Hydroponic: Difference between revisions

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Land degradation happens through both physical and chemical methods. Physical degradation relates to natural erosion and physical disturbance, as farming equipment may cause. Chemical degradation happens due to pollution and other types of contamination. Both kinds of degradation result in soil with fewer nutrients and less suited to growing healthy crops.

Hydroponic crops don’t contribute to soil degradation, so they can help slow land degradation. These crops aren’t affected by the results of this crisis either since they don’t rely on healthy topsoil for their nutrients.

=====Hydroponics at Home=====

[https://extension.unh.edu/resource/hydroponics-home by Jonathan Ebba 8/23]

Whatever type of system is used, water levels must be maintained and roots must not dry out. As plants take up water and release it through their leaves (transpiration), the water level in the system will drop and must be replenished. You will need to monitor the water level in your system regularly. When designing your system, think about whether roots might dry out with rising or falling water levels.

Although water in the system is absolutely critical, some people put more importance on water quality than is necessary. Use water that’s safe to drink for your hydroponics system. Water from a well or from a municipal supply is fine. A lot is made of water pH in hydroponics, and for commercial producers, correct pH is important to maximize uptake of micronutrients, but fine-tuning water pH can be difficult and expensive. For home hydroponics a water pH between 5.5 and 7.0 is fine.

As far as other elements dissolved in the water (minerals, “hardness”, chloride, etc.), a commercial producer will mix up exactly the nutrients needed for the crop so knowing the level of these nutrients already in the water will allow her to save money by including less of these. You are likely to use a pre-formulated fertilizer, however, so knowing the concentration of plant nutrients already in your water will be of little value.

Hydroponic: Difference between revisions

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@@ Line 484: / Line 484: @@
 Land degradation happens through both physical and chemical methods. Physical degradation relates to natural erosion and physical disturbance, as farming equipment may cause. Chemical degradation happens due to pollution and other types of contamination. Both kinds of degradation result in soil with fewer nutrients and less suited to growing healthy crops.
 Hydroponic crops don’t contribute to soil degradation, so they can help slow land degradation. These crops aren’t affected by the results of this crisis either since they don’t rely on healthy topsoil for their nutrients.
+=====Hydroponics at Home=====
+[https://extension.unh.edu/resource/hydroponics-home by Jonathan Ebba 8/23]
+ Whatever type of system is used, water levels must be maintained and roots must not dry out.  As plants take up water and release it through their leaves (transpiration), the water level in the system will drop and must be replenished.  You will need to monitor the water level in your system regularly.  When designing your system, think about whether roots might dry out with rising or falling water levels.
+Although water in the system is absolutely critical, some people put more importance on water quality than is necessary.  Use water that’s safe to drink for your hydroponics system.  Water from a well or from a municipal supply is fine.  A lot is made of water pH in hydroponics, and for commercial producers, correct pH is important to maximize uptake of micronutrients, but fine-tuning water pH can be difficult and expensive.  For home hydroponics a water pH between 5.5 and 7.0 is fine.
+As far as other elements dissolved in the water (minerals, “hardness”, chloride, etc.), a commercial producer will mix up exactly the nutrients needed for the crop so knowing the level of these nutrients already in the water will allow her to save money by including less of these.  You are likely to use a pre-formulated fertilizer, however, so knowing the concentration of plant nutrients already in your water will be of little value.