WHY GO HYDROPONICS?

WHY GO HYDROPONICS?

Well.. you can grow pretty much anything you want all year round? 
That's enough to get my attention!

I started my first run with hydroponics for a little over $50.00. I already had some packs of basil and lettuce seeds that I had from my (failed) soil gardening. days.  I purchased a couple of inexpensive T12 (2 bulb) Shop light fixtures for about $12. A Pack of 2 5500K temp bulbs for $10.00.  used an old table for shelving,  I made a  PVC frame from 1/2" schedule 40 and some PVC elbows from Home Depot and hand crafted a meg shift reflective tent from a solar blanket.  I bought a quart of a one step liquid nutrient, some net pots, rockwool cubes and Dollar Tree food storage containers.

After doing my own experiments, I highly recommend that you use T8 Bulbs & Fixtures.  They extremely affordable and effeicient.  And I believe that T12 bulbs are being phased out.  Go with T 8 Bulbs!   4700K-6500K is ideal.  Phillips Alto series are full spectrum!

*Don't let the hydroponic stores bully you into buying ridiculously expensive lights to the tune of $400. That is total and complete baloney ..you can see what I did with a $30 light set up!
Not only is that ridiculous, but they are crazy hot and use a lot of electricity to boot!
 

Nutrients: I love Pro Pure Blend, and it's organic, and it's one step. But..it's kind of expensive.


 I also use - Use MasterBlend! But you do have add Calcium Nitrate & Espon Salts and mix with water. 

I researched and watched videos and landed on "The Kratky Method", which I now teach.

Be sure to check out my class schedule here and at the  Honeyville Class Schedule for all my FREE classes.

WOW HOW MOTIVATING IS THIS?  

*I harvested my first leafy salad greens in about 20 days-ish.

Take a look at my photos after about 30 days!

So..at the top of my list is ...

You don't have to spend crazy amounts of money to get started and succeed immediately!

· Hydroponics is much cleaner, as there is no soil involved.

· I use about 1/10 of the water in hydroponics that I would use in soil. 

· I have had terrible luck with soil, but incredible & immediate results with hydroponics.

· I have little to no pests with my indoor hydroponics. My outdoor soil was a constant battle with pests.

· I'm able to control the environment of my indoor hydroponics much easier, than outdoor soil garden.

The rewards of watching and seeing edible plants grow with an indoor hydroponics garden are off the chart.

Talk nice to your plants - tell them how delicous they look each day, and kindly invite them to lunch...whaaaaaa....

Here is an outstanding article on why go hydroponics:
http://www.epicgardening.com/hydroponics-vs-soil/