Organic Hydroponics

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by: RichardRobust
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Word Count: 405
Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 Time: 1:01 PM

Organic Hydroponics is a way to grow plants in an inert soilless medium and feeding them with a soluble organic nutrient solution. Organic fertilizers are defined as containing substances with carbon molecules and/or a natural unaltered substance such as ground up rocks. Dedicated growers who spend the time and trouble it takes to grow organic hydroponics will enjoy sweeter and more flavorful vegetables and fruits free of harmful chemicals.

An exact balance of organic nutrients can be achieved in organic hydroponics with constant experimentation and attention to detail. Even with ready-mixed commercial fertilizers, different feeding amounts and schedules will need to be tried in order to get the exact combination to grow top-quality organic produce. Taking accurate electrical current readings and mixing exact amounts of nutrients and fertilizers is very difficult in organic hydroponics compared to how easy it is to use chemical fertilizers and nutrients which are quite easy to measure out and give plants the right amounts they need during each stage of growth. The complex structure of organic nutrients make them difficult to measure the correct amount to give to plants.

Many organic hydroponics gardeners combine pre-mixed soluble organic fertilizers with other organic ingredients to make their own blend to find the perfect mixture for the plants they grow. Seaweed is a common ingredient in home-made organic hydroponics solutions. Too much fertilizer or nutrients can easily make soil toxic, and bind up nutrients making them unavailable to roots. Roots and leaves can burn if the condition gets severe enough. Look for discolored or misshaped leaves, burnt tips, and brittle leaves. In organic hydroponics systems, many gardeners flush with pure water the last 2-3 weeks of flowering to remove all of the fertilizers from the system and to remove the taste from the produce.

Organic hydroponics is complex and requires careful measuring and attention to detail. Therefore, it is not for everyone. Many organic hydroponics growers claim to be able to grow better quality and more flavorful produce than their counterparts using chemical fertilizers and nutrients. Organic hydroponics is also favored by many for health reasons – not consuming or using harmful chemicals is a definite plus for the health-conscious. If you decide to take up organic hydroponics gardening, be prepared to be more attentive to your plants, and monitor them more closely to get the most out of your garden.

About the Author

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil by using mineral and nutrient solutions in water. Plants may be grown with their roots in the Organic Hydroponics solution only or in a medium.

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