| Many people are choosing to garden indoors. Many | | | | the stage of growth a plant is at, as well as what |
| more people than ever before live in urban | | | | you are trying to get the plant to do. Growers who |
| environments, where arable land is at a premium, and | | | | want lush lettuce will want a nutrient that is high in |
| thus the need for compact indoor gardening systems. | | | | nitrogen, which plants use to produce foliage, |
| There are also places where the soil has been ruined | | | | whereas the vegetable gardener who wants quickly |
| for gardening through the use of toxic chemicals or | | | | maturing tomatoes or other fruits will want a nutrient |
| severe drought and soil depletion, and thus the only | | | | that is higher in its percentage of potassium for this |
| way to grow plants is via an indoor growing system. | | | | purpose. |
| Hydroponic systems are very popular because they | | | | Hydroponics also usually involves some type of |
| require no soil for plant growth, an important | | | | hydroponic trays. Hydroponic trays typically have |
| consideration if you live at the top of a skyscraper | | | | holes in them, so that the crown of the plant can sit |
| and would need to haul potting soil up to your | | | | in the tray above the water and the roots stick out |
| apartment. Hydroponic systems are also widely | | | | from the tray. A bottom solid tray may be used as a |
| adaptable for the way you wish to garden indoors, | | | | reservoir for holding the nutrient solution, which is a |
| because you can set up a small system that easily | | | | mix of water and fertilizer, and thus the plant's roots |
| fits in a corner of a room and range all the way up | | | | can dangle in the nutrient and take up what they |
| to large greenhouse hydroponic gardening operations. | | | | need. |
| In any event, there are some hydroponic supplies | | | | Hydroponic systems also require lights for plant |
| that you will need to set up basic hydroponic | | | | growth. The best lights mimic natural sunlight, and |
| systems indoors. | | | | additional supplies you might need include light ballasts |
| As you may have surmised from the use of the | | | | to regulate electrical current to the light fixture and |
| prefix "hydro" in hydroponics, this is a system of | | | | reflectors to increase the amount of light to the |
| gardening whereby the plant roots do not grow in | | | | plant. |
| soil, but can grow in water or another type of soilless | | | | The easy way to start is with hydroponic kits. |
| growing medium such as coir. Hydroponic systems will | | | | Hydroponic kits come with everything you need to |
| all need a water source, and the plants will need | | | | begin using the fun indoor gardening method of |
| hydroponic supplies including some type of food, | | | | hydroponics. You can find these and other gardening |
| which is called nutrient. Nutrient varies depending on | | | | supplies from hydroponic gardening merchants online. |