Indoor gardens can utilise annual plants for colour and fragrance .
Shorter annuals and flowering houseplants can also be used in vertical systems to give a column of colour .
Many of these types of plants are easily grown from stem cuttings or purchased as young cell plants and will flower easily . Some , like chrysanthemums , may have day-length requirements for flowering so some research into each flowering species is always a good place to start . A popular flowering houseplant option includes bulbs , which are readily available to purchase during their dormant season and relatively inexpensive . Many bulbs require some form of dormancy , usually chilling as would be experienced outdoors , and this can be replicated in a refrigerator before being planted out into a hydroponic system . Once exposed to warmth and moisture , bulbs spring to life and most bloom relatively quickly within a few weeks . Popular bulbs for indoor displays include freesias , hyacinth , tulips , iris , daffodils , and crocus , while hydroponic beds of mixed bulb species can provide for many weeks of colour .
HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS
Flowering annuals and houseplants can be grown in a diverse range of hydroponic systems , from NFT , DFT , aeroponics , ebb and flow , and drip-irrigated substrates . Care needs to be taken with some moisture-sensitive species such as African violets and flowering succulents / cacti , which prefer a drier medium and are more suited to capillary or hand watering . Since most smaller annuals are only grown for a fairly limited period , the root systems can be contained in NFT or aeroponics . Annuals and flowering houseplants can also be grown in more traditional ceramic or terracotta pots within an indoor garden using soilless substrates such as coconut fibre or perlite , and can be drip-fed or handwatered hydroponic nutrients as required . Flowering annuals and houseplants perform extremely well under hydroponic nutrition and general-purpose nutrient formulations , and an EC of 1.4 – 1.6 is suitable for most species . Once in bloom these plants do benefit from using a ‘ bloom ’ formulation to provide additional potassium , as flowering annuals in particular produce a rapid profusion of blooms over a short time frame and can be relatively heavy feeders under good growing conditions .
“ Flowering annuals and houseplants perform extremely well under hydroponic nutrition and general-purpose nutrient formulations .”
PROPAGATION AND OBTAINING PLANTS
Flowering annuals can be easily and quickly raised by seed that usually germinates readily , while slower species can be purchased as young cell plants that are suitable to plant into substrate hydroponic systems for an even quicker display of flowers . Flowering houseplants can be propagated in several different ways depending on the species . Some , such as cyclamen , primula , certain begonia species , and dianthus can be raised from seed , while others are grown from cuttings ( clones ). Others , such as orchids , may require specialised propagation via tissue culture and other methods and are best purchased as young plants . Multiplying flowering houseplants is one area of potential profit for small-scale indoor and greenhouse growers as these plants are not only growing in popularity but also need a protected environment for propagation and early growth . Researching the different types of propagation is always advisable as there are a range of methods used for these species including stem , leaf , petiole or root cuttings , division and air layering , and a number of ways in which the changes of successes can be increased . Hydroponic environments that control temperature , humidity , and light are a great advantage , along with use of propagation products such as hormone gels and heated cloning units .
Flowering annuals are a great category of easy-to-grow plants for those new to hydroponics , who want a burst of colour for minimal effort , or for those who crave the flowers of spring during the depths of winter . Flowering houseplants , either long-term or as a short-term indoor display , are another option , with hydroponics providing advanced nutrition and growing conditions that often results in some truly magnificent blooms .
52 Maximum Yield