be discouraged if the first effort is not a
massive success.
Growing veggies takes some distance, but not always acres. A vegetable
garden may be on the floor or within a planting bed. However, it does not
need to be. Many vegetables can be raised in containers. By way of instance,
sufficient lettuce for a salad could be grown at a 12-inch kettle on the rear
deck. Insert several radishes and carrots, also raised in 12-inch containers,
like sweetness and spice, and you get a fantastic start on a yummy salad.
Success, however, takes more than only somewhere to grow the vegetables.
They need sun, water, atmosphere, soil, fertilizer, and maintenance.
There are many benefits to incorporating more organic choices into your life,
which is why more people around the world are choosing to go natural. At
first, going organic may seem to be more expensive. And yes, many organic
options in your local grocery store are indeed pricier. However, over time
you can find that living a natural lifestyle can save you money! By choosing
organic, you can benefit the health of your family, your home and yard, and
even the planet. Many studies have found that by going natural people
experience a wealth of physical benefits and a reduced risk of disease, saving
you money on medical bills in the future.
One way you can begin your organic life is with growing your organic
garden. By doing this, not only will you be provided with natural, fresh,
local, in-season produce, but it will also be available at a fraction of the price.
When you practice organic gardening, you learn that the earth has many
natural and organic options to feed into a cycle of sustainability. The ground
is fully equipped to allow plnts to flourish without the need for harmful
chemicals or pesticides. If you use the knowledge of the earth, you can learn
to start organic gardening literally from the ground up. You begin with the
soil you are planting into the water and fertilizer that you feed the plants with.
Over time, as you use these techniques, you will find that both your yard and
your garden flourish, providing you with a wealth of ingredients that only
have to travel from your backyard to your kitchen table.
By reading this book, you can learn to live a healthier and happier life
through the power of organic gardening. Providing your body and mind with
the foods, it craves you will soon find that you feel better than ever and have
the satisfaction of knowing that you know exactly what you are eating.
Get ready to change your life!
Chapter 1: Types of Vegetable Gardening
Best Gardens for Beginners
What do you envision when you think of a vegetable garden? Vegetables in
neat, uniform rows in a dedicated plot of land? But an in-ground garden isn’t
necessarily the best option for a beginner.
In-ground gardens can be highly productive, but there are variables you can’t
always control the first year, such as soil quality and pH. You also might
have to clear the new land, perhaps tilling it or covering the soil for several
months before planting.
Issues such as these are why container gardening and raised beds are so
popular. Let’s explore your options.
Container Gardening
In a container garden, vegetables and herbs grow in a limited space, such as a
pot or large planter. Many beginners enjoy container gardens because the
labor involved is minimal. You don’t have to prepare the ground, and
weeding is almost nonexistent. You can also place your pots in the best
location for the plants you’re growing.
But container gardening isn’t free of challenges. The cost of the containers
and soil can add up. Plants in containers require great attention to watering,
and in the heat of summer may need watering several times per day.
Container plants also need more fertilization, because the continual watering
leaches away nutrients and the plants cannot access nutrients in the ground
soil.
With proper attention and care, however, container gardens are rewarding.
Great options for container growing include lettuce, greens, snap peas,
peppers, tomatoes, and herbs.
Raised Bed Gardening
Raised beds combine the best features of in-ground and container gardens.
Like containers, with proper mulching, you won’t need to weed as often. But
unlike containers, the plants’ ability to send their roots into the native soil to
access water and nutrients cuts down on both watering and fertilizing. Raised
bed gardens, when done right, are very attractive. (Many people build raised
beds on top of a solid surface such as paved ground. This design acts more
like a container garden in terms of soil, water, fertilization, and drainage
requirements.)
The biggest downside to raised beds is the initial cost and labor. You also
cannot easily move them if you change your mind about the ideal location.
Predesigned kits available at garden centers make the labor barrier easier to
overcome.
Most gardeners who choose raised beds find the trade-offs to be worth it both
in time saved over the season and their overall gardening experience. Almost
all crops grow well in raised beds; some popular ones include tomatoes,
beans, broccoli, peppers, onions, and zucchini.
Vertical Gardening
Whether you choose an in-ground garden, a container garden, a raised bed
garden, or a combination of all three, consider adding vertical gardening to
your plan. When you train vining plants on a trellis, you make space for more
crops in the container or bed. Plus, the better airflow achieved with vertical
gardening reduces the risk of many common plant diseases. Exercise your
creative side: You can use free materials such as gathered sticks to build a
trellis or make a small investment in a cattle-panel arch trellis. Sturdy trellises
can last for many seasons. Great crops for vertical gardening include pole
beans, climbing peas, cucumbers, and even melons.
Growing in the Ground
Maybe you don’t have the budget for containers or raised beds. Or maybe
you’ve always wanted a traditional in-ground garden, and you’re determined
to make it happen. Here are five qualities to look for when choosing to grow
your garden directly in the ground.
Soil pH and balanced nutrients. The health of your garden soil will directly
correspond to the health and productivity of your plants. I recommend getting
your soil tested at a professional lab. Most counties offer this service through
their cooperative extension locations for free or a small fee. From there, you
will know what amendments you need to add to the soil if any.
Loamy soil mixture. Soil is made up of sand, silt, clay, or a combination of
them. The ideal garden soil is loamy, meaning it has a balanced mixture of
these components. If your soil leans heavily toward one element, your yields
will not be as great. A professional soil test will tell you what soil type you
have, and you can always amend a less-than-loamy soil with organic matter
such as compost. But do note that it can take years to see a big difference.
Well-draining area. Plants will not thrive in standing water, so unless your
soil contains a high amount of sand, you’ll want to place your in-ground
garden in an area that is slightly elevated or at least not lower than the
surrounding land.
Slight slope. Ideal in-ground gardens have an almost undetectable slope. This
means the land will drain well, but its gentle angle will also prevent nutritious
topsoil and protective mulch from washing away during heavy rainfalls.
Away from trees. Trees inhibit growth in two ways. First, roots that extend
under a garden steal water and nutrients. Second, trees shade the garden,
which is not ideal for plants that need full sun.
Chapter 2: Planning Your Vegetable Gardening
Gardening is good therapy. There are many therapeutic aspects of gardening.
The quietness of working among the flowers and vegetables is proven to slow
our breathing and help us relax both mentally and physically. Quiet time in
the garden also allows us to restructure our thoughts and work things out in
our minds. It’s hard to stay mad or feel like there’s nothing right in your
world when you are surrounded by the sight and smell of flowers and
knowing that before long you’ll be eating the things you’ve helped grow.
Gardening provides a sense of accomplishment. Does this even need an
explanation? How can you not get a confidence boost when you see little
seedlings popping up through the soil and then watch those seedlings get
another set of leaves, then another, until they become everything there is
supposed to be? Sitting down to eat a meal you’ve prepared with the
tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, or whatever else you might have grown is
priceless.
Gardening is a great way to get in shape and stay healthy. Bending, standing,
hoeing, raking, pulling weeds, deadheading flowers, carrying a water can and
dragging a hose around is exercise. No, you’re not going to burn off enough
calories to eat a giant piece of chocolate cake every day. Still, it’s great cardio
that will keep your heart rate up and burn more fat than you would by sitting
around all day.
The vitamin D you derive from soaking up some sunshine is great for your
health, too. There is a catch to this, though. Your chances of absorbing
vitamin D from the sun are drastically reduced when you wear sunscreen
with an SPF over 8. This leaves you wondering which is better—the vitamin
D or protection from the sun. The answer is both. While you shouldn’t
prolong your exposure to the sun without some form of protection, the sun’s
rays are one of the few natural sources of vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential
for strong, healthy bones, the formation of blood cells, and strengthening the
immune system. It can also help absorb phosphorus and calcium and is often
used to help people recover from or fight off certain diseases and illnesses,
such as rickets, eczema, psoriasis and jaundice.
Gardening teaches responsibility. All kids need chores. All adults need
chores, too—things that we are solely responsible for getting done. Things
that if not done properly, will have negative outcomes. We need these chores
so that we can learn to be responsible. So that we can witness first-hand what
it means to see something to completion. So that we can feel accomplished
and so that we can make a positive contribution to our existence. None of us
should be content with just being here. We need to want to make our world a
better place.
If you give children the responsibility of weeding, watering, and deadheading
flowers—either in a flower garden or in pots—not only will they learn to be
responsible, they will learn about the process of how things grow and what it
takes to keep things growing at optimal levels. They will (or should) also
learn what happens when they act responsibly… or not, i.e. earning an
allowance, having flowers or vegetables to enjoy and sell, learning to use
what they grow in different ways, etc.
We, adults, need to be reminded of the importance of responsibility, too.
Often we get so wrapped up in what we want and what we think we need,
that we become a bit selfish.
Gardening can save money. Most people I know don’t regularly purchase
fresh-cut flowers to enjoy. It’s just one of those things we don’t bother with.
Unless that is, you are the type of person who is conscientious about
supporting local growers by buying them from a farmer’s market. But if you
grow your own, you can save money and have flowers throughout your
growing season.
How to Build Your Vegetable Gardening
People who have been gardening for a very long time use raised beds to
avoid an array of challenges to gardening. Gardening in raised beds is so easy
that a beginner can do it.
You can get rid of the bad dirt because you control the soil and compost
blend you put into your raised bed garden. You build drainage into the walls,
which still holds the soil and keeps erosion from happening. Raised beds get
more sun exposure, which means that it gets warmer and allows for more
diversity in the plants and longer growing season. You can place the plants
closer together, therefore you yield more, weeds are crowded out, and water
use is maximized. Also, raising the soil level even just twelve inches- one
foot- greatly reduces the back-breaking effort of planting, weeding, and
harvesting.
Raised bed gardens are a dream come true for a gardener. With all those
positives, what is not to love about them? While building a raised bed garden
isn’t all that complicated, here are the steps you need to take to make your
own raised bed garden.
1) Before you can get started, you must figure out how big you want your
raised bed to be. If you’re not sure how big you want it to be, then you should
first start with a four by four-foot square, which is the distance that most
people can reach the middle from either side. Then, you will want to level the
ground so that your raised bed will be completely flat.
A raised bed that is three by six will be wide enough to support tomatoes, but
yet still narrow enough that you can reach it from both sides. Ideally, you
want to make it one to two feet tall. You can make it taller, but keep in mind
that the bigger you make it, the more soil you will need.
Make sure that you find a fairly flat spot. It will save you a lot of time and
effort in the preparation process. After all, you want your walls to be level,
right? As far as placement, the general rule is that a North-South placement
can take advantage of the available light all day long. Try to avoid areas that
are shaded by the house or by trees. Also, if building multiple beds, you will
want to leave at least eighteen inches between so that you can walk through,
or if you will need room for a lawnmower or wheelbarrow, leave two feet.
2) Make your walls. To start, get 4 one-foot long four by fours to create the
corner posts, 8 four-foot long two by sixes for the side rails, and 4 two-foot
long two by twos for the center stakes.
Put your four by fours on each corner of the area you marked off. Starting
with all of your choices, screw in your first two by six to secure the corners
together. Stack another two by six on top of the first. Make sure that your
ends are even with the ends of the posts. You can use an angle-square to be
sure that the rails and posts are lined up correctly.
You will want to build the walls separately then fasten them together before
putting the raised bed into position. Placing the corner posts and posts
halfway along the walls offers stability for your raised bed, so you want to do
this. They will also help to hold your bed in place and reduce the pressure
that the soil will exert on your frame. You can use a cap railing around the
top of the frame to tie it all together and offer you a great place to lay down
your tools while you are working, or sit and admire your handiwork. You can
get bed covers to keep insects away and keep your plants warm in the cooler
weather.
These instructions use wood to create raised beds. You can use bricks if you
wish, or you can use wood to create frames and then use sheet metal for the
walls. You should remember that if you are using lumber, you need to use
wood that has not been persevered with toxins. Make sure to stay away from
creosote railroad ties- instead, choose cedar or redwood, which is naturally
rot-resistant. Another option is ACQ (alkaline copper quaternary) treated
wood, and it is safe for food crops. However, you might want to consider
using landscape fabric between it and the soil to keep them from coming in
contact. Use galvanized or stainless screws or bolts to put them together,
regardless of the type of wood you use.
3) Connect the walls. You will now stand the sidewalls up and opposite of
each other with the corner posts on the outside.
4) Now, you want to square it up. To do this, you will measure diagonally in
both directions across the planter to make sure the frame is exactly square.
Adjust your raised bed until both of the diagonals are equal lengths.
5) Make your walls sturdy. Take the two by two stakes and place in the
middle of each of the outside walls, and pound it into the ground so that the
top of the stake is level with the top of the wall.
6) Fill your raised bed with topsoil. Once your bed is complete, it is time to
fill it. You will want to use quality topsoil, especially if your natural ground
isn’t conducive to plant growth. You may also want to add organic materials
such as peat moss or compost after you have done all this and watered the
soil well, its time to start planting your plants.
Make sure that you don’t get soil from the ground- especially if your natural
ground isn’t conducive to growing plants. Use compost, a soil mix, or even
peat moss for your raised beds. You will want to use a two by four to level
out the soil and then you can plant. If space allows, consider building more
than one bed, which will make life much easier- you can rotate crops and
make sure that you can meet the watering needs of each individual type of
plant. If you line up the beds in rows, you simplify the process of installing
an irrigation system.
7) You can create a framework for a lightweight cover with hoops and extend
the growing season in the cooler areas, conserve moisture in the drier areas,
and protect plants from insects or birds. To do this, you will use galvanized
pipes to mount one-inch PVC pipes inside of the raised bed walls. Then, cut
½-inch flexible PVC tube that is twice the width of the bed, bend it, mount it,
and attach it. You should use a clear film to raise the air and soil temperatures
in the early fall or spring to help you get an early start on planting. Be careful
that you don’t bake your plants on the warmer days. To avoid excess heat
buildup, you will want to either remove the cover or cut slits in it. To control
pests, cover the bed with row covers, which are a gauzelike fabric, or bird
netting. These will let in the air and the light, but keep out the flying insects.
As was mentioned before, you can find pre-made, boxed raised garden beds,
so you don’t have to go to the hassle of making your own. If you do want to
make your own, you can make it as large or as small as you like.
Chapter 3: How to Build Your Vegetable
Gardening

People who have been gardening for a very long time use raised beds to
avoid an array of challenges to gardening. Gardening in raised beds is so easy
that a beginner can do it.
You can get rid of the bad dirt because you control the soil and compost
blend you put into your raised bed garden. You build drainage into the walls,
which still holds the soil and keeps erosion from happening. Raised beds get
more sun exposure, which means that it gets warmer and allows for more
diversity in the plants and longer growing season. You can place the plants
closer together; therefore, you yield more, weeds are crowded out, and water
use is maximized. Also, raising the soil level even just twelve inches- one
foot- greatly reduces the back-breaking effort of planting, weeding, and
harvesting.
Raised bed gardens are a dream come true for a gardener. With all those
positives, what is not to love about them? While building a raised bed garden
isn’t all that complicated, here are the steps you need to take to make your
own raised bed garden.
1) Before you can get started, you must figure out how big you want your
raised bed to be. If you’re not sure how big you want it to be, then you should
first start with a four by four-foot square, which is the distance that most
people can reach the middle from either side. Then, you will want to level the
ground so that your raised bed will be completely flat.
A raised bed that is three by six will be wide enough to support tomatoes, but
yet still narrow enough that you can reach it from both sides. Ideally, you
want to make it one to two feet tall. You can make it taller, but keep in mind
that the bigger you make it, the more soil you will need.
Make sure that you find a fairly flat spot. It will save you a lot of time and
effort in the preparation process. After all, you want your walls to be level,
right? As far as placement, the general rule is that a North-South placement
can take advantage of the available light all day long. Try to avoid areas that
are shaded by the house or by trees. Also, if building multiple beds, you will
want to leave at least eighteen inches between so that you can walk through,
or if you will need room for a lawnmower or wheelbarrow, leave two feet.
2) Make your walls. To start, get 4 one-foot long four by fours to create the
corner posts, 8 four-foot-long two by sixes for the side rails, and 4 two-foot-
long two by twos for the center stakes.
Put your four by fours on each corner of the area you marked off. Starting
with all of your choices, screw in your first two by six to secure the corners
together. Stack another two by six on top of the first. Make sure that your
ends are even with the ends of the posts. You can use an angle-square to be
sure that the rails and posts are lined up correctly.
You will want to build the walls separately then fasten them together before
putting the raised bed into position. Placing the corner posts and posts
halfway along the walls offers stability for your raised bed, so you want to do
this. They will also help to hold your bed in place and reduce the pressure
that the soil will exert on your frame. You can use a cap railing around the
top of the frame to tie it all together and offer you a great place to lay down
your tools while you are working, or sit and admire your handiwork. You can
get bed covers to keep insects away and keep your plants warm in the cooler
weather.
These instructions use wood to create raised beds. You can use bricks if you
wish, or you can use wood to create frames and then use sheet metal for the
walls. There will be more on that later on. You should remember that if you
are using lumber, you need to use wood that has not been persevered with
toxins. Make sure to stay away from creosote railroad ties- instead, choose
cedar or redwood, which is naturally rot-resistant. Another option is ACQ
(alkaline copper quaternary) treated wood, and it is safe for food crops.
However, you might want to consider using landscape fabric between it and
the soil to keep them from coming in contact. Use galvanized or stainless
screws or bolts to put them together, regardless of the type of wood you use.
3) Connect the walls together. You will now stand the sidewalls up and
opposite of each other with the corner posts on the outside.
4) Now, you want to square it up. To do this, you will measure diagonally in
both directions across the planter to make sure the frame is exactly square.
Adjust your raised bed until both of the diagonals are equal lengths.
5) Make your walls sturdy. Take the two by two stakes and place in the
middle of each of the outside walls, and pound it into the ground so that the
top of the stake is level with the top of the wall.
6) Fill your raised bed with topsoil. Once your bed is complete, it is time to
fill it. You will want to use quality topsoil, especially if your natural ground
isn’t conducive to plant growth. You may also want to add organic materials
such as peat moss or compost. After you have done all this and watered the
soil well, its time to start planting your plants.
Make sure that you don’t get soil from the ground- especially if your natural
ground isn’t conducive to growing plants. Use compost, a soil mix, or even
peat moss for your raised beds. You will want to use a two by four to level
out the soil and then you can plant. If space allows, consider building more
than one bed, which will make life much easier- you can rotate crops and
make sure that you can meet the watering needs of each individual type of
plant. If you line up the beds in rows, you simplify the process of installing
an irrigation system.
7) You can create a framework for a lightweight cover with hoops and extend
the growing season in the cooler areas, conserve moisture in the drier areas,
and protect plants from insects or birds. To do this, you will use galvanized
pipes to mount one-inch PVC pipes inside of the raised bed walls. Then, cut
½-inch flexible PVC tube that is twice the width of the bed, bend it, mount it,
and attach it. You should use a clear film to raise the air and soil temperatures
in the early fall or spring to help you get an early start on planting. Be careful
that you don’t bake your plants on the warmer days. To avoid excess heat
buildup, you will want to either remove the cover or cut slits in it. To control
pests, cover the bed with row covers, which are a gauzelike fabric, or bird
netting. These will let in the air and the light, but keep out the flying insects.
As was mentioned before, you can find pre-made, boxed raised garden beds,
so you don’t have to go to the hassle of making your own. If you do want to
make your own, you can make it as large or as small as you like. You can
make it square, rectangle, hexagonal, basically any shape you can think of- as
long as it has straight sides (it would be a little difficult to make a round one,
but you could try).
Chapter 4: How to Plant Your Vegetable
Gardening
Inter Planting
Also known as inter-cropping, this is a great planting strategy that gives you
multiple crops from one raised bed. This is a great way to maximize your
production and to use your raised beds efficiently.
This involves planting short-season vegetables in between long-season
vegetables. You may plant out your tomatoes, which take a long time to
mature and in between them plant vegetables that mature faster, such as
spinach, lettuce, radishes, and so on. These vegetables are harvested and
finished before the main crop plant has matured and crowded them out.
The main crop plants are planted out at their normal spacing as are the short
season vegetables, but in between the main crop. Many people will plant
lettuce and spinach in between their peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants as the
main crop plants concentrate on establishing a root system at the start of the
season whilst the short season plants use the top six inches or so of soil. A
great tip is to sow radishes with your carrots or parsnips as the radishes grow
very quickly and will mark where the row of the slower germinating carrots
is.
The short season plants grow quickly and shade out weeds, helping the soil to
retain moisture and acting as a barrier or deterrent to many pests who then
struggle to find the main crop plants.
Another popular crop for interplanting is sweetcorn, with some people
planting pumpkin plants at the base as they cover the ground and prevent
weeds. This does work and you will hear people talk about this method,
known as the three sister’s method, which involves also planting climbing
beans. The downside of this method is that the corn matures before the
pumpkins so you can end up tiptoeing through the pumpkins carefully to
harvest the corn, but if you don’t mind that then this is a great way to make
good use of space.
Look at your main crop, slow-maturing plants that you have planted, and
don’t just ignore the space between them. Use it for growing short-season
crops and maximize your production!
Succession Planting
This strategy overcomes the problem many gardeners face of a glut of
vegetables. When you plant a row of lettuce plants, they are all ready within a
week or two of each other and you find you have more lettuce than you can
use. The result is a lot of it bolts and becomes inedible, being discarded on
the compost heap. Either that or you are giving away vegetables to everyone
you know (I used to bring them into work and leave them on reception for
anyone to take!).
By adopting the succession planting strategy, you ensure that you get a steady
supply of short-season vegetables throughout the growing season and you
avoid the glut problem.
Typically, you will plant a small patch of the short-season vegetable every
two to three weeks throughout the growing season rather than planting lots all
at once. Plants such as carrots, beets, green onions, cilantro, radishes, basils,
arugula, spinach, and lettuce are all suitable for succession planting. As the
plants mature, they are harvested and when they are spent the next planting
should be ready to harvest. This method also means that if one planting is lost
due to the weather or pests you haven’t lost your entire crop.
For example, with lettuce, you would plant about an eighth of a teaspoon of
seeds every two weeks and this will give you a steady supply throughout the
growing season. An excess of produce is one of the main problems a
gardener will face. It’s fine if you have family and friends you can give it to,
but you can find too much produce a little overwhelming.
This method doesn’t work for longer season vegetables because they take so
long to mature. These would typically be preserved or frozen if not used
immediately when they are mature.
Trap Crops
This is a great planting strategy that involves planting a sacrificial crop.
Garden pests are attracted to this crop which you then uproot and destroy
once infested which knocks back the breeding population of that pest. If you
live in an area that suffers from particular pests, then this could be a good
strategy for growing vegetables that would otherwise be decimated by pests.
For example, nasturtiums are loved by aphids, so you would plant these near
to your cabbages to draw the aphids away from your crop.
You then cover the sacrificial crop with a plastic bag, taking care the pests do
not escape and then destroy it. Leaving the plant in the sealed bag in the sun
will kill the pests or you can burn it. If you are putting this on your compost
pile then you need to bury it in the middle of a hot compost pile otherwise the
pests will survive and escape. As most of us do not run compost heaps hot
enough to kill the pests, I would recommend destroying the infected plant
material.
You can boost the population of beneficial insects by leaving a few of these
trap plants away from your crop as the predators will remain in your
vegetable plot and continue to hunt the pests.

Companion Planting
This is the practice of pairing together plants that help each other either by
enhancing their growth or keeping away pests.
The corn/bean/squash method described above is a fine example of
companion planting. The beans climb up the corn and fix nitrogen into the
soil. The squash helps retain soil moisture as well as deter rodents and keep
the weeds down.
Planting aromatic herbs around your vegetable beds, or even amongst them is
another great way to confuse pests because they cannot detect your vegetable
crops. Planting leeks, garlic or onions next to your carrots is another good
example of this technique and will keep off carrot fly, which hunts by smell.
Companion planting is a very natural technique that works well and you
should try planting basil and tomatoes together as the basil will enhance the
flavor of the tomatoes! This is quite a complex subject, with a lot of great
companions.
Chapter 5: How to Grow Vegetables in your
Vegetable Gardening for Year-Round Growing
Growing your own vegetables is a very fun pastime, which also has many
beneficial benefits such as healthy food (you know what additives were used
if any), exercise, outdoor work etc. Growing your own vegetables is also a
wonderful activity for the entire family to participate, as it helps kids
understand better how nature works and where food comes from.

Some people think a lot of space is needed to grow your own vegetables.
When you are trying to provide the family with a range of vegetables every
day of the year, this is definitely real. It's not true if you cultivate your own
vegetables to complement your grocery shopping to have some fresh
vegetables. For example, four or so runner bean (Pole Bean) plants in a patio
container should provide more than enough beans for a family of four for a
few months.
When it comes to vegetables, each country in the world has different varieties
that grow best in their specific climate, even in some countries a specific crop
that grows well in one region does not grow at all in another as the climate
and atmosphere are different. It's here where some of the fun comes into
growing your own because you can experiment with different vegetable
varieties from different parts of the world to see what you can and can't
produce, experimentation will also be required to establish specific growing
conditions for these unique varieties for your environment.
There are two ways to have our own gardens at home, in the external area
(backyard) or in the internal area (kitchen, balcony, balcony, service area).
Let's deal with the first way, which will probably be subject to the weather.
The success of a vegetable garden, in this case, is directly related to the right
moment of each planting of herbs, vegetables, and vegetables. Each month
has its characteristics, which make them more suitable for each species.
The plants are different from each other concerning the type of soil and
temperatures necessary for their full development, so it is very important to
know what are the most suitable options for each season of the year.
Below, we have prepared a list of the most used plants in vegetable gardens
and which month, or months, are most suitable for planting.

January: lettuce, watercress, celery, various cabbages,

radish, almond, turnip, beet, arugula, chicory, spinach, sweet
potato, parsley, coriander, purslane, carrot, Brussels sprouts,
and cabbage;
February: watercress, lettuce, chicory, beans, parsley,
radish, cabbage, beets, cabbage, peas, spinach, and beans;
March: carrot, almond, parsley, garlic, lettuce, chicory,
spinach, celery, miscellaneous cabbages, cauliflower,
broccoli, cabbage, watercress, celery, onion, coriander, peas,
beans, beans, strawberry, turnip, radish, and cabbage ;
April: watercress, almond, beet, turnip, parsley, garlic,
arugula, chicory, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage,
spinach, carrot, coriander, pea, asparagus, broad bean, lentil,
strawberry, radish, lettuce, onion, and various cabbages;
May: radish, carrot, almond, turnip, beet, arugula, parsley,
chicory, celery, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, winter
cabbage, garlic, lettuce, potato, onion, various cabbages,
fava, and strawberry;
June: almond, carrot, turnip, beet, arugula, garlic, chicory,
watercress, cauliflower, broccoli and winter cabbage;
July: pea, almond, arugula, garlic, lettuce, radish, chicory,
beet, broad bean, and cabbage;
August: artichoke, white celery, jiló, eggplant, various
peppers, peppers, tomatoes, onion, cabbage, asparagus,
strawberry, melon, watermelon, and cucumber;
September: lettuce, radish, beet, carrot, miscellaneous
cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, jiló, eggplant,
miscellaneous peppers, peppers, tomatoes, squash, zucchini,
green beans, cucumber, gherkin, parsley, coriander, onion,
peas, spinach, fava beans, lentils, melons, watermelons, and
turnips;
 October: chard, carrot, various cabbages, cauliflower,
broccoli, cabbage, various peppers, peppers, tomatoes,
eggplant, jiló, pumpkin, zucchini, green beans, cucumber,
gherkin, mandioquinha, parsley, potato, sweet potato,
coriander, watercress, lettuce, beet, broccoli, chicory, cumin,
broad bean, melon, watermelon, turnip, radish, thyme,
onion, and tomato;
November: pumpkin, watercress, lettuce, radish, carrot,
broccoli, cabbage, various cabbages, cauliflower, sweet
potato, coriander, beet, spinach, beans, melon, watermelon,
turnip, cucumber, and various peppers;
December: pumpkin, zucchini, green beans, cucumber,
carrots, cabbage, watercress, lettuce, beets, broccoli, various
cabbages, spinach, melon, watermelon, turnip, various
peppers, and radish.
There are still many herbs that are considered perennial, produce all year
round, such as sage, parsley, chives, marjoram, basil, for example, but that
cannot resist very low temperatures or frosts, so, interestingly, they are
planted in more protected places.
Another important point to note is the use of greenhouses; for example, some
plants in greenhouses have their productivity extended for many more
months.
The other option, mentioned above, of growing a vegetable garden indoors is
ideal for those who live in apartments and dream of having an organic garden
without pesticides. This can be done in pots and the location chosen for its
location inside the house, allows you to decide less for the month of the year
and more for the climate that we create in the indoor environment.
You can create light and temperature conditions for your favorite herbs. We
have selected some garden options available for sale that can give you a good
idea of how to build yours. They can stay in the kitchen, laundry area, on the
balcony, in short, wherever there is space available for you to cultivate your
new hobby.
Chapter 6: How to Grow Flowers, Fruits and Herbs
in your Vegetable Gardening
Making use of raised garden beds for the cultivation of flowers may not
appeal to everyone. After all, how many flowers can you eat?
However, the joy and interest that beautiful blooms bring to every garden
cannot be denied.
Flowers also attract a variety of pollinators, among which is the much-
maligned and seriously jeopardized honey bee.
Tara Nolan (2017), in her article, Tips for Planting and Making Raised
Flower Beds, agrees that growing blooms alongside vegetables, herbs, and
fruits have many advantages.
Careful planning of your raised bed floral garden can give rise to many hours
of pleasure as well as plenty of bouquets of summer flowers to brighten your
home and cheer neighbors and friends.
When planting from seeds, ensure you carefully note the requirements for
each variety as well as their height at maturity. Taller plants should be placed
towards the center of the raised bed, allowing more convenient access to the
shorter flowers that you can plant around the edges.
Feeding your floral garden with proper nutrients and keeping it well hydrated
is of the utmost importance. Mulching will keep the roots protected and
ensure these do not dry out too quickly in warmer weather.
Nolan (2017) suggests sunflowers, zinnias, daylilies, and cosmos are easy to
grow and produce an attractive show. Gladiolus and lilies may be
successfully planted where there are no squirrels to decimate the bulbs.
Essential Aspects to Consider When Choosing Flowers
According to her article, 21 Easiest Flowers for Beginners, Linda Hagen
(2019) suggests the following important points should be carefully
considered as you set out to plan your new raised bed garden.
Take Careful Note of Your Garden Area
Consider the amount of available space you have for your raised garden beds.
Get acquainted with the gardening site.
Take the position of the planned garden into consideration as well as whether
there will be sufficient sunlight for your plants.
Check the type of soil in your area as well as its ability to hold water. Good
soil quality will ensure healthy plant growth.
Know your frost cycle, and ensure you plant crops and flowers according to
what will grow best in your zone.
Take a good look at the plants growing in your neighborhood. This will give
you a good idea of what is likely to grow successfully in your new garden.
Choose Flowers to Suit Your Style
The same article suggests that although gardening can be a wonderfully
therapeutic experience, beginners should remember to curb their enthusiasm
for overindulging in too many colors and varieties of blooms. It is prudent to
start off deciding on a basic color scheme that will suit your personality and
style.
If you prefer a garden that whispers tranquillity and peace, choose flowers in
shades of blue, purple, and soft pinks with a dash of white and yellow.
However, if your style leans to the more vibrant and exciting side, a mix of
cheerful, brightly colored flowers may suit you better.
The recommendation in the same article by Garden Design Magazine
(2019b) is to avoid too much variety, and colors that clash as this is likely to
affect the overall beauty of your garden adversely.
Inventive Designs Catch the Imagination
Think fragrance, movement, color, and the overall final impact you would
like your raised bed garden to have.
Piet Oudolf, the internationally renowned garden designer from the
Netherlands, designs his gardens around the structure and shapes of the
flowers he plants (Garden Design Magazine, 2019b). Piet suggests choosing
blooms that have reliable, stout’s stalks so that after they flower, these stems,
topped by their attractive seed pods, will make a beautiful display when
covered with snow.
Perennials come in a variety of shapes that include bells, spikes, plumes,
screens, and buttons to name but a few.
Careful consideration of and inventive grouping of a variety of plant shapes
will lead to pockets of interest and surprise in your new garden.
Plan on layering your flowers, so they blend as naturally as possible to create
a free-flowing bank of gorgeous blooms.
Depending on the position of your raised bed garden, consider placing taller
plants towards the center or back with plants of medium height next. The
shorter, bushier plants should be placed towards the front and sides of the
garden.
You can add objects such as a statue or a boulder or perhaps a birdbath to
your raised bed garden. These items will create added interest and will
encourage birds that are useful pollinators into this eco-friendly space.
Consider planting lots of foliage-producing plants as well if you intend to
cultivate flowers for cutting (Garden Design Magazine, 2019b).
Fair Flowers for Floral Fragrance
Choosing flowers for your raised bed may be quite an overwhelming
experience, to begin with. There are many different varieties available, each
with specific characteristics of its own.
Some flowers are prized for their astonishingly beautiful colors, hues, and
shades while others are chosen for their tall, majestic stems. Then there are
those gorgeous blooms that enthral us with their enchanting fragrance.
Other flowers are valued for their medicinal properties, and others find favor
in being the most suitable for bordering your raised beds in cheerful
abundance.
In her article, 21 Easiest Flowers for Beginners, Hagen (2019) suggests a
wide variety of easy-to-grow flowers for any beginner gardener to enjoy.
Among these, she includes the following suitable annuals that will be suitable
for raised garden beds:

Dianthus
ZONE: 3-9
These showy, fragrant flowers surrounded by lush, evergreen foliage bloom
from May to August and grow to a height of about 20 inches.
They flourish in well-drained soil and require small amounts of water,
preferring not to become water-logged.
Dianthus grow well in either full sun or semi-shade. These small, colorful
flowers are resistant to deer and will bring gorgeous splashes of color to your
raised bed garden.
Fuchsias
ZONE: Annual, everywhere except for 10-11
The Fuchsias’ gorgeous shades of pink, magenta, purple, lavender and white
make for attractive displays, ideal for hanging baskets on patios or in trees
where they thrive in shady spots.
These lovely plants prefer moist, well-drained soil and require regular
pruning to attract new growth. They attract hummingbirds, bees, and
butterflies.
Fuchsias grown in Southern California and Bay Areas are prone to fuchsia
mites.

Geraniums
ZONE: 10-11 (Grown as an annual everywhere else)
These hardy, sun-loving plants that enjoy fertile, well-drained soil are ideal
for raised bed gardens.
Geraniums come in a variety of shades from magenta through red, pink,
lavender, and white.
These plants can reach heights of 24 inches when mature. They attract birds,
bees, and butterflies.
Lupines
ZONE: 4-8 where they are often grown as an annual
Lupines are tall, quite majestic plants that can reach a height of four feet.
These happy, little flowers enjoy being in the full sun in colder climates and
partial shade in warmer areas. They are attractive to butterflies.
Lupins come in a variety of gorgeous blues, lavenders, and pinks. There are
white and yellow varieties as well. They grow well from seed and are good
self-sowers.
These plants require a good, deep soaking but their roots must be allowed to
dry out between watering.

Morning Glories
ZONE: Annual
Morning glories love the full sun and bloom late summer or early in the fall.
These climbers in shades of blue, purple, white, and pink make excellent
plants for trellis covers and readily self-sow.
Although these plants attract butterflies as well as birds, the seeds are highly
poisonous if eaten.
Morning glories prefer fertilized, well-drained soil and require regular
watering during dry periods.
Pansies
ZONE: 6-10 grown as perennials/biennials
Pansies are ideal plants for warmer areas where they will bloom throughout
the winter and well into early spring.
The plants prefer well-fertilized, well-drained soils and require regular
watering. They enjoy sunny conditions but will also thrive in partial shade.
Pansies come in a variety of attractive colors and grow to a maximum height
of nine inches.

Snapdragon
ZONE: Annuals everywhere except for 5-10 where they grow as perennials
These attractive 6-15 inch tall plants come in a variety of lovely colors from
white, pink, and lavender to red, orange, and peach.
Snapdragons will enjoy a sunny spot in your garden and will bloom from
spring through fall. These interestingly-shaped flowers attract butterflies.
They require well-drained, fertile soil and regular watering.
Sunflowers
ZONE: Annual
These cheerful, yellow flowers grow to a height of between 3 and 16 feet.
Because of their height and their brittle stems, to ensure your sunflowers
remain upright, it is prudent to place supports into the ground for these plants.
They are tough plants that cope well in most soil types and are drought
resistant, so they require less water than other plants.
Sunflowers do best in full sun and bloom during the summer. They attract
bees, butterflies, and some seed-eating birds.
Sunflowers make a great backdrop in a garden or as a cut flower.

Sweet Peas
ZONE: Annual
These wonderfully scented plants come in a variety of colors and make an
attractive addition to any garden.
They prefer regular watering in good-quality loamy soil that is well-drained.
Sweet peas do well in full sun and can be successfully grown on a trellis as
their soft stems require added support.
Zinnias
ZONE: Annual
These summer bloomers that grow well in full sunlight come in a variety of
shades of red, orange, yellow, white, and some pinks.
Although zinnias are relatively hardy plants, they prefer more fertile soil that
drains well. Their water requirements are minimal.
Zinnias bloom during the summer and can reach a height of about 24 inches.
They are, therefore, suitable flowers for cutting as their long, sturdy stems
look good in a vase.
Chapter 7: What are the Tools and Equipment You
Need
Many of all the things that you need are likely already around your home --
mainly if you're working on other outside jobs.
Here's a brief list of some Helpful gardening equipment:
1. Gloves allow you to grasp resources better and assist you to avert hand
blisters. Cotton gloves would be the most affordable, but the expensive
creature skin lotions -- made of sheep and goatskin, such as -- persist more.
2. An excellent straw hat with venting retains the Sunshine off your skin
and allows air to move through and cool your mind.
3. An excellent pocketknife or set of pruning shears is excellent for cutting
edge strings and blossoms.
4. Sturdy rubber boots, garden clogs, or function Boots repel water and
supply aid for digging.
5. Bug repellent and sunscreen keep you Comfy and secure while working
in the garden.
6. Watering Hoses and Cans
Plants need water to grow, and when Mother Nature is not cooperating, you
want to water frequently. For a vast garden, you might require fancy soaker
hoses, sprinklers, and drip irrigation pipes. However, for many small house
gardeners, a straightforward hose and watering can perform. Rubber hoses
are a lesser chance to kink than nylon or plastic pads, but they usually are
much heavier to maneuver around. Whatever material you choose, make sure
you acquire a hose that is long enough to achieve plants in every area of your
garden without needing to take water round the beds to complete distant
plants. Decide on a hose which includes brass fittings and a washer
incorporated to the tube; those components make the machine not as likely to
fail after prolonged usage. Watering cans can be made from natural, cheap,
brightly colored plastic or high end, fancy metal. Vinyl is lighter, but
galvanized metal is rustproof and much more appealing. Watering cans come
in various sizes, so try several out for relaxation before purchasing. Ensure it
is simple to eliminate the sprinkler head, or improved, for cleanup.
7. Hand Trowels
Hand Trowels are crucial for digging in containers, window boxes, and little
raised beds. The wider-bladed hand trowels that can be brightly shaped and
round the conclusion, are simpler to use to loosen dirt compared to narrower
bladed, V-pointed ones, these thinner blades are better for grinding tough
weeds, like dandelions.

8. Hand Cultivators
A three-pronged hand cultivator is a useful tool to split up dirt clods, Straight
forward seedbeds, and also operate in granular fertilizer. Additionally, once
you plant your little container or elevated foundation, the weeds will come if
you want it or not a cultivator functions as a fantastic tool to eliminate these
youthful weeds as they germinate. When you are digging a planting hole,
then a hand cultivator divides the ground more readily compared to a hand
trowel. Much like a hand trowel, make sure to opt for a hand cultivator that
feels comfortable on your hands which includes a grip firmly fastened to the
blade. The steel-bladed kinds will be the most lasting.
9. Spades and Shovels
Lo Spades and shovels are just two of the most widely used gardening gear.
The gap between both is straightforward: A spade is created for grinding, and
a spade was created for scooping and projecting. Shovels traditionally have
curved and pointed blades, whereas spades possess flat, right, nearly rotating
blades. A fantastic spade is vital in any garden for distributing dirt, manure,
or compost. A shovel is crucial for trimming or breaking fresh ground. But
many gardeners use spades for whatever from cutting dirt luggage to
hammering in bets. Very good spades are rocky. The two spades and shovels
arrive in brief - and - long-handled versions. An extended handle gives you
more leverage when digging holes, so bear this in mind if you are buying a
new spade.
10. Garden Forks
Useful since a spade is for turning new garden dirt, I find an iron fork is a
much better instrument for turning beds which were worked before. The fork
slips to the ground as deep as 12 inches, and in precisely the same time
divides clods and loosens and aerates the soil more significant than a shovel.
Iron forks look very similar to short-handled spades except they have three to
four iron tines in their heads. The top ones will be those forged from 1 piece
of steel with wood grips firmly attached. They are great not just for turning
dirt but also for turning compost piles and smelling root crops, like carrots
and potatoes.
11. Garden Rakes
When you dig soil, you have to level it, Split dirt clods, and eloquent that the
seedbeds (particularly if you're climbing beds that are raised). An iron rake is
an ideal tool for the job though you can use it for this purpose just a few
times annually. A 14-inch-diameter, iron-toothed rake ought to have a long,
wooden handle that is securely attached to a metallic head. You may turn the
metallic head to smooth a seedbed level. To get a lightweight but less lasting
version of an iron rake, then try out an aluminium rake.
12. Buckets, Wagons, also Baskets
You do not possess a 1,000-square-foot garden. However, you still should
carry seeds, fertilizer, tools, create, and other things around. I enjoy speaking
about storage containers since this is where the means of this trade get very
straightforward. Listed below are three original containers:
✓ Buckets: For potting soil, fertilizers, and hand tools, a 5-gallon plastic
bucket is the best container. You are likely to get one free in the building site:
be sure that you wash it out nicely. To get a more durable but smaller bucket,
then purchase one made out of galvanized steel.
✓ Wagons: For lighter things, like apartments of seedlings, use a kid's old
red wagon. Wagons are fantastic for transferring plants and tiny bags of
compost in your garden, along with the lip to the wagon bed, helps maintain
these things in place when you pay bumpy ground. If you are considering a
wagon to maneuver yourself (rather than just gear) around the garden,
innovation is a saddle using a chair. This sort of wagon generally has a
swivelling chair and can be perched on four analog wheels, letting you sit
down and push yourself throughout the garden as you operate. Its storage
space under the chair too.
✓ Baskets: To collect that entire fantastic make you develop and harvest,
put money into a cable or wicker basket. Wire baskets are more comfortable
to use as it is possible to wash the produce while it's still from the basket,
wicker and wooden baskets, even though more durable than steel, are more
aesthetically pleasing and trendy on your garden. Piling your crate in a basket
is much more functional than attempting to balance zucchinis on your arms
while taking them out of the garden to your kitchen.
13. Wheelbarrows and Garden Carts
Invariably you have to move heavy things like dirt and fertilizer from 1 place
to another in your lawn or garden. The two chief choices for transferring stuff
that is "bigger than a bread box" are wheelbarrows and garden carts. The
simple difference between the two vehicles would be that the wheels.
Wheelbarrows have a single bike along with an oval, alloy tray; garden packs
have two wheels and a rectangular wooden tray. Wheelbarrows are
maneuverable in tight areas, can flip on a dime, and are simple to dump. A
contractor-type wheelbarrow has a deeper box also is well worth the excess
investment due to its exceptional quality. To get a lightweight wheelbarrow,
try one with a table made from plastic. Garden carts are much better, can
carry bigger loads, and are easier to drive than wheelbarrows. A larger-sized
garden cart can easily manage loads of dirt, dirt, stone, and bales of hay.
Some garden carts have detachable rear panels which make dumping
simpler.

14. Power Tillers

The classic back - or front-tined power tiller was developed to aid large-scale
anglers to save time turning their gardens in autumn and spring. The large
power tillers (higher than a 5-horsepower motor) are greatest if you have
1,000 square feet or longer to until. Additionally, they can be crucial tools for
forming raised beds and dividing sod.
Chapter 8: Hydroponics Gardening
A straightforward definition of hydroponics is a way to grow plants in a
nutrient-rich, water-based solution. It doesn't use any dirt or soil. The logic
behind hydroponics is letting the roots of the plants to come in contact with
the solution that is full of nutrients. The plants also have access to plenty of
oxygen that the plants need to grow correctly.
The root system of the plants won't have as much stress when they are grown
in these types of environments since they don't have to find food from the
soil, and they can convert the nutrients into energy a lot faster. This will
result in more excellent products in a short amount of time.
Since plants are grown without soil, you have to maximize the root's nutrient
absorption. This means the way you give the roots their nutrients is extremely
important.
This system could be either passive or active. Passive meant that there aren't
any moving parts and you are going to have to use some electricity. A
dynamic system means that nutrients are given by using a pump. There are
some variations to these types of systems, which means that a passive system
could incorporate a pump, but this isn't common.
Another aspect of this system is characterized by the non-recovery or
recovery of the nutrients. There are specific systems that use a solution just
one time, and then it gets thrown away.
A recovery system recirculates the nutrient solution. Even though the non-
recovery system is better cost-wise, it could be harmful if you are growing a
large number of plants because it compromises hygiene.
Hydroponics has had a place in various civilizations throughout history. The
floating gardens in China and Mexico, along with the hanging gardens in
Babylon, are a few examples of hydroponic culture. Hieroglyphics found in
Egypt date back to many hundreds of years BC. They talk about growing
plants in water. Even though hydroponics is an ancient way to grow plants,
there have been significant strides made through the years to this part of
agriculture.
During the past century, horticulturists and scientists have been
experimenting with various hydroponic ways. One hydroponic application
that has caused more research was growing fresh produce in places where
crops wouldn't normally grow. Hydroponics was used in World War II to
give troops who were stationed on various islands in the Pacific where food
wouldn't increase with produce they were able to improve themselves.
Later in that same century, hydroponics was put into use by the space
program. While NASA was talking about trying to put people on other
planets or even the moon, hydroponics fit into their plans quickly. By 1970,
analysts and scientists weren't the only ones who were involved in
hydroponics. Hobbyists and farmers began to be attracted to the ways of
hydroponics.
Place take the time to read through this whole guide and do some research on
your own so you can learn all you can learn about hydroponics before you
ever begin your garden. Even if you don't want to grow plants using
hydroponics, you can still learn about all the different plants and what they
need during various stages of their life by reading about hydroponics.
Benefits
The primary purpose of using a hydroponic system is giving the plant the
three essential things that it needs to grow correctly, and these are light,
nutrients, and water. In the right conditions, when these things are met, plants
will become strong, healthy, and produce a high yield.
If the perfect conditions aren't met, the plants are going to suffer, and the
yield won't be as high. The plants are going to be weak, and the product will
be of bad quality.
There are some drawbacks and benefits to setting up a hydroponic system.
Before you decide on one order, you need to ask yourself a few questions:

· How much budget?

· What type of experience do I have?
· Am I growing commercially or for personal use?
· How large of a space do I have?
· What do I want to grow; flowers, medicinal, or food?
· How much time do I have daily?
Starting with a small setup just for your pleasure can be fun, affordable,
rewarding, and above all, natural. By using hydroponics, you will be creating
the perfect environment for your plants. If plants are grown without soil,
there won't be as much stress on the roots. They don't have to search for
nutrients since you are already giving the plants everything they need.
There are some benefits to growing plants using hydroponics. Some of these
include:
· Not needing to use pesticides since the majority of all pests live in the
soil. This makes our food, water, land, and air so much cleaner.
· Being able to grow a lot of food better than conventional agriculture that
only uses soil.
· Growing foods in places that can't support growing plants in healthy soil.
Let's look at this in more detail. When you grow plants in a hydroponic
system that has been set up the right way, it is going to increase the growth
rate of your plants. They are going to mature about 25 percent faster and are
going to produce about 30 percent more product than plants that are grown in
healthy soil.
Plants will have the ability to grow larger and faster since they don't have to
work to find the nutrients they need. Even the smallest roots are going to give
the plant all it needs to survive and thrive. This allows the plant to focus on
growing the plant's body instead of growing its roots to find nutrients.
All of this is possible as long as you can control the pH and nutrient solutions
levels. Hydroponics uses less water than plants that are grown in the soil
since the system is enclosed, and evaporation doesn't happen as often. It
might be hard to believe, but hydroponics is a lot better for our environment
because it reduces pollution and waste from the soil runoff.
Although the benefits of growing food by using a hydroponic system have
been well documented, and there are a lot of them, commercial growers are
still very reluctant to embrace hydroponics. The main reason is that
governments across the world still think of hydroponics as a way only to
grow marijuana. The government always persecutes any company that uses
hydroponics. As time goes by, concerns about our environment and having
less land to grow plants will bring on global awareness about all the
advantages of hydroponics for home gardeners and farmers, too.
Some commercial growers are embracing hydroponics. The ideals that
surround this type of growing system talk about subjects many people are
passionate about like making our world cleaner and ending world hunger.
People from all over the world have bought hand are building their system.
They want to grow fresh, wonderful-tasting foods for their friends and
family. People are making their dreams come true by having their own
business of growing produce that they can sell to local restaurants and at
farmer's markets. Educators realize all the various applications that
hydroponics have and are teaching their students about the science behind
this type of gardening.
Hydroponic research is increasing as all the numerous benefits are being
realized. Other types of systems like aquaponics and aeroponics are leading
the way, and we have no idea of what the future holds for these types of
technologies. We do know that hydroponics continues to drive innovation
and give us more cutting edge resources and techniques.
Soil Gardening Versus Hydroponics
As stated above, hydroponics is a gardening system that doesn't use soil.
Plants are put into a growing medium, and nutrients are given to the roots.
Most people get surprised when they are told that plants don't need soil to
survive. Soil can be an inefficient growing medium. Plants use a lot of their
energy growing roots so they can find the nutrients they need to survive.
When you give them readily available and constant nutrition, hydroponics let
plants grow about 50 percent faster than they will in soil.
There are many benefits to gardening without soil:
· You can grow food all year long.
· It's a great way to spend some quality time with family.
· You have complete control over the level of nutrients you use.
· A small hydroponic garden is more productive than more extensive
gardens.
· Most people say gardening with hydroponics is very relaxing.
· You can make a hydroponic system in any size of indoor space.
· You can be sure of having success when grown with hydroponics.
· Hydroponics use about 2.3 less water than typical gardens.
· Hydroponics gives you better tasting and more nutritious foods.
· It is very affordable. You can get started on a minimal budget and can
save a lot of money no matter what size your project is.
Disadvantages
Despite all the advantages that a hydroponic system can give you, there are
some disadvantages, too. The largest one is that even though most people say
they are affordable; in the beginning, it can be quite expensive to purchase
every aspect you need to create a hydroponic system. If you don't have any
experience with this type of policy, you might be successful in your first few
tries. When you consider that soil usually doesn't cost you anything, but you
do get what you pay for.
If you decide to go with an extensive system, it could take some time to set
up if you aren't an experienced gardener. Managing your order is going to
take some time, too. You are going to have to monitor and balance the
nutrient and pH levels daily.
The most significant risk of a hydroponic system is the smallest thing, such
as a pump failure could kill your plants in a manner of hours according to the
size of the system. The plants could die very fast since the growing medium
isn't able to store the water like soil can. These plants depend on having a
fresh supply of water at all times.
Chapter 9: Hydroponics vs. Soil Gardening

Both hydroponic and soil gardening methods have their advantages and
disadvantages, and as you will discover that not all plants are suitable for
hydroponic systems. However, a surprising number are, including many that
you would not think could be grown without soil, such as potatoes and
carrots.

Areas Where Hydroponic Gardening is better than Soil Gardening

Hydroponics save Space
Hydroponic takes up very little space, and you can grow an indoor
hydroponic system in your room. Besides, the absence of soil means root
systems are short, so you can grow plants closer together and save space.
 Weather free growing
The weather can be the biggest hindrance to growing anything outside. In a
hydroponic system, you have full control over the environment and are
growing indoors, so there is no weather to upset your growing plans!
Lower water use
Growing in soil is surprisingly water inefficient, so in an area where water is
expensive or scarce, it is very costly to grow vegetables. However, a
hydroponic system, despite being made up mainly of water, using
significantly less water than growing in soil because it is more efficient in its
use of water.
Fewer pests
Have you ever lost your crop to pests? Had caterpillars devoured your
cauliflower? Pests are a significant problem when growing outside and mean
either companion planting, using the pesticide, or accepting you will lose a
portion of your crop. Hydroponic plants are grown indoors in an enclosed
environment, so the chances of pests are meager. Of course, there is the
chance that you will find the occasional pest, but as you are regularly
checking the system, you tend to spot any pest problems very early on before
they cause much damage.
Fewer diseases
It is very frustrating to lose your entire crop because of a disease. Although
you can spray for many conditions, there are just as many for which there is
no treatment. As you are growing indoors, diseases are very uncommon.
Practicing proper hygiene and quarantining new plants before introducing
them to the system will help to reduce the risk of illness to virtually zero.
Fewer artificial chemicals
Although there is a significant movement away from the use of chemicals in
gardening, they are still introduced into your garden through the wind and
rain. However, some gardeners will use pesticides and artificial fertilizers.
Growing hydroponically, you use far fewer chemicals, which is a huge
benefit for many gardeners.
 No digging
A distaste of many gardeners is the need to dig over the soil, hence the
popularity of systems such as the no-dig system involving layering compost
and cardboard. There is no digging involved in hydroponic gardening, as
there is no soil.
Rapid maturing crops
When you grow plants hydroponically, they mature far faster than if they are
grown in soil or even in a greenhouse. Typically, plants will develop in three-
quarters of the usual growing time, but some can mature in up to half the
time. This means you can get more crops per year, and when combined with
the next point, has significant benefits for commercial growers.
Reliable & predictable yields
Growing hydroponically produces very reliable yields because you are not
reliant on the vagrancies of the weather. Yields are typically much higher
because of the consistent growing conditions, producing up to double the
yield.
Lower labor requirement
Because there is less work involved, you just check the pH and nutrient levels
regularly, there is a lot less labor involved.

Higher nutritional content

Scientific analysis of hydroponically grown vegetables has shown that they
contain up to 50% more vitamins and minerals than vegetables grown in soil.
This means some health benefits and is a big advantage for many growers.
Hydroponics uses less water
When grown via a hydroponic system, the plants need less water. When you
water plants that are in the soil, often the water seeps into the ground, and
some water also gets evaporated. But the hydroponic system is much more
water-efficient, and you use 70 to 80% less water.
Hydroponics systems lower, pests, weeds, and diseases
With traditional soil planting the risk of pests, weeds, and diseases increases;
but a hydroponic system deals with this problem almost completely.
Hydroponic systems grow plants faster
Hydroponic systems grow plants twice as fast as traditional methods, which
means you get more harvests every year. The growing cycle is much more
efficient because the plants get everything it needs.
Hydroponics let you adjust nutrient content for different plants
Hydroponics allows you to tweak and adapt nutrients for every plant.
Areas Where Soil Gardening is better
Lower initial cost
The initial cost of hydroponics can be quite expensive. But soil gardening has
a lower initial price.
No need to use electricity
A light source is needed in several hydroponic gardening techniques. Also,
some systems use power to aerate the roots.
Less risk of bacteria and mold growth
In a hydroponics system, plants grow in a very moist environment. If
precautions are not taken, then there is a susceptible risk of mold and bacteria
growth.
Now you know the main differences between the traditional soil growing
method and the hydroponics system.
Chapter 10: Setting Up Your Hydroponic Garden

Useful Strategies for Growing Plants inside Hydroponically

Here are a couple of additional strategies and factors to keep in your mind for
the new garden:

Lighting: Merely because a plant has been growing in water

does not necessarily indicate it does not still require sun.
Particularly in the case of vegetables and fruits such as
tomatoes and many anything with blossoms, you will have
to either put your plants close to a south-facing window or
even find out another method to receive them much-needed
mild --preferably at least half hours every day. Sadly, this is
sometimes very complex due to several spectrums of
intensity, light, and electricity, and of course different
demands of various plants.
PH Level: based on what you are attempting to increase, not
getting the best pH level of your water may greatly reduce
your crops' capacity to absorb carbohydrates, carbs, and
other nutritional supplements. (as an example, the majority
of the herbs mentioned previously flourish in a pH level
which is lower compared to that of tap water) So it is
important to look at the perfect pH tastes of your crops and
fix the water so.
Climate/Temperature: since most crops prefer a temperature
between 60--80°F, it is very important to keep a watch on
how cold or hot it gets around your hydroponic garden. At
times you will have to shield it in the warmth generated
from the expansion lamps or a nearby radiator. Other times
you will have to safeguard them from falling temperatures
in winter, though they're inside.

What Is The Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)?

Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) is an energetic hydroponics system in which
water containing dissolved nutrients is pumped into an increased menu, so
those nutrients can be absorbed by plants because the water moves through
their origins. This water is then emptied into a lower reservoir has been
finally pumped straight back through the increased tray.
It is among the most versatile and popular methods for hydroponics and may
be especially helpful for fast-paced, lightweight plants such as lettuce--
although it isn't quite as powerful for developing thicker crops like berries.
Pick the Location
Find the hydroponic method within an encased arrangement, for example, a
toddler or the cellar of your house, or in an outside deck or yard. The floor
ought to be level to make sure consideration of enhancements and water to
the crops at the computer system. If placing the machine out, protect the
construction from the components, for example, providing a cinch hindrance,
and inspect the water levels more commonly because of water episode out of
evaporating. During cold temperatures, then bring the hydroponic
construction indoors. If placing the machine in an interior room of your
house, add produce lights to offer additional lighting into the crops.

Stage 1 Enhancements make a means through barrels by

water drive
Collect the Hydroponic System
The system entails six generating barrels made from 6" PVC pipe, also a rack
alone and trellis made from PVC, also a 50-gallon nutritional dispenser, a
siphon and also a complicated. The tank stays beneath the desk of 6" PVC
making chambers, along with the siphon stays within the tank to induce up
supplements to the crops by means to get a composite of diminutive PVC
stations and vinyl chambers. Each producing room has a drainpipe which
contributes back into the tank. The complex sits across the stations and
transmits pressurized water into the chambers. To acquire the improvements
to the plants within this arrangement, water has been pushed through a square
of PVC, the more complicated, and then gets taken out to nominal plastic
chambers which continue running indoors all the larger creating chambers.
The improvement chambers have small openings in them, 1 gap between
each plant website. The improvements take the opening out and scatter the
plant origins. At precisely the same time, the explosion of water leaves air
bubbles so that the plants get sufficient oxygen.

Stage 2 Tank holds approximately 50 gallons of water

Mix Both the Nutrients and Water in the Tank
Fill the 50-gallon tank. By then add 2 cups of improvements into the
container (or as recommended by the compost mark), twist onto the siphon
and allow the system continues operating for about 30 minutes to capture the
majority of the improvements out and outside combined.

Stage 3 Insert Plants into the Growing Tubes

Presumably, the very direct strategies to take care of plant a hydroponic
nursery would be to utilize gotten seedlings, particularly if you don't have the
opportunity to develop the seeds. The crucial thing is to decide on the most
precious plants you can locate and then eliminate the majority of the ground
off their concealed establishments. To wash off the dirt from the roots, then
submerge the main ball into a bucket of warm to cool water. Water that's
unreasonably hot or cold can deliver the plant to daze. Gently spare the roots
to acquire the dirt outside. Any ground left to the roots can end up the small
sprinkle holes at the improvement tubes.
After the roots are pristine, pull the equal amount of origins from you can
throughout the bottom of this planting cup plus a brief time afterwards add
stretched out dirt stones to maintain the plant setup and upstanding. The
sandstones are tough, and they're amazingly light with the aim they don't
damage the plant origins.

Stage 4 Tie the Plants into the Trellis

Use the plant grabs and rope to permeate the plants into the trellis. The series
provides them exemptions to grow up, which expands the distance in this
maintained zone. Tie the series unreservedly into the most notable intention
of the trellis, connect fastens and chain into the bottom of each plant, and
closely wind the hints of the plants across the series.

Stage 5 Switch on the Vacuum and Monitor the System Daily

Assess the water measures step by step; in particular areas, it could be crucial
to test it several times every day, determined by water hardship due to
unnecessary warmth and dispersal. Check the pH and nutritional supplements
amounts as anticipated. Considering that the toaster runs complete-time, you
should not waste time using a clock, nevertheless, guarantee that the tank
does not dry out and also even the clot will burst into flames.

Stage 6 Plants will cover layout farther down the middle a

month
Screen Plant Growth
A large part of a month in the aftermath of planting and the crops will cover
the trellis because they will have each of the enhancements and water they
will need to grow fast. It is essential to keep a lookout for plant development
and tie or fix the plant stalks in regular interims.

Stage 7 Check for Pests and Diseases

Quest for indicators of diseases and pests, for example, the closeness of
insect annoys, little leaves and foliar contaminations. One debilitated plant
could quickly spoil different ones as they're so near one another. Eliminate
any cleared plants out instantly. Since plants climbed hydroponically do not
need to devote their own imperativeness faking to locate sustenance, they
could contribute more energy creating. This urges them to become valuable
and much more comfortable considering the manner they can utilize a little
essentialness to stop contaminations. Because the leaves of these plants never
become moist besides around the off possibility it rains, they are broadly less
likely to acquire foliage animal, shape and development.
Despite the manner that hydroponic crops are amazing at fighting
ailments, however, they need to fight germs. Despite whether it is high-value,
bugs and caterpillars could from by locating a path to the nursery. Pick off
and eliminate any bugs that you visit.
Chapter 11: Equipment needed

PH meter
PH is a measure of how acidic or how alkaline water is. A pH of 7 is neutral.
pH levels that range from 1 to 6 are acidic, and levels from 8 to 14 are
considered alkaline or basic.
Different plants have their preferences regarding pH levels. To ensure the
best possible growth, you need to have a way of testing and then adjusting the
pH level of your water.
For example:

Cabbage likes pH levels of 7.5

Tomatoes like a pH of 6-6.5
Sweet potatoes like a pH of 5.2-6
Peppers like a pH of 5.5-7
Lettuce and broccoli like a pH of 6-7
 A basic pH meter
Don’t use paper test strips for the water because they are inaccurate. Most of
the time, a pH meter is offered in combination with a TDS or EC meter,
which we will talk about next.

EC meter
Electrical conductivity is a measurement of how easily electricity passes
through the water, the higher the ion content, the better it is at conducting
electricity.
All water has ions in it. When you add nutrients to the water, you are
increasing the ion content, effectively increasing the electrical conductivity.
EC or Electrical Conductivity is an integral part of the hydroponics equation.
The simplest way of explaining this is as a guide to salts dissolved in water.
Its unit is siemens per meter, but in hydroponics, we use millisiemens per
meter.
In short, the higher the number of salts in the water, the higher the
conductivity. Water that has no salt (distilled water) will have zero
conductivity.
Lettuce likes an EC of 1.2 (or 1.2 millisiemens), while basil likes an EC of 2.

TDS & EC meter

That is why it is so important to know your EC and what your plants prefer, it
will help you to ensure your system is at the right level.
However, electrical conductivity needs are also affected by the weather.
When it is hot, the plants evaporate more water.
That is why you need to decrease the EC in hot summer months. In colder
winter months, you need to increase the EC.

In warm weather, you need to decrease the EC.

In cold weather, you need to increase the EC.

TDS meter
TDS stands for total dissolved salts. You may hear some hydroponics
growers referring to the TDS and not EC. These are both used to determine
the strength of your hydroponic solution. If you buy a TDS meter, there will
also be an option to switch to EC readings.
TDS readings are converted from an EC reading. The problem occurs when
you don’t know which calculation method was used to produce the TDS;
there are several different ones.
In general, EC and CF readings are used in Europe, while TDS is an
American measurement. But, regardless of which measurement you choose to
use, they are both effectively the same thing: a measure of the nutrient levels
in your solution.
The NaCl Conversion factor
This is effectively measuring salt in the water. The conversion factor for this
mineral is your micro siemens figure multiplied by any number between 0.47
and 0.5. You’ll find most TDS meters use 0.5. This is the easiest one for you
to remember and calculate. Most of the meters sold will use the NaCl
conversion factor.
As an example, if you have a reading of 1 EC (1 milli Siemens or 1000 micro
Siemens), you will have a TDS reading of 500ppm.
Natural Water Conversion factor
This conversion factor is referred to as the 4-4-2; this quantifies its contents.
Forty percent sodium sulfate, forty percent sodium bicarbonate, and twenty
percent sodium chloride.
Again, the conversion factor is a range, this time between 0.65 and 0.85.
Most TDS meters will use 0.7.
For example, 1 EC (1000 micro Siemens) will be 700 ppm with a TDS meter
that uses the natural water conversion.
Potassium Chloride, KCI Conversion factor
This conversion factor is not a range this time. It is simply a figure of 0.55.
Your EC meter reading 1EC or 1000 micro Siemens will equate to 550 ppm.
These are not all the possible conversion options, but they are the most
common. The first, NaCl is the most used today.
Dissolved oxygen sensor
If plants don’t get enough oxygen to their roots, they can die. A minimum of
5 ppm is recommended.
You do not need to invest in one if you oxygenate the water. Oxygenation of
the water can be done by using an air pump with an airstone in the water
tank. Depending on the method of growing, you don’t need to aerate the
water.
The dissolved oxygen in the water will be at its lowest during the summer.
The water heats up, and the dissolved oxygen becomes less available. While
your plants can do very well in winter, they might lack oxygen during
summer.
Net Pots
Make sure you get the net pots with a lid on top to keep them from falling
through. The standard size for lettuce is two inches (five centimeters). If you
want to use tomatoes with dutch buckets, six inches (fifteen centimeters) is
recommended.
3 and 2-inch (7 and 5 cm) net pots
If you are creating a new system on a budget, there are a variety of other
options that can be used instead of buying net pots. For example, plastic cups
with lots of holes in them, or simply fine netting on a wireframe. Use your
imagination!

Humidity and Temperature Sensor

Estimating temperatures and humidity levels will lead to mistakes. I
recommend getting a simple humidity and temperature sensor, so you don’t
need to guess. Most of them will cost you
no more than $15.

Accurate humidity and temperature sensor

Germination tray and dome

You need to start seeds in a dedicated germination tray.
Most of these trays are 10x10 or 10x20 inches (25x25 or 25x50 centimeters)
and generally include a humidity dome.
These trays are used to let your seeds germinate and keep the humidity high.
After the first true leaves appear, it is time to transplant them into your
system. Usually, this is after ten to fifteen days.
 A 10x10 germination tray with a
humidity dome
Seed Starter Cubes
If you are growing plants from seed, you can’t simply place seeds in the net
pots. They’ll get washed away or sink. Instead, you need a seed starter cube.
These cubes provide a place for the seed to start growing roots and flourish,
safely.
Several materials can be used as your grow media when starting seeds:
Two seed starting cubes sheets
You can separate each cube from the bigger sheet. I recommend using gloves
for this because the rock wool can be irritating on the skin.
As with every seed starter cube, you must soak it in pH neutral water of six
before using it. This ensures that the seed has better germination rates.

Coco Coir
An alternative to rock wool cubes is coco coir. This is simply the fibrous coat
of a coconut.
 Coco coir is sold in briquettes

Coco coir is an organic media which will break down over time. Some people
use it because it is environmentally friendly and renewable. I don’t
recommend it to start with. It can break down and clog your system if you are
not careful. It can begin to rot somewhere, and before you know it, make
your water quality terrible.
Sponges
Sponges are used most of the time as a cheap alternative to rock wool or oasis
cubes. However, they do not absorb or retain moisture that well. That is why
using sponges is not a carefree method of seed starting. They are not as
environmentally friendly as the
other seed starting cubes.

Seed starting sponges

Hydroton
This is the most popular growing media.
Hydroton is very lightweight, ensuring your pots aren’t under any undue
stress. It is excellent to keep your seed starter cubes in place. It’s also easy on
the hands and is pH neutral.
Hydroton
Chapter 12: Type of Systems
1. Hydroponic Drip Systems

Drip systems are one of the most commonly utilized hydroponic systems in
the country for both domestic farmers and company farmers. It is mostly
because the principle is simple and needs a few components, but yet it is a
rather diversified and efficient hydroponic method. While this is a simple
idea, when designing your own structures, it won't hinder your creativity. The
way a drip device operates, it allows you to spray nutritional substances on
the roots of the plants to hold them moist.
Hydroponic drip systems can be conveniently built from tiny to large systems
in several respects. But particularly useful for larger plants with plenty of root
room. That is because you don't have to fill the network with vast amounts of
water, and the drip lines are quick to extend over larger spaces. Besides using
more growing media for larger plants, more growing media retains more
moisture than smaller volumes, mainly because it is more forgiving for the
plants.
Forgiving that the plants are not as prone to watering hours, and they do not
automatically worry whether they are watered on time for one purpose or the
other.
 2. Ebb and Flow -
(Flood And Drain) System
For several purposes, flood and drain systems (ebb and flow) are quite
conventional with hydroponic farmers. You can construct them with almost
any materials you find around and also expend little money on the
hydroponic cultivation of plants. They can also be designed to suit whatever
open room you have (either inside or outside), and the different and creative
ways to build them for that room are not constrained. Plants thrive very well
in flood and drain systems, along with being affordable and straightforward
to construct. The flood and drain method operates in theory much as it looks
by inserting a nutrient solution into the plant root network - just periodically
and not continuously.
How a flood and drain hydroponic system functions very quickly. The central
part of the flood and drainage network includes containers in which plants
grow. It may be just one plant or several plants in sequence. A timer switches
on the valve, and water (nutrient solution) is injected into the main part of the
device by tubing from the reservoir using a submersible well/water pump.
The nutrient solution fills the network (influxes) until it exceeds the
predefined overflow tube height such that the roots of the plants are soaking.
The overflow tube would be roughly 2 cm below the top of the rising
newspaper.
When the tank is full of water, it flows down through the river, where it is
recirculated again into the network. The overflow tube determines the water
volume in the flood and drainage network, which guarantees that the water
(nutrient solution) will not spill the top of the device as long as the pump is
running. When the engine is turned off, the water is pumped back to the river
via the pipe.
3. N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique) System

The N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique) method is also prevalent with domestic
hydroponic farmers because of its straightforward design.
The N.F.T. schemes, though, are better suited to grow smaller plants such as
different varieties of lettuce, which are more widely utilized.
In addition to increasing kale, several industrial farmers often develop
various kinds of herbs and baby greens utilizing N.F.T. systems.
Although an N.F.T. method is built in a variety of different forms, they have
the same function as a very shallow nutrient hydroponic solution.
Where the bare roots of the plants touch the water and may consume the
nutrients, the biggest drawback to an N.F.T. device is that the plants are
particularly vulnerable to water movement interruptions from power outages
(or some reason).
Once the water starts flowing into the network, the plants can continue to
wind very rapidly.

4. Water Culture System

Water systems are the easiest of the six hydroponic systems types.
Technically, these systems are still very successful in hydroponic cultivation.
Not only do home hydroponic farmers prefer to use water culture systems,
but industrial producers also do utilize this form of the device on a broad
scale.
The reason is that water cultivation systems are a clear and easy idea to
develop. Moreover, the fact that the water system is also a cheap device to
create is another explanation of why it is also popular with home growers.
While the principle is necessary, there are lots of creative ways of utilizing
and constructing water culture systems from different materials.
5. Aeroponic System
Although the aeroponic system is a fundamental term, it is, in reality, the
most advanced of all six types of hydroponic systems. Nonetheless,
constructing your own aeroponic system is very simple, and several home
growers love to grow in them and even get outstanding results with this kind
of hydroponic device.
As in every other form of hydroponic device, you may use a variety of
different styles of materials and design configurations to suit your room - It
can be applied even if your room and your creativity are tiny.
Aeroponic structures usually use little or no rising media with certain
advantages. The roots produce full oxygen, and as a result, the plants expand
faster.
Yet, aeroponic systems do typically require less water than some other form
of hydroponic device. Harvesting, particularly for root crops, is typically also
easier.
However, there are still certain drawbacks of aeroponic devices in addition to
being more costly to construct. The sprinkler heads will obstruct the creation
of the dissolved mineral elements in the watertight of nutrients. Be sure you
have extras to swap with when they clog while you clean them.
Moreover, since the plant roots remain in the center of the air through nature
in aeroponic systems, the roots of plants are far more prone to dry up if the
irrigation process is disrupted. Only a temporary power loss (for whatever
reason) would, therefore, cause your plants to die far faster than any other
form of hydroponic system. There is also a reduced margin of error with
nutrient rates, particularly true high-pressure systems in aeroponic systems.
Chapter 13: Starting Seeds and Cuttings, Seeds
Germination and Propagation of Clones
Remember where we have been coming from. I have also talked about the
equipment used, the description of each system, how to set up your
hydroponic system. Now, I will be discussing the method of propagation in
hydroponics.
Starting Seeds and Germination
You are ready to start your hydroponic garden. After getting conversant with
the equipment to use and how to set up your hydroponic garden. This is how
to go about it.
Soak the seed to be planted for about 6-12 hrs. It is being soaked in a pot. I
also said to use a growing media depending on your choice. The appropriate
growing media is coco fiber. An important factor in preparing the seed for the
growth stage is the size of the pot being used. It’s advisable to use a small pot
for a small number of seeds. That’s because doing otherwise will make the
seeds damp. A damp seed isn’t the best to grow within hydroponics because
it can cause root rot or even moldiness. Don’t overlook this because it can
cause underdevelopment of the seed.
Pour the seeds in a pot of volume 0.5L, sprinkle it with some water to be
damp, allowing the water to circulate. After 5-10 minutes, add a few
sprinkles if it’s not damp enough. Some people make use of soil to start but
we don’t want our seeds to get soil dirty, right? Having to disengage the root
from the soil carefully is also delicate. So, let us just stick to making the
environment moist since that can perform the magic.
You need a propagator and light source to keep the environment moist and
enable growth.
Some seeds grow very fast while some don't. The maximum period of
germination s is between 3-5 days. So don't be bothered about late sprouting
as the seed will surely germinate even though it takes time. Keep the
environment moist because it aids quick germination
You might care to ask. How humid should the environment be? At what
temperature should I grow the seeds? Those are very good questions as they
determine the interim of seed germination. The starting temperature for the
seeds should be about 20-25°C (68-77°F) and humidity should be about 60-
70%. It can be reduced to 40% as the plant grows.

Another important piece of equipment in starting seed is the plug. I almost

forgot to mention! The seeds are dropped into the plug to make clipping off
easy after seed sprouting. How do you apply it? It's soaked with the seeds.
You drop the seeds into it. I keep using the word" soak". Pardon my choice of
words. Like I stated earlier, you aren't to soak in 100L of water rather you are
to make the seeds damp. So when I use the word soak, you know what I
mean by that.
I also didn't state that the water should be 20°C(room temperature).
To aid fast growth, apply a little bit of Formulex which is a seedling
stimulant.
Let me summarize the whole process,

Pour the seeds into a 0.5L volume growing pot(used for nursery
plants)
Dampen it with sprinkles of water.
Make sure the seeds are in the plug as that's important for easy
clipping after germination.
Introduce a propagator which is used to maintain a moist
environment and light source.
Maintain a temperature of 20-25°C and humidity of 68-77°C.
Add a little bit of seedling stimulant like Formulex.

Paper Towel Method

This method can be substituted in place for the first. Do you know why
this method is advantageous?. You can witness the process of seed
germination. And for those who get eager to see your seeds sprout, I will
recommend this method for you.
In as much as this method has an upper hand over the other. Maximum Care
has to be taken in carrying it out. This is because a paper towel is used just as
the name implies. What's it used for? It is wrapped around the seed. Don't
forget that a paper towel gets damp easily and may mess up the roots when
it's due for transplanting. Hence, I advise you to use a thick paper towel.
Maintain a temperature of 20°C. You can achieve this by putting it in a
lockable Plastic bag. This makes it visible. You will be able to notice all
changes taking place. After growth, it can be transferred into a growing
medium.
You can then keep it in a light-void environment.
Cuttings
Cuttings are also called CLONES. It is used as an alternative to starting
with seeds. If you are looking for a way to replicate the mother plant, then
consider using the cutting method. Though, cloning works for some plants
not all. You might think it's a bit difficult and you will prefer to resolve the
seed method of propagation. Take a chill pill! And see how it can be done
easily.
First of all, I'll enlighten you on this method. Why choose the cloning method
anyways? You will get a replica of a plant faster using this method. The seed
method takes more time compared to the cloning. This is why. In the cloning
method, you make use of a growing plant to cultivate. Can you see that it's
going to grow faster than a seed which you are yet to see signs of sprouting?
Another reason is that in a situation where you don't have seeds to grow, you
can take cuttings from a plant and grow. It's less stressful than getting seeds.
Cloning can also produce special characteristics or modifications that you
can't get in a starting seed method.

What are the procedures?.

To extract cuttings from a plant, you need the following
materials;
A razor blade (a sharp one preferably, that means it must be
new).
Support (wood or plastic preferably)
A plastic container
A growing medium(Rockwool, coconut fiber)
A seed tray
Spray bottle
A rooting stimulator like Formulex
 Alcohol.
So, you ask how do I utilize these materials?. You'll see that in a few.
When you want to take cuttings, make sure you select a healthy plant.
The growing medium to be used should be soaked. After which it should be
punctured to fit the cutting in. Lest I forget, whatever material you will be
using, make sure it is sterilized. The Alcohol should be poured on the blade
and the cutting blocks hot glass to be used. After which it will be filled with
rooting stimulator.

How do you take the cuttings?

This step is very delicate and must be handled with care.
Take the cutting from the internode and some leaves with a sharp
razor blade.
Drop it into a shot glass containing the rooting hormone(a fluid)
After which it should be dipped into the rooting medium to be
used (Coco fiber for example).
You must note that the cutting is open to certain diseases and
microorganisms like bacteria, fungi. Hence, it must be taken care
of properly.
The cutting dipped in the rooting medium should be sprayed with water
to make sure it grows.
Chapter 14: Problem and Troubleshooting
Green Growth
Each hydroponic cultivating framework utilizes water and plant supplements.
Lamentably, any place you have water, supplements, and light you will
inevitably have green growth development. This is a major issue since green
growth pulls in organism gnats, and parasite gnats will harm the foundations
of your plants. To forestall green growth, a hydroponic framework must
restrain the presentation of the supplement answer for the light at every
possible opportunity. The supplement repository ought to be produced using
a dim or misty material. The supplement store ought to have a top. Openings
in the supply top ought to be no greater than the hydroponic siphon hose and
the water bring the pipe back.
The plant holder should fit firmly into the opening, hindering any light from
entering.
The framework itself ought to be moderately light confirmation. The shaky
area in numerous frameworks is the place the plant openings have been
produced in the framework. Plant gaps ought to be no greater than would
normally be appropriate to hold the development medium (for example a got
pot or rockwool solid shape). If the development medium is being watered
from above, for example, with a trickle framework, a top ought to be utilized
over the medium to limit the uncovered territory. Dribble producers can
likewise be made to run underneath a light confirmation top, yet this will
keep you from seeing trickle producers that have stopped up. Any plant
openings not being utilized ought to be topped or secured with dim or dark
material.
Hydroponic System Leaks
High weight frameworks are bound to spill than low weight frameworks. The
most widely recognized hotspot for spills in a hydroponic framework are cut
fittings and trickle/shower producers that sneak out of position. Less
frequently, root development can cause spills in a continually streaming
framework by making water back up and spill out when there isn't sufficient
room in the cylinders.
During a force disappointment, I once saw all the supplement arrangement
channel from a framework once more into the supplement repository which
was around 10 gallons excessively little. I have additionally observed a high
weight siphon that was not associated firmly enough out of anywhere pass
over its fumes hose and douse down the room. Many break issues can be kept
away from essentially by utilizing a hydroponic framework planned around a
low weight siphon, for example, an NFT framework or a DWC framework.
Further holes can be forestalled by utilizing a supplement repository
sufficiently enormous to hold all the water in your framework, and by
utilizing pipes sufficiently huge to deal with the frameworks water stream
much after noteworthy root development.
Obstructs
Obstructs cause the most problems with dribble frameworks and shower
frameworks (counting aeroponics). Trickle/shower frameworks utilize high
constrain siphons to drive supplement arrangement through exceptionally
modest openings. Supplement channels and pre-channels can decrease the
event of obstructing however won't dispense with it. If you pick one of these
frameworks, be set up to invest additional energy every day checking each
splash spout/dribble head and supplanting any that have quit working.
Accommodation of Use
How simple is it to clean a hydroponic framework in the middle of
employments, and how simple is it to do a supplement arrangement change
while the framework is being used. A "simple to clean" framework offers
simple access to each surface inside the framework, either by hand or with a
brush. A framework can be a cerebral pain to clean if there is no top and the
gaps are excessively little, or if there are tight corners or inaccessible twists.
A framework ought to be anything but difficult to purge of its supplement
arrangement, and the procedure ought to upset the plants/plant roots as
meager as would be prudent. A framework ought to hold almost no of its
unique supplement arrangement when discharged. The entire supplement
arrangement change should just take three or four minutes, accepting you
have a repository of room temperature water prepared to supplant the old
supplement arrangement (in addition to a couple of additional minutes to
check and modify the new arrangement).
Fickle Nature of Some Systems
The primary worry here is how a lot of time you need to spend checking and
keeping an eye on a specific framework. Each framework will require it's
supplement arrangement checked and balanced at any rate once per day,
however, a few frameworks should be checked substantially more regularly
to forestall different problems. Dribble frameworks ought to be checked a
few times every day to ensure the producers have not stopped up a couple of
hours without supplement arrangement could kill a plant (particularly in a
quick depleting medium).
The equivalent is valid for shower frameworks, particularly aeroponics. If
you are utilizing no developing medium by any stretch of the imagination, at
that point your supplement arrangement depletes promptly immediately and
inexplicably. No medium methods no support zone ensuring the foundations
of your plants. On the off chance that a shower spout obstructs in an
aeroponic framework, your plants could bite the dust in under 60 minutes. I
propose checking aeroponic frameworks four times each day or more, not
exclusively to check for stopped up splash heads yet, also, to check for
broken siphons and force disappointments (which would be similarly
harming).
The most solid/least fickle hydroponic frameworks are DWC frameworks and
NFT frameworks. These frameworks are low support and should be checked
just once per day.
Cost of Cleaning/Reusing a System
One of the primary cost with reusing a hydroponic framework comes when
you need to supplant the entirety of the developing medium. If you are
utilizing rockwool, for instance, you need to toss out the entirety of the old
rockwool and supplant it with new rockwool for each new yield. This can
without much of a stretch be a $100.00 cost (or progressively), even in a little
framework. Different frameworks utilize got pots loaded up with extended
dirt pellets, igneous rock, or another reusable develop medium.
Another arrangement is to utilize a DWC framework or NFT framework,
which utilize next to no develop medium and for the most part develop the
plant establishes in standing supplement arrangement (with air bubblers).
These decisions not just spare you the cerebral pain of discarding the old
develop medium... after some time, they likewise spare you a lot of cash.
Chapter 15: Best Plants for Hydroponics

Plants suitable for Hydroculture

First of all, it is necessary to know that cuttings rooted in water are ideal for
starting hydroculture because, for them, it is much easier to adapt to the
expanded clay substrate since it is mainly composed of water.
If you want to start with the gardening of hydroculture plants, there is a great
variety to choose from. If you are a lover of aromatic herbs, the rosemary
plant is perfect for growing in hydroculture if you start from cutting;
otherwise, you can choose other types of ornamental and very decorative
plants, such as Ficus, Calathea, Pothos, Dracena, and Philodendron.

All plants characterized by leaves of tropical origin are well suited to

hydroculture, such as the orchid and all those species that present a rapid
development to the root system.
And what about flowering plants? In these cases, the most recommended
species for home hydroculture are Hibiscus, Spathiphyllum, Kalanchoe,
Anthurium, or Saintpaulia. Still, nothing prevents you from trying to cultivate
other types of plants as well.
What about succulents? Succulents have a more complicated situation since
they do not tolerate excess humidity. Therefore

the recommended
species for hydroculture are aloe, succulent plants, and - as anticipated above
- orchids.
Lettuce

Growing salad in hydroponics is elementary, much more than it might seem,

even for those who start from scratch and approach the hydroponics world for
the first time.
Once you have identified the variety of salad that best suits your needs and
tastes, you must obtain the seeds that you will easily find online. Then you
will have to buy rock wool cubes (Rockwool) and clear jars, a mini-green to
store them in the warm, in a protected environment and with net pots,
designed precisely for the needs of plants that are grown with hydroponic and
aeroponic systems. Therefore, a small hydroponic or aeroponic system will
be needed.
The salad seeds must be placed inside the moistened rock wool cubes (it is
recommended not to insert more than five seeds for each cube) only with
water and then placed inside the mini-greenhouse, at a temperature that can
oscillate between 73°F (23°C) and 82°F (28°C).
One aspect to check - when using rock wool cubes - is the amount of water
they absorb, because an excessive amount of liquid could cause the roots to
rot and drown them. For this, it is always advisable to check the liquid levels
present and possibly wring out the cubes to let out the excess water.
With the right amount of water and the ideal temperature, lettuce seeds will
begin to germinate after about 48 hours. When you see the first roots
appearing from the rock wool cubes (both from the sides and the base), it
means that the time has come to transfer the newly born seedlings to the
unique mesh pots, which will first be filled with expanded clay and then
settled in the hydroponic system you have chosen (or aeroponic). The
seedlings inserted in the aeroponic system will then be fed with a unique
nutrient solution based on water and fertilizers to provide everything they
need. It is vital to avoid any fertilizer during the germination phase and then
start with a halved dose compared to what is recommended on the package.
Fertilizers for the gardening of Hydroponic salad
By using suitable fertilizers and in the right dose, the roots of the lettuce
seedlings are allowed to develop better and faster than they would use with a
traditional gardening system, also because - in this way - the roots can
receive and assimilate nutrients faster.
To grow the seedlings in a healthy and fast way, thus strengthening their root
system to make it more robust, it is possible to opt for some special
fertilizers, which contain fundamental substances capable of promoting and
increasing growth, accelerating absorption nutrients, and keep the most
common salad diseases away. Fertilizers play a central role in the life and
health of the plant. Since the hydroponic and aeroponic system does not
provide for the presence of fertile soil, to ensure that the salad receives all the
nutrients, it is essential to use the right fertilizers to be able to grow plants
properly. Strengthening the root system of salad plants and preventing pests
means growing healthy, reliable, and vigorous plants capable of returning a
good harvest.

Hydroponic salad: parameters to monitor

At this point, once the gardening has started, it is appropriate to keep under
control some fundamental values for the health and growth of each plant,
such as the pH, which will determine the ability - by the cultivated plant - to
absorb the available nutrients correctly.
For salad plants to absorb all nutrients correctly, the pH must be slightly
acidic, and to ensure that it is always such, it is advisable to often monitor the
situation with manual tests. For example, cheap and easy-to-use paper strips
for pH testing can be used.
Tips and tricks for a perfect Hydroponic salad
To create a suitable and protected environment, it is recommended to repair
and check the salad plants inside a grow box to make them grow well,
healthily and faster, without weighing on the cost of the bill.
Among the advantages of using the grow box, there is undoubtedly that of
being able to control the temperature than a larger environment more
efficiently and, therefore, less controlled, better manage ventilation, ensure
the right lighting (thanks to the reflective mylar sheet present inside the grow
box which allows the light to be effectively propagated).
But when will you get your first salad crop?
Much depends on the variety chosen and cultivated, but - in general - it is
possible to say that the time required varies between 4 weeks and 80 days. By
choosing different varieties and managing the aeroponic system, you can
have a fresh, tasty, and healthy salad at any time of the year.
To help grow, salad plants should be adequately lit: the best solution is to use
HID discharge lamps or LEDs, but a good compromise can also be found by
using fluorescent lamps.
To better manage the lighting of the salad plants, it is advisable to activate the
lights for 12 hours a day, thus ensuring 12 hours of darkness.
For beginners, it is advisable to purchase a simple lighting set consisting of 4
CFL lamps, sufficient for home gardening.

Strawberries
Cross and delight of many professional and amateur growers, the strawberry
is a problematic fruit, especially if grown out of season and in unsuitable
environments. All difficulties are overcome, especially for those who choose
the above-ground gardening, better known as hydroponic gardening.
The more than tested technique, especially in strawberry gardening, offers
more than exciting advantages:

Production is standardized;
There is a considerable saving of energy and water, which is
 used more rationally;
Production is better in quality and quantity;
The problem of diseases, molds, and pests that multiply on
contact with the ground is entirely forgotten.
Those who choose the hydroponic technique also have the opportunity to
produce strawberries in at least two different periods of the year: from
October to December and throughout April and May.
If we also take into consideration that once planted, the plants begin to bear
fruit after 45 days. It is well understood why this choice is shared by many
growers and lovers of indoor gardening.
Anyone who chooses to switch to this type of technique must first thoroughly
wash the roots of their seedlings and insert them in a small pot that contains
expanded clay or alchemy of vermiculite and perlite.
It is also essential to have a container that can hold at least 10 liters of water
(for each seedling), better if impermeable to the passage of light to avoid the
formation of algae and mushrooms.
Among the most popular hydroponic gardening methods for strawberries,
there is the one called NFT hydroponics: to make it simple with this system;
it is possible to achieve a good circulation of all the nutrients that the roots
need. Everything is automated thanks to the use of a timer that alternates
between full and dry moments, essential for the roots to have the right
oxygenation.
It is essential to have the right fertilizer, which in this case, is composed of
nitrogen and potassium and water with the correct pH, which should always
be adjusted between 5.5 and 5.6. To make the job easier, there are active
acidity regulators on the market.
Finally, you must have the right lighting, and in this case, the lamps for
indoor gardening will be a potent ally.
Once you start your strawberry gardening, domestic or industrial, it is good to
keep in mind that the plant must be regularly pruned: it is wrong not to cut
excess leaves, especially before flowering. These will unnecessarily weaken
the plant and could favor the creation of mushrooms that are particularly
harmful to the future growth of strawberries.
Also, despite the impatience shared by many growers, it is good that the fruit
is harvested only when red and ripe, better still if in times of darkness.

Tomatoes

Quality and quantity with Hydroponic tomato gardening

Tomato is a genuinely functional vegetable in hydroponic culture. It reacts
very well to the so-called "soilless gardening," this because it can easily adapt
to different types of substrate and does not require demanding agronomic
management.
In tomato hydroponics, multiple substrates can be used:

Rock wool
Peat
Perlite
Coconut fiber
Compost
 And with all, you
can achieve magnificent results. The only precaution that must be paid in the
hydroponic gardening of tomatoes is the temperature. Indeed, excessive
maxims could affect the floral drop and, therefore, on the quantity and quality
of the product.

Kitchen herbs
The new home dream is to have a thousand and one aromatic herbs on the
terrace or the balcony to flavor your dishes with a personal, fresh, and eco-
friendly touch. This is why hydroponics has been so successful.
The Greeks already knew it, Francis Bacon spoke about it in 1627 and today
hydroponics (literally the art of growing plants in water) is well appreciated
in the industrial and domestic field.
The hydroponic gardening of aromatic herbs has five remarkable qualities:

The yield of the product that is developed through indoor

gardening is better;
Growth is faster;
The taste is more intense;
The gardening technique is environmentally sustainable;
Water expenditure decreases drastically.
With hydroponic gardening at home, it is possible to grow any aromatic
plant, whether it is parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano. Still, you can
also choose to grow lettuces, tomatoes, strawberries, and who knows what
else.
In short, hydroponics allows at reduced costs and with a disarming simplicity
to make your terrace or balcony a garden of wonders, a vertical garden, an
urban oasis.
The roots of our aromatic seedlings will seek support on an inert substrate
often made up of expanded clay, pralines, coconut fiber, or other similar
materials. Of course, the irrigation that the plant receives must be rich in
inorganic compounds that will be able to give it all the nutrients that
generally come from the earth. Your gardening of aromatic herbs will surely
provide unparalleled satisfaction.
Chapter 16: Frequently Asked Questions
I cultivate my garden, and my garden cultivates me. ~Robert Brault
I have tried to give you a basic, but thorough beginner’s guide to the most
common and popular gardening methods. The emphasis has been on the
mechanics of gardening. Now I want to bring it all together by answering the
questions people tend to ask once they decide to try their hand at gardening.
Some of the answers may be repetitions of things you have already read, but
that is okay. If it is important enough to put in here twice, it’s important
enough to read it twice. So, without further ado…
Q: Is it better to start from seed or seedling plants?
A: Most of the time you will do better if you start your flowers with seedling
plants. The main reason for this is that flowers take much longer to mature
than vegetables. The exception to this is zinnias and sunflowers. You will
also find that planting iris and lilies using just the chromes will work just
fine, too.
When it comes to vegetables, however, it is almost always better to start from
seed, except for tomatoes, which need to be started indoors if you want to
enjoy the fruits of your labor before the growing season is over.
Q: Is there anything to the old sayings about planting according to the signs
of the moon and other such things?
A: Yes, most definitely! For example, a new moon pulls water up from the
ground, which in turn, swells a seed and causes it to burst open (germinate).
That is why planting within a day or two of the new moon causes quick
productivity.
Q: What’s the difference between garden soil and potting soil?
A: Potting soil is less dense. It contains little or no actual dirt/soil but is a
combination of peat moss, vermiculite or perlite, sand, and even finely
ground tree bark. Potting soil has also undergone a sterilization process to kill
any weeds and seeds that would interfere with plant growth. Garden soil
contains actual soil, so it is much denser and doesn’t drain as well as potting
soil, and it tends to get packed down in pots.
Q: What about succulents? Are they easy to grow?
A: Yes. Succulents, which include cactus, are very easy to grow. They
require next to no care and prefer not to be watered very often. In fact, I know
people who have beautiful cacti that grow well with only a tiny bit of water
every month or so. There are so many varieties of succulents to choose from,
you can have a diverse and attractive display with very little work on your
part. NOTE: Succulents do best in containers in most parts of the country.
Q: Are berries easy to grow, and can they be grown in small areas?
A: Strawberries are very easy to grow and can be grown in an area as small
as 5x5 feet. Strawberry plants are a lot like bunnies—they multiply rapidly.
You will need to thin your plants out each spring before they begin to bloom.
You do this by simply pulling some of the plants out of the ground. You will
also have to break their runners to separate them from their ‘parent’ plant.
Sell or give your excess plants to someone. Blackberries, blueberries,
raspberries, and all other berries require a lot more room and attention.
Q: Is one kind of mulch better than another?
A: Mulch is a matter of opinion. When you think of mulch, you tend to think
in terms of cypress, cedar, or pine wood chunks. But there are actually
several other materials you can use for mulch. They include rubber, pea
gravel, creek gravel, nut hulls, cocoa bean hulls, and lava rock. Deciding
what you use to mulch your gardens (if you use anything at all) depends on
many things. For example, if your garden consists primarily of perennials, or
if you have an area of your yard designated for pots, rock is often your best
option. It doesn’t have to be replaced, it doesn’t attract insects (like wood
does), and it requires next to no maintenance. Vegetable gardens or flower
beds you will be tilling or spading every season don’t need mulch. And
finally, be sure your pets won’t ingest the nut hulls, cocoa bean hulls, or
rubber, as all are toxic to them.
Q: What are community gardens?
A: Community gardens are gardens used and tended to by several
individuals. Most community gardens rent space to people to use for growing
vegetables and herbs. Each person is responsible for keeping their own area
of the garden weeded, watered, and tended to. I’ll be honest—I don’t know
how community gardens keep people from taking things that aren’t theirs. I
assume it’s based on an honor system, which should work. If you participate
in a community garden venture, you still need to have your own tools,
fertilizer, pest prevention, and so forth. Community gardens can be a great
way to enjoy raising your own herbs and vegetables as long as you don’t get
tired of traveling back and forth to take care of your space.
Q: How do I know what planting zone I’m in?
A: This map shows the different planting zones in the United States.
Q: What flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies?
A: Impatiens, petunias, hollyhocks, honeysuckle, bee balm, columbine, lilies,
and phlox are a few of the most popular hummingbird attractants. Hibiscus,
coneflowers, butterfly bush, sunflowers, lilac, zinnias, sweet William,
petunias, and dianthus are just a few of the many flowers that will bring
butterflies to your garden.
Q: Is it better to overwater or underwater your plants?
A: Neither. You need to make sure your plants get the amount of water they
need AND that their home (ground, raised bed, or container) has proper
drainage. When your plant is getting too much water, leaves will become pale
and yellow and the plant will look limp. If they aren’t getting enough water,
leaves will drop to conserve food and energy for the main part of the plant.
Q: I see all sorts of unconventional things being used as flower or vegetable
containers. What special preparation, if any, needs to be done to use these
things?
A: Using ‘unconventional’ items to pot plants and flowers in is a great way to
add a bit of whimsy and personal flair to your landscape. Flowers and plants
look fine in traditional pots, but they look spectacular in an old suitcase, a
cowboy boot, a vintage child’s dump truck or lunch box, a dresser no longer
in good enough condition to hold clothes, or whatever else appeals to you.
The only preparation you need to make is to ensure the container has
adequate drainage, so plants don’t become waterlogged.
FYI: Other unusual items you can use for your container garden include:
• Old tins
• Purses
• Wheelbarrow
• Baskets
• Old tires
• Wooden boxes
Q: What things are compostable?
A: The most compostable materials are:
• Vegetable peelings
• Leaves
• Straw
• Sawdust
• Pine needles
• Small sticks
• Bark
• Paper towel and toilet paper tubes
• Newsprint (not glossy)
• Dryer lint
• Eggshells
• Coffee grounds
• Dead plants
• Stale bread, crackers, cereal
• Burlap
• Livestock manure
Q: What things can’t I compost?
A: You cannot compost:
• Diseased plants
• Meat, pasta, bones
• Synthetics
• Walnut hull, leaves, and twigs
• Pet manure
• Human waste
• Plastic
• Glossy paper
• Dairy products
Q: How do I know if my soil is too acidic?
A: You can have a professional soil test done without spending a lot of
money. You can also do it yourself using nothing more than a sealable clear
glass jar, soil from your garden, and water. To test your soil, fill the jar about
half full of soil from the garden you want to test. Fill the jar the rest of the
way with water, leaving about an inch of space at the top. Seal the jar and
shake it vigorously. Let it set untouched for 24 hours. During this time the
soil will separate into layers of silt, clay, and sand.
You also need to notice the color or tint of your soil. The lighter the soil’s
color, the less organic matter it contains. If this is the case with your soil, you
need to add compost matter to it to help your plants grow.
Conclusion
Thank you for making it through to the end of the book, let’s hope it was
informative and able to provide you with all of the tools you need to achieve
your goals whatever they may be.
Once you have all your garden measured out, sit down with your graph paper,
let one square equal one square foot (adjust this if you have the graph paper
with the tiny squares), and start putting this all down on paper. Have the top
of the paper be north, and draw a little arrow pointing that way to look more
official.
As you do, you will find that you’ll need to keep running out to measure
more things in the yard to make everything line up correctly. You’ve
measured the house and driveway, for example, but wait, how many feet do
you have between the driveway and the east corner of the house? So you
measure that. Where exactly does the oak tree sit in relation to the fence and
the house? So you measure that. The fence and the house are not lining up
correctly. So you re-measure that and try to figure out if you transposed a
measurement. The oak tree seems to have inadvertently shrunk, though you’d
measured it twice. Maybe it’s time to take up drinking. Well, okay, but only
in moderation.
Of course, that’s the way the old timers did it. (Note: I am not old.) These
days, you can fix up a nice landscape plan on your phone using an app, or get
a more elaborate program for your laptop that will do more than just move a
tree symbol around until it looks like it’s placed right.
Then it’s time for the big step: drawing a plan. Measure your garden. To
keep your plan simple, let one-half inch equal one foot. Outline the garden on
your paper.
Protip: Once you have this step finished to your satisfaction, take this paper
to the copier and make several copies, and use these as the rough drafts of
your garden design.
Now play with that outline. Consider the height and width of these
plants. Keep short plants in front and tall plants in back, and use those
pictures you’ve clipped (whether out of a magazine or found on the internet)
to make sure the colors match. Do you want soft colors, such as purple
catmint, pink petunias, and silver Artemisia? Or do you want a fiesta of red
salvia and “Yellow Boy” marigolds?
Also, consider when your perennials bloom. You may love purple asters
and pink sea thrift, but that color pairing won’t be happening, because the
asters bloom in fall and the sea thrift blooms in spring.

It’s a good idea to put the tall plants in the back and short plants in front.
Green side up. Match the plants to the amount of sun that’s available. Set
your shade plants near the trees, while the full sun plants will need to be right
out in the sun.
As you draw your plan, generally a good rule of thumb is to arrange them by
height – tallest plants in back, shortest ones in the back. Or, as with an island
bed, tallest plants in the middle, going to the shortest on the edges. But you
can also blend several different varieties of plants that are the same size, the
same way as you would blend several different flowers in a flower
arrangement, for a good blend of colors and shapes. And you don’t have to be
exact on regimenting sizes. A garden isn’t a lineup of soldiers on dress
parade, after all.
You can arrange the plants in any way. You can arrange them in a parterre, a
formal setting with neat rows, tidy edged shrubs. Or you can have a wild,
natural garden with plants arranged as if they were growing wild. Chances
are you will be someplace between these two extremes in your own garden.
Also, to make more of an impact, plant your perennials in drifts of 3, 5, or 7.
These groups provide more of an impact than just planting one of every plant
(unless you have a specimen plant that’s as big as an elephant).
Protip: It’s a good idea to have a little out-of-the-way place in your
garden where you keep extra plants – those you’ve picked up when on sale
but can’t find a place for, plants you’ve picked up out of curiosity, plants
you’ve gotten from friends and neighbors that don’t quite fit into your
gardening plan, or things you need to find a proper place for but haven’t
gotten to yet.
This little garden can get helpful, though. If you have a plant in your
regular garden that suddenly croaks, you can grab a full-grown specimen
from your little side garden and pop it into your regular garden, if you're so
inclined, thereby filling the gap.
You can also keep your cutting garden here, so you can just pop out the
back door and cut a few flowers for bouquets inside the house. Then you
won't have to swipe flowers from your front gardens and leave holes in it.