All about hydroponic gardening and indoor gardening

Hydroponic gardening, (from the Greek words hydro, water and ponos, labor) is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, mineral wool, or coconut husk.

In the 19th century, researchers discovered that plants absorb essential mineral nutrients as inorganic ions in water. In natural conditions, soil acts as a mineral nutrient reservoir but the soil itself is not essential to plant growth. When the mineral nutrients in the soil dissolve in water, plant roots are able to absorb them. When the required mineral nutrients are introduced into a plant's water supply artificially, soil is no longer required for the plant to thrive. Almost any terrestrial plant will grow with hydroponics. Hydroponic gardening is also a standard technique in biology research and teaching.

Hydroponic gardening is often defined as "the cultivation of plants in water." Research has since determined that many different aggregates or media will support plant growth; therefore, the definition of hydroponic gardening has been broadened to read "the cultivation of plants without soil." Growers all over the world are using hydroponic gardening techniques due to the lack of a large water supply or fertile farmland. Home gardeners have used hydroponic gardening on a smaller scale to grow fresh vegetables year round and to grow plants in smaller spaces, such as an apartment or balcony.

Greenhouses and nurseries grow their plants in a soilless, peat or bark-based growing mix. The nutrients are then applied to the growing mix through the water supply. Therefore, this is also a type of hydroponic gardening. Soilless gardening offers many advantages to the home gardener. Since a sterile medium is used for hydroponic gardening, there are no weeds to remove, and soil-borne pests and diseases are minimized, if not eliminated completely.

Properly grown hydroponic plants also are healthier and more vigorous because all of the necessary growth elements are readily available. The plants can mature faster, yielding an earlier harvest of vegetable and flower crops. Hydroponic gardening uses less space since the roots do not have to spread out in search of food and water. This small space requirement makes hydroponic gardening ideal for home gardeners, and it makes better use of greenhouse space.

The big advantage to hydroponic gardening is the ability to automate the entire system with a timer. Automation reduces the actual time it takes to maintain plant growth requirements. Automation also provides flexibility to the gardener as one can be gone for long periods of time without having to worry about watering the plants.

Hydroponic gardening offers many advantages for commercial agriculture. Cultivating plants without soil eliminates the need for vast farmland and allows crops to be produced in greenhouses or even in the desert sands. Hydroponic gardening techniques also allow for precise water and nutrient application directly to the roots of each plant. Water is reused in these systems and less is lost through evaporation and run-off. Therefore, arid lands, such as deserts, can be transformed into productive lands using limited amounts of water.

Growing plants with hydroponic gardening is not difficult if one understands the basic principles. As long as plant growth requirements are met, there are numerous hydroponic systems that can be used-Hydroponic Gardening

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Landscape Gardening for Small Spaces

Regardless of how large of small your garden space is you can create a space that you will greatly enjoy. It may be a roof space, a small courtyard, a front or backyard but with some landscape gardening help, you can make it an absolute beauty. If your space is particularly small, the challenge will be figuring out what you can leave out because most times, people want to cram a whole lot of stuff in the garden. Because it is a small garden you will need to plan it very carefully to get the results you have been dreaming of.

The landscape gardening for small spaces should be very carefully thought out. It is important that you not rush the process. Begin by imagining how your garden will look in the different seasons of the year. In addition observe carefully how the sun shines on your garden at different times of the day. The plants you select and their seating will be greatly affected by this. In addition look at the features that you already have and figure out what you want to keep and what you can do without.

If the garden space you are working with is long and narrow like a corridor and if it also is your way to the front door you need to make it both practical and visually attractive. Landscape gardening for such a space calls for plants are slow in growth so that you don't have to worry about cutting and trimming all the time. It is also a good idea to work with plants that give off a fragrance. You would also do well to add a path preferably a gravel one. With that, you don't have to trudge mud into the house and you will always know when someone is coming to the door because you can hear the stones crunching.

If all you have to work with is a balcony then have no fear. You can use potted plants to turn it into a haven you will enjoy. Make sure to leave a space for a small table with chairs or even a sun lounger so you can catch some rays. Regardless of whether you are working with a small or large yard, it is a good idea to have grass. Many people fear having a lawn because they consider it high maintenance. However, there are things you can do to curb the growth of the grass. In addition with a good mower you can get a small lawn done in no time at all.

Landscape gardening is not complete without some great outdoor furniture. It is important that you find furniture that will look good in your garden and that will fit the space perfectly. It should especially look good when no one is using it, but should also be comfortable for those times when you need to relax or entertain outdoors. Accessorize your outdoor furniture with colorful pieces that will look fantastic in the natural light of the sun. Adelyn Taylor @ Fast Landscape Gardening.

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Onion Growing Tips For Home Gardeners

Onions are a great addition to the home garden. They're not hard to grow, and these onion growing tips will help you harvest a successful crop. Onions like well-worked and well-drained soil, with plenty of compost dug in. Make sure there is plenty of sun, too. Keep the weeds down, and bigger bulbs will grow.

First, decide what sort of onions to grow. There are many more varieties than the round yellow, red and white onions that are common in grocery stores. There are round flat onions that look like donuts (Borrettana Cipollini is one variety). Torpedo onions, mostly red with an elongated shape, are known to be exceptionally sweet.

One very unusual kind of onions are Egyptian onions, also called "walking onions". They are very hardy perennials -- they come up year after year after they get established. They form several small bulbs underground, and clusters of very small reddish bulblets at the top of each stalk. Both bulbs and bulblets can be eaten. But if the bulblets are left unharvested, the onion stalks will bend down to the ground and take root on their own.

Two other factors in choosing what variety of onions to grow are location and planting time. Onions come in long-day, short-day, and day-neutral varieties. Short-day onions need to be planted in the fall before; long-day onions can be planted early in the spring. The local nursery will have the right kind of onions for your location.

Seeds or sets? Onions come in "sets" -- small bulbs -- that are easier to grow for beginners. But seeds give a bigger crop for a smaller investment. Onions grown from sets tend to bolt easier than those grown from seed. Seeds can be started indoors and transplanted, or sown directly in the ground.

Either way, apply a complete fertilizer about 1 or 2 inches below the transplant or seeds. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep, 2-4 seeds per inch, in rows 12 to 24 inches apart. Plant in a warm location and keep moist.

When transplanting onion seedlings, give the roots and tops a little haircut, to encourage new growth, then plant in a shallow trench 4 to 5 inches apart.

Because of their pungency, onions repel most garden pests, and are helpful in protecting other garden plants, too. Onions are good companions for beets, strawberries, tomatoes, and lettuce. But don't grow onions near beans or peas -- onions can seriously stunt their growth.

When most of the onion stalks are starting to get yellow and fall over, dig the bulbs and lay them on the ground to cure and dry for a few days before storing  - Gerald Tommey

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Believe !! It is possible to Grow Tomatoes During the Winter Season

Most people would never think about growing tomatoes in the winter. They think that tomato season is solely a summertime or even fall time activity. Fortunately, tomato lovers do not have to keep their gardening to the spring and summer months. They can also grow tomatoes in the winter.

About Winter Tomato Plan Growing

You can grow tomatoes indoors during the winter. While you may need to pay more attention to them than you would with summer ones, you'll be appreciative of your fresh tomato harvest during the cold months. Some of the extra care factors you'll need to keep in mind are:

    Temperature
    Watering
    Light

Tomato seeds take about 10 weeks to germinate. To have tomatoes during January and February, it's best to plant them by the end of October. Since you'll be planting indoors, you don't have to worry much about frost.

Steps to Growing Tomato Plants Indoors

    Step #1: You will need peat moss, vermiculite and coarse sand to plant your seeds. Mix these ingredients and place them into a large plant pot. About five gallons works well for tomato container planting.

    Step #2: It's important to fertilize your soil. You will need equal parts of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. You don't need a lot of it. Just sprinkle a couple of tablespoons in your pot.

    Step #3: Take one seed and place it in the middle of your pot. Push it down about an inch and cover it with just a little bit of soil. It only needs about a quarter of an inch of soil on top.

    Step #4: You will need to pour enough water into the pot until it runs from the bottom.

    Step #5: Place a cage in your pot. Make sure it is centered.

    Step #6: Place the pot in front of a window. South facing works best because it will receive the most sunshine during the day.

    Step #7: Water your plant enough, so the soil doesn't get dry. Don't over water though because that will cause harm too. Once the seeds germinate, you can water the plant once a week.

    Step #8: When the plant starts to grow high enough, tie the branches to the cage with a piece of cheesecloth or other soft string. This will keep it from breaking.

    Step #9: Once the tomato plant starts to produce fruit, make sure to fertilize with a water soluble fertilizer every two weeks. This will keep your plant producing fruit.

If you've never grown tomato plants in the winter, give it a try this year. You may surprise yourself. Before you know it, you'll have fresh, flavorful tomatoes for all of your winter dishes - Noelle Renee Allen 

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Simple ways to grow a herb garden

Let us not forget, however, that herbs are enormously healthy, and can bring even the blandest of ingredients to life. Once you have experienced home cooking with fresh herbs that you have just snipped from a ripe branch in your kitchen garden, you will never regard the dried, commercial variety in quite the same way again. You will also be pleasantly surprised how economical fresh herbs and vegetables can be.

Apart from the undeniable satisfaction of growing one's own produce, home herb and vegetable gardening allows you to ensure your cultivation methods are as organic as they can be, which, in turn means that you can dine in the knowledge that all your produce is free from chemicals, and is as healthy as it possibly can be for you and your family.

Assuming that you already have some garden area you can use for herbs, or you can even use containers successfully, there are only fours ingredients you need to cook up a thriving herb garden of your own. Those ingredients are:

(1) A high-quality soil, rich in humus
(2) Sunlight
(3) Regular watering
(4) A little of your time

Now, if you find that your existing soil is unsuitable, you can easily remedy the situation by planting in raised beds, or even more easily, in containers. It depends on how much space you have and how ambitious a herb gardener you wish to become. Simply fill your raised beds or containers with good, organic compost and you are ready to begin planting.

If, on the other hand, you are reclaiming an un-cared for or overgrown garden, try tackling smaller areas at a time. Conquer one area, and once your herbs and vegetables are thriving, move on to another area, and reclaim your land in stages, rather than trying to take on the entire task all at once.

The secret is to start small, no matter how you intend to plant your herb garden. Don't be too over-ambitious, especially if you are a beginner, because you will run the risk of making too many mistakes, and ending up with little to show for it.

First, select herbs that you already know will thrive in your environment. You would be better off choosing the more hardy herbs to start with anyway. Consult a gardening book,visit this site or visit your local garden center to ascertain which herbs are best for your climate and garden's conditions. Remember to check whether your garden catches a lot of sunlight or whether it is shaded, because this will affect how your plants grow if they are not suited to their growing spots.

Keep it simple at first, and then build up your garden as you gain more and more experience, and in no time you will be enjoying the wonderful flavors and health benefits herbs can afford you and your family for years to come-TPG

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Five Simple Organic Gardening Tips

Learning the essentials behind organic gardening can help you reach the right path to making your very own "Garden of Eden". The key to a success is patience and the willingness to get "muddy" along with these five simple tips.

1. Create a Plan

Creating a plan is very important if you want to have a successful organic garden. It is not something that you think about every now and then but it is a specific plan of action that leads to a specific end result. If ever you decide to grow your own garden and you want to do it in organic matter, there are several things that need to be taken into consideration like the environment where the plants will grow, location, the time or duration that it will take to take care for your garden, the effort, and other resources that may or may not be reachable in order to attain your gardening goals.

When you finally have a written outline of what you need to do and the things that you need to accomplish to reach your gardening goals, it's time to implement the plan into action. An action is everything once you have defined goals. If you have set your goals but you ignore the important factors like compost, good seed, soil, or even the source of water for your plants, then you will likely fail in achieving your gardening goals since any compromise will result in overall failure.

2. Soil Preparation

Soil preparation is basically the foundation of the growth of any and all plants that you will grow. The plants get their nutrients from the soil and consider the soil's consistency in regard to the amount of compost and nutrients. Adding natural compost to enhance the nutrients that the seeds will get is also needed. Prepare this beforehand especially if you are preparing the soil and you're all set to start planting your seeds.

3. Compost

With regard to fertilizer some of the best fertilizers that you could get can come from the compost pile if you are doing this in organic matter. It could also be from the worm bin that you have made through vermicomposting. You would have to prepare this several weeks ahead so it would be ready to use when you plant your seeds.

4. Consistency of Water

The consistency of water is also important if you want to grow an organic garden. Ensure that your garden gets enough water regularly. Your garden should have an easy access to water through a hose system, irrigation system, or a sprinkler system. Always bear in mind that tendered seedlings would have to be hand-watered.

5. Gardener's Journal

Keep a gardener's journal. Take notes. Put the date you started your garden and planted the seeds, take not of the pests, and the plant diseases that you see. Keeping a journal allows you to successfully garden more the next year-Marcus Jeffers

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Home Gardening Questions for Beginners

How do I choose a garden site with the most available sun? 

 As a County Agent I was called out to a location where the gardener was having a problem with her tomatoes not producing fruit. When talking to her on the phone she told me the tomato plants were in full sun. When I arrive at the location, to my surprise the tomato plants were surrounded by tall trees. The scrawny tomato plants were in full sun, but unfortunately only for about 15 minutes a day. When vegetable seed packets indicate likes full sun (tomatoes, peppers, peas, beets, cucumbers, and pumpkins) it means the sun hits the plants for at least 6 hours each day. I would recommend at least 8 hours to be producing the most vegetables. Morning sun is the best time because it dries the plants off earlier in the day to help prevent disease problems. If you do not have full sun make sure you choose vegetables that do not require full sun (broccoli, lettuce, spinach, or Swiss chard).

What size should my garden be? 

My second year garden was not as successful as my first and that is because the garden got too large. You will be more successful if you start out with a smaller size, I recommend 4 by 4 feet. Yes -- 4 by 4 feet. When a small garden is properly managed you can produce more food than if you tackle a large garden and here is why. You can get more production out of a small garden by intercropping which is planning vegetables that mature early in with later maturing vegetables. An example would be radishes planted between the tomatoes plants. The radishes are finished before the tomatoes grow together. No rows also will help cut down on wasted space. The old method of planting in rows allows a place for weeds to grow. My second garden was 100 x 100 feet and by the end of the growing season it served as a hide-and-go-seek spot as a result of the 5 foot tall pig weeds that had over taken my garden. By planting vegetables close together to crowd out weeds you can produce plenty of wholesome vegetables for your family in a small space.

How do I choose the best garden soil? 

The biggest reason for my success as a beginning gardener was soil! The former chicken yard that I started with was full of well decomposed chicken manure. The soil had the perfect balance of soil pH (soil acidity), the nutrients N, P, and K (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), micro nutriments, and organic matter. If you do not have access to an old chicken yard, go to your local garden store and purchase bags of soil. You might not want to spend the money on bags of dirt! But believe me this is the best insurance policy you have to being successful as a beginning gardener. I have taken college classes on soils and there is more that goes into the bag than dirt. The properly prepared bagged soil will be tested with less weed seeds to contend with later in the growing season. Don't be cheat yourself; buy the bagged soil.

How do I choose the best garden location? 

My first garden was in the back yard where I played every day. The site or location was critical for the success of my first garden. Make certain the garden is close to a door that you use a lot. I moved to a new house and consistently lost the plants in the front pots due to lack of water. After several years of failure I moved the pots to the end of the garage where I would walk by every day. Moving the pots 25 feet made the care for the plant successful. Some of you may be involved with community gardens. This takes extra effort to go to another location to care for your garden. It works well when you set a regularly scheduled time on the calendar so the weeds do not get ahead of the vegetables if you can't garden outside your door.

If you want to get started with a successful garden this year you will need to find a location with at least 6 hours of sun to give you the opportunity to raise sun loving vegetables. Remember to start with a small garden. A 4 by 4 foot gardens can provide lots of vegetables for the family if you use intercropping and no row planting methods. For the beginners, it is my recommendation that you purchase bagged soil at your garden center. The soil is well balanced, with the correct nutrients and adequate organic matter plus the weed problem will be decreased. Having your garden in a location that you will walk by on a regular basis will result in greater gardening success-Richard E Godke

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Grow a garden in your apartment

We practically live in a box called apartment, such is the constraint of space in most big cities of the world. One look around and all you'll see are lofty cemented towers or dusty construction sites. Amidst the dust, grime and lifeless surroundings, it's good to crop up something 'green'.

Not many have the luxury of a lawn facing cottage or a bungalow with a private garden at the back. However, that should not be a reason to avert the idea of growing some greens in your humble little apartment. Surf through your home carefully - the window next to your kitchen sink, the balcony, the corners of your living room, and the terrace (if you have one), all of these serve to be ideal places for your urban garden.

For Mumbai based multi-disciplinary design consultant, Shweta Kaushik, cacti and succulents make for ideal house plants. "If you are looking for hassle free no nonsense green within your household, cacti and succulents are your best option. They do not need to be watered that often as their natural tendency is to survive in harsh conditions. You can leave them out on your balcony or a window sill and pretty much forget about them until you remember you were trying to cultivate a green thumb. I have personally grown some Aloe Vera, and
For Mumbai based multi-disciplinary design consultant, Shweta Kaushik, cacti and succulents make for ideal house plants. "If you are looking for hassle free no nonsense green within your household, cacti and succulents are your best option. They do not need to be watered that often as their natural tendency is to survive in harsh conditions. You can leave them out on your balcony or a window sill and pretty much forget about them until you remember you were trying to cultivate a green thumb. I have personally grown some Aloe Vera, and if you have the right conditions, it even blooms!" she says.

Another kind of container plant that features in her list of apartment greens is tropical palms. She says, "They are very easy to maintain and do not die on you unless you ignore them for too long. They come in a variety of sizes and will be easily available at your local nursery. They can grow up to 4 feet in height and look quite elegant when placed in the balcony."

Besides this, people with culinary inclinations can try growing herbs. "Herbs aren't difficult to maintain at all and the thought of plucking fresh leaves from your makeshift garden while cooking can be quite exciting," adds Shweta.

6 herbs you can grow in your apartment

Lemongrass: When you buy a stalk of lemongrass at your local market, pick a stem that has a firm base. Simply, trim the top of the herb and place it water. Don't submerge it; just ensure that the base is 2-3 inches deep in water. The stalk will start producing roots and news shoots in a few days.

Mint: Out of spearmint and peppermint, the latter is an easier option when it comes to growing herbs in an apartment because this herb has a tendency to grow like a weed. Spread the peppermint seeds in a small pot full of soil and keep it in the shade but near the sun.

Curry leaf: A flavoursome herb with beautiful aroma, curry leaves are found in most South Indian homes. Plant the sapling in a flower pot and support it with a stick as it will grow vertically and would need some support. Make sure it gets enough sunlight and water it at least once a day.

Parsley: Simply spread the seeds in a pot full of soil and wait for the seeds to germinate. Parsley grows very slowly and it may take 2-3 weeks for the herb to grow fully. Place it in an airy, shady corner.

Rosemary: Rosemary doesn't need to be watered frequently and therefore can be easily maintained in an apartment. Out of the many varieties of the herb, it's wise to pick the one that grows upright, making it easier for you to care for it in compact spaces-Times of India

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Gardening Hints for New Gardeners

Gardening is an activity that every person can do. Even if you are convinced that you have a "black thumb" you can learn how to grow a garden. Give yourself time and eventually you'll learn how to grow everything from flowers to food to trees! People fail at gardening because they assume that growing a garden is easy. While you should eventually find gardening quite simple, when you first start out there is quite a lot to learn. Planting and watering are only two parts of growing a successful garden. Here are a few tricks to that you can use to improve the quality of your first garden.

Decide which flowers and foods you want to grow before you begin the planting process. Do you love the idea of having your own rose garden? Have you been toying with the idea of growing your own herbs? Learn what you can about your plants before planting so that you can make sure to set up your garden correctly. Different plants require different types of care. You can easily avoid mistakes (like watering too often) if you learn everything you can about the plants you want to grow before you actually plants them. Other mistakes that can be avoided include putting the wrong nutrients into your soil Basically, making sure that you grow a great garden means that you have to do some research ahead of time.

Bell peppers make great additions to any garden. You can put these plants in direct sunlight (they love the sun) and they'll grow in both containers and the ground. You won't need to water them very often. Because these plants originated in arid places that did not get a lot of rainfall bell peppers actually seem to prefer dry soil. People who like to grown their own veggies and fruits love the bell peppers because there are so many different kinds to choose from. These are fruits that ripen quickly-usually between two and three months after they are planted-which is another reason they are so popular amongst beginning gardeners. These plants are incredibly low maintenance: make sure they get enough bright light, put some nutrients into their soil patches and water them once in a while and they will grow like gangbusters!

Composting is a great way to keep your garden healthy. Compost can be made at home without having to make any special purchases.

Beginning your own compost pile is easy. It can be made from fruit and vegetable scraps from your meals, coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells, old flowers that have died (the cuttings you've had in vases around your house are great for a compost pile), grass clippings, bedding from hamster, rabbits and guinea pig cages and even used paper! Just leave the meat out of it and your compost pile will be just fine. You have now grown your own fertilizer to use in your very own garden!

Gardening does not have to be difficult. If you have the right gardening hints handy you can grow a wonderful garden. Sometimes all you need is a little bit of time and knowledge to become a first rate gardener. It also can't hurt to practice. Just be vigilant and eventually you will grow a wonderful garden. Nobody was born knowing instinctively how to create a successful garden-even experts had to start somewhere. Not one single gardener grew a perfect plant the first time he or she tried gardening - Fascha Oleyenkorvaiz

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