ethods
Many gardeners prefer hydroponics ,
HYDROPONICS
or growing plants in water , because plants can grow 30-50 percent faster with a larger yield at harvest . Hydroponic nutrients are chelated and easily absorbed by your plants , causing them to grow quickly . Some say this comes at the cost of flavor , while many others prefer cannabis grown hydroponically . As the grower , you have full control of the nutrients your plants take up . Your plants will be sensitive to what you put in your solution , including any mistakes you make . You need to be sure to check your solution ’ s pH , EC / PPM , and temperature regularly and adjust as needed . Although one of the benefits of growing this way is the ability to automate your system , you still need to check on your garden daily . Catching a problem early can be the difference between a successful crop and a dead one . The slightest bit of root rot can travel through the system quickly and destroy all your plants . Hydroponics is completely reliant on electricity . One power outage , or even just a pump dying on its own , can be detrimental to your garden . Many growers have flooded their rooms this way . An automated garden is a wonderful thing . As long as you monitor your garden daily and nothing goes wrong , you ’ ll enjoy not having to lug around a five-gallon bucket to feed by hand every few days . You ’ ll also save water with hydroponics . Recirculating systems can save up to 90 percent more water than a soil grow . Many consider this a checkmark in the eco-friendly column , however , the amount of electricity you ’ ll use probably evens things out when it comes to sustainability . Another drawback : electricity is expensive , and so is the hydroponic system itself . It may or may not make sense for you to spend that kind of money to set up and maintain your growroom . Growing organically is difficult to do in a hydroponic system . Although there are some organic fertilizers made specifically for hydro , most organic fertilizers are too thick . They clog the tubes , emitters , and air stones and can wreak havoc on your system . If growing organic is important to you , it ’ s best to stick with soil .
“ Many gardeners prefer hydroponics , or growing plants in water , because plants can grow 30-50 percent faster with a larger yield at harvest .”
AEROPONICS
Aeroponics is a type of hydroponics where , instead of growing in a medium or directly in water , roots hang free in the air and are misted or fogged with a nutrient solution . Aeroponics has many of the same advantages and disadvantages as other hydroponic systems . The main advantage of aeroponics is the massive growth rate and higher yields . Because plant roots are always exposed to oxygen , they absorb nutrients at a much higher rate , often yielding three times the harvest as other methods . These systems are also compact and mobile . Their design allows them to easily be stacked , or grown in a tower , taking further advantage of vertical space . Although these systems don ’ t require much labor ( for the most part ), the root chambers do require regular cleaning and disinfecting to prevent bacterial growth and fungal diseases from developing .
AQUAPONICS
Aquaponics is a hydroponic system with fish added to the equation . Fish are grown in a tank near your plants . Their waste fertilizes the water and is then circulated through the system to feed your garden . Instead of just growing your plants , you are now growing your own meat and creating your own natural fertilizer . You can ’ t get more organic and sustainable than that . Your main input into this garden will be fish food . There is a learning curve with these systems . It will take time for you to learn how to balance your ecosystem so that both your fish and plants thrive . Unfortunately , most growers need to make their fair share of expensive mistakes before they get the hang of aquaponics .
You have a lot of options when designing your growroom . Take these pros and cons into consideration so you can choose a system that best suits your needs . Happy growing !
48 Maximum Yield