Hydroponics

Hydroponic and Seed Starting Supplies

Indoor hydroponics are a great way to grow plants in Australia's climate, but it does require more of an investment than just digging holes in the dirt and hoping what you plant grows. You are growing plants in nutrient-infused water, so you need something to hold both the plants and the water as a minimum. That doesn't count all the other gardening supplies you need.

You cannot grow plants indoors without light. Normal household lighting just isn't enough to give plants the energy they need; it doesn't provide enough light across the full spectrum. Full spectrum grow light kits give your plants the energy they need to stimulate photosynthesis. You also need a timer; the Sun doesn't shine at night, and neither should your grow lights. if you don't want to stick to a schedule of manually turning them on and off, a timer is the answer.

All your plants have to grow somewhere, and in hydroponic gardening, that somewhere is a tray. You fill the tray with a suitable medium such as lava rock, and transfer your seedlings from your hydroponic seed starters. The medium supports your seedlings while still allowing the nutrient solutions to flow through the trays and feed the plants.

Hydro may mean water, but your hydroponic garden needs more than just water. You need a carefully balanced nutrient solution for healthy plants. Stored in a reservoir, that solution is suspended in aerated water and pumped past the roots. This means you need at least two pumps: one to aerate the water, and the second to pump it through the trays so they can feed.

Light, nutrient flow, temperature; there are a lot of factors you need to keep straight for successful hydroponic gardens. Hydroponic environmental controls take the hard work out of soilless gardening by maintaining everything from temperature to light levels. These systems make sure your garden can get the best yield possible.