Homemade Hydroponics

Homemade hydroponics is a budget-friendly way for newbies to get acquainted with the world of hydroponics gardening. While starting off in the field of hydroponics, building something from scratch you or just going to a gardening shop and getting something off-the-shelf and ready-to-use is an important question that pops up. While there are pros and cons for going the way of either route, if you are an avid Do-It-Yourself fan then building one yourself is going to be a gratifying experience.

One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to put together a homemade system as long as the basics are clear. The first important lesson to learn is the difference between soil grown plans and hydroponic grown plants. For soil grown plants the soil acts as the reservoir for the nutrients that the plants require. On the other hand, hydroponic systems use nutrient rich water in which the plants are suspended. As long as a homemade solution takes care of elementary components of any plant growing exercise – light, air, water, nutrients and heat – anyone with rudimentary knowledge of DIY can put together a workable homemade hydroponics system.

There are many ways to build your homemade hydroponics system. The simplest of these methods requires nothing more than a large, plastic grow bag filled with a growth medium. Such bags already contain nutrients and the only thing left for you to do is planting and watering. More sophisticated methods require using large plastic storage boxes or glass aquariums fitted with air bubblers and Styrofoam floaters that hold your plants. Some of the easier to build systems involve the ebb and flow, drip and water culture techniques. These are best suited for novice gardeners who have just taken up hydroponics. Not only are they easier to build yourself, such systems are also relatively cheaper than the more complex ones.

One of the biggest benefits of homemade hydroponics is that it while you can certainly start it as a do at home hobby, it is actually a very environmentally conscious way of growing some of your own food especially fruits and vegetables. Hydroponics saves water as it uses only a fraction of the amount than a regular farm to produce the same amount of food. The water table can be impacted by inefficient water use and run-off of chemicals from farms, but hydroponics minimizes this impact. Such homemade systems are not only an inexpensive way to replace store-bought fruits and vegetables with your own homegrown variety, they are also a great way to minimize the adverse impact that flying produce from far-flung areas has on the environment.

Homemade hydroponics solutions also provide a larger yield while working with very little space and because you can grow indoors you do not have to be limited by seasonal constraints. Easy availability of modular and inexpensive components for putting together a homemade system also means that you never feel stranded for tools or parts. A quick run to your local gardening shop is usually enough for everyday hydroponic gardening needs.