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In hydroponics, plants do not
grow in soil. Instead, the plants are grown in a
water-based medium or other growing mediums like
coir, rockwool, etc. Growing plants using
hydroponics is advantageous in urban areas, where
space is at a premium. It also benefits those
regions where the soil is not conducive to
gardening.
Role of Hydroponic Nutrients
All plants need the same
conditions to grow i.e. sufficient amount of light,
water, and materials to make their own food. For
plants growing in soil, food is obtained by uptake
in nutrients from the soil. Since soil is absent in
hydroponics, food needs to be provided to the plant
using a different route. This is where
hydroponic nutrients come in. These nutrients
are specially formulated to cater to your plants'
every need. An added bonus is that most nutrients
only need to be dissolved in water and then supplied
to the plants.
Choosing Hydroponic
Nutrients
Many companies manufacture
hydroponic nutrients. Some nutrients can be used for
overall plant growth while others focus on achieving
specific results like better flowers, fruits, etc.
You can choose to make your own nutrient solution
but it is unlikely to be as effective as
commercially available ones that are scientifically
prepared and undergo stringent tests. Here is a
guide to some of the hydroponic nutrients available.
B.C Grow is a range of products
manufactured by Technaflora Nutrients. The
B.C Grow hydroponic nutrient solution is derived
from many inorganic substances like potassium
nitrate, magnesium sulfate, boric acid, etc. that
are essential to healthy plant growth.
pHat Hydro provides quality
hydroponic nutrients for your plants. A specialty of
pHat products is they are available as two-part
solutions. The solutions are designed to be used at
specific growth stages of a plant life cycle to
maximize the effectiveness of the nutrients.
FoxFarm specializes in
hydroponic nutrients aimed at growth of fruits and
flowers in plants.
FoxFarm products are completely organic and
promote intense growth of the vegetative areas of
plants. Nitrogen is the primary nutrient provided by
these solutions, along with limited amounts of trace
minerals.
Grow Juice and Bloom Juice from
ESU Greenleaves are other nutrient solutions
aimed at growth of fruits and flowers. Grow Juice
promotes growth of leaves while Bloom Juice is
formulated to act during flowering and fruiting
stages. An added benefit of these nutrient solutions
is their color-based ability to test the pH of the
solution when mixed with water.
Canna's range of hydroponic
nutrients is designed specially for specific growing
mediums. While regular nutrients are also available,
Canna has a line of nutrients for different
substrates like grow rocks, rockwool, etc.
Enhance the efficacy of
hydroponic nutrients by providing growth supplements
at certain stages of plant growth.
General Hydro has growth supplements with
vitamins and hormones to give plants an extra boost
during crucial stages of growth. |
