Delving into the fascinating, innovative world of hydroponics can be an excellent way to increase yields and improve the quality of your home-grown crops. Not only are hydroponic gardens capable of producing year-round freshness, but they are also less susceptible to breakouts of diseases and pests compared to traditional soil-based growing methods. If you’re eager to start a hydroponic garden, here are some tips for improving your set-up and, therefore, the quality of your produce. 

Choose The Right System

Your first major decision regarding your hydroponic garden will be the type of system you choose. You can purchase small beginner kits ideal for your kitchen work surface or greenhouse; however, if you’re eager to set up a more extensive operation, a Deep Water Culture (DWC) is ideal. Once you’ve familiarised yourself with the basics of hydroponic growing, you may want to invest in more complex systems to increase your yields. For example, aeroponic systems are typically expensive and intricate, but they are highly efficient and promote maximum nutrient absorption. 

Increase Light Intensity

To perform photosynthesis, plants need three things: carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight. Adding grow lamps to your hydroponic set-up will help to stimulate photosynthesis, the process of transforming sunlight into glucose or sugar, crucial for healthy plant growth and maintenance. Grow lamps supplement natural sunlight by emitting the full spectrum of light plants need to photosynthesise. These beneficial lamps feature several varieties of bulbs, including light-emitting diodes (LED) and high-pressure sodium (HPS), sometimes referred to as HID (High-intensity discharge). 

Pest Control

Although hydroponic plants are less susceptible to pests and diseases than their soil-bound counterparts, pest-control measures are still vital for healthy plants and prolific growth. While you may be keen to avoid harsh chemical-based pesticides and fungicides, the good news is that plenty of natural, non-toxic solutions are available. For instance, you could spray your crops with a neem oil or Pyrethrin solution to eliminate whitefly or spider mites. Alternatively, you could introduce beneficial predators such as ladybirds or nematodes. 

Improve Climate Control

The way in which you control the climate of your hydroponic garden has a significant impact on your plants. Keeping temperatures optimal and consistent is the best way to guarantee healthy growth and exceptional crops. As such, it is worth investing in high-quality heating or cooling systems. Humidity is also a crucial factor for plant development – the optimal humidity range for vegetable crops is 40 to 70% RH (relative humidity). Using a humidity sensor, you can measure and control the humidity in your growing environment. You can then tweak your humidity levels accordingly, venting out hot and humid air and replacing it with fresh air using a ventilation system or increasing humidity using a humidifier. 

Upgrade Your Equipment

Hydroponic set-ups can be pricey, as can maintaining them, particularly if you’re a hobbyist grower. Furthermore, hydroponic growing can take a significant amount of trial and error. So as not to waste your time and money, it may be worth upgrading your equipment slowly by occasionally investing in high-quality accessories or experimenting with different growing media. For instance, a water pump from Charles Austen Pumps will enable optimal irrigation while regenerating the water, preventing it from becoming stagnant. 

Keep It Clean

A clean hydroponic set-up is a happy hydroponic set-up. Failure to clean and sterilise your system may lead to algae and fungi, leading to root rot and other detrimental conditions. Furthermore, dead and decaying plant matter acts as a food source and shelter for pests. Promptly removing it will help to keep plant-eating insects, such as fungus gnats, at bay. Once you’ve removed all decaying plant matter, wipe down your set-up using a sterilising solution and a microfibre cloth. You can read more about cleaning your hydroponic setup here. 

Flush Your System

Throughout the growing season, excess salts and other precipitates will build up in your hydroponic system, potentially leading to a nutrient imbalance and compromising the quality of your crops. To avoid this, it is advisable to flush your system weekly. Remove the nutrient solution from your reservoir and give everything a thorough clean using dish soap, then fill it with a food-grade hydrogen peroxide solution – around 2-3 teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of reservoir water. You can then run this solution through your system before refilling with fresh water and leaving it to circulate for 24 hours.