The Basics of Growing Hydroponic Greenhouse Vegetables

Hydroponics refers to a method of growing plants that uses an enriched water solution in place of soil. The word hydroponic actually has Greek roots and means working water, which describes it perfectly. Commonly grown hydroponic greenhouse vegetables include leafy greens, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries and raspberries. Many people think that hydroponics refers to simply growing plants in water. While this can be the case, often a growing medium which contains essential nutrients and elements is used. Sometimes the necessary nutrients for the plants are dissolved in water to create the ideal growing medium. Some of the benefits of using hydroponics to grow your fruits and vegetables include faster and more abundant growth and larger harvests.

Another benefit of growing your fruits and veggies hydroponically is space. Because the plants get what they need delivered directly through the water the roots are smaller. And because the roots are smaller, they require less space. That means you can place the plants closer together, making room in your greenhouse for more plants than you would have if you were using traditional soil growing methods. It is important to understand that while hydroponics essentially does mean grown in water, not all hydroponic growers use water. For example, some people grow tomatoes in a medium called rock wool. Rock wool is basalt rock which has been heated and spun like cotton candy. Other common materials for hydroponic growing include expanded clay, coir, perlite, sand, gravel and of course, water. The key to hydroponics is not necessarily water (although it commonly is) but to provide plants with a more efficient nutrient delivery system.

Hydroponics can get complicated and expensive, depending on what you're growing and in what quantity. For example, the pH of the growing medium must be strictly maintained which may require the use of pH monitoring equipment. If you are new to the world of growing hydroponic greenhouse vegetables, you should definitely do some reading on this subject. Home gardeners can check out titles like Hydroponics for the Home Gardener by Stewart Kenyon, Hydroponic Basics by George Van Patten and Hobby Hydroponics by Howard M. Resh, to name just a few. With today's technology and the many educational resources available, you shouldn't find it too difficult to set up your first hydroponic vegetable garden and begin enjoying the benefits of this growing method.

Copyright 2007 Jack G. Nelson - All Rights Reserved

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