Gardening

Growing Plants Without Soil Hydroponic Gardening

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Gardening without using soil is called hydroponic gardening. Most often water is utilized in hydroponics, consequently the name. No doubt you could find a more technical explanation of the process. But the ordinary gardener doesn’t really need more knowledge than that.

Maybe you’ve questioned how you can raise plants hydroponically with no soil. It is generally supposed that plants must have soil. It provides nutrition, physical support, energy and water. These are all necessary if you want the plant to thrive. However these elements are also available from other sources.

Water is an absolute necessity for any plant. However they don’t have to obtain it from soil. You’ll discover that many plants grow naturally in unwelcoming surroundings such as sand and gravel, or even floating on top of the water.

The energy given by the sun’s rays and its heat are likewise essential to a plant. But sun warmed earth isn’t the only source of energy. The sun’s rays have the same effect on a plant’s leaves no matter whether it’s in the ground or not. Photosynthesis, essential to a plant’s wellbeing, will occur just as long as the upper region of the plant gets enough sunlight. Some plants grow even with no light at all. However they still have need of energy to fuel their natural growth phases.

Lots of of the plants that appeal to the home gardener require some material support. Most frequently, this is achieved by planting them in the ground. That’s why the roots of a plant spread, and its stem is able to withstand strong winds. However there are other possibilities for supporting your plants. Try weaving string through a fence-like structure, or affix some craft sticks to the top of a pot. There are other ideas that can likewise do the job.

Nutrients are another of the vital components for a thriving plant. This includes nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and various trace elements. In a natural setting, the plant will absorb these nutrients from the earth surrounding it. However they can also acquire these necessary nutrients in other ways.

A universal way of doing this is to keep the plant’s roots covered in a water-based liquid nutrient solution. Some hydroponic systems feature a grow tent that can hold in wetness. A nutrient solution is misted onto the roots on a regular basis in order to keep them saturated. This method has similarities to aeroponics, another system of soil-less gardening.

Lovely and thriving plants can result from hydroponic gardening. There are various types of plants that can thrive above ground. Just make sure you take care of their requirements.

Epimedium with short flower spikes and large spider-type flowers

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This article in the Epimedium series catalogs Epimedium species by their plant form and flower types in order to help you select the best plants for your site. There are too many Epimediums to list in a single article so check out the others in the series to see other categories such as white Epimediums or large Epimediums. The next group are evergreen epimediums that have large flowers in pink to white, but are borne on short flower stalks. Epimedium brachyrrhizum, first described from China in 1997 is similar to another species, Epimedium leptorrhizum (Zone 5-8) that has been known since 1938. Both have spreading rhizomes with Epimedium brachyrrhizum possessing a thicker rhizome, spreading considerably slower. For us E. leptorrhizum never exceeds 6″ in height, while E. brachyrrhizum typically reaches 1′ tall. Both evergreen species are topped in early spring with very short flower spikes of 8-12 flowers ranging from pink to lavender, and occasionally white. E. brachyrrhizum (Zone 5-8) is represented in the trade by two hard to find cultivars Epimedium ‘Elfin Magic’, and soon, the white flowered PDN selection Epimedium ‘Little Angels’. The foliage of E. brachyrrhizum turns a nice shade of lavender in the winter. Epimedium ogisui(1993) (Zone 6-9) is a similar spreading evergreen species with near horizontal spikes of large white flowers. The Chinese Epimedium epsteinii (Zone 5b-8), also named in 1997, is a similar evergreen species with short, but spreading rhizomes and short flowers spikes, sporting up to 12 large bicolored inflorescences of purple cups and spurs, backed by a white outer sepal. Plants in this group make superb groundcovers, often with attractive red mottled foliage. Some of the most showy epimediums are those with large flowers on long spikes. The evergreen Epimedium acuminatum (Zone 5-8) from limestone cliffs in the Southern Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan leads this list along with its hybrid, Epimedium x omeiense (acuminatum x fangii). E. x omeiense is fairly new to cultivation, first flowering in cultivation in 1982 (W. Stearn 2002). In our studies, the primary easily visible difference is that Epimedium acuminatum has smaller, narrower leaves and is shorter in stature, 12″ tall for E. acuminatum, compared to 24″ tall for E. x omeiense. E. acuminatum flowers with 18″ long arching spikes, each adorned with up to 50 large flowers composed of long dark purple spurs, highlighted by pale lavender inner sepals. The flowers are so large, the spikes can become quite heavy, so much that their tips nearly touch the ground. For this reason, I recommend both E. acuminatum and E. x omeiense be planted atop a berm, so the flowers can be better enjoyed. Both E. acuminatum and E. x omeiense are prized for their long-pointed and wonderfully mahogany mottled leaves. Compared to the tight clumping species, this is a reasonably good spreading species. Heronswood’s E. acuminatum ‘Ruby Star’ (white sepals, lavender spurs, and a purple cup), and Darrell Probst’s E. acuminatum ‘Night Mistress’ (pink spurs, purple spurs, and a purple cup) are the two easiest to find clones on the market. Mikinori Ogisu=s wild collected clone of E. x omeiense released as Epimedium ‘Stormcloud’, Dan Hinkley’s ‘Myriad Years’ (white sepals, light lavender spurs and a purple cup), and the Japanese ‘Akane’ Epimedium are the easiest to find in the market.

Hydroponics Worldwide A Look At Growing Systems Around The Globe

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The advent of hydroponic gardening has redefined the crop-growing industry worldwide. Western nations such as Canada and the United States, along with eastern countries such as Japan are currently at the forefront of the blooming hydroponics industry, maintaining a steady output of large yields and clean, healthy produce. East and west, the hydroponics industry is steadily growing around the globe. Commercial hydroponics is appealing because of its effectiveness and sustainability.

Leading nations are not the only ones profiting from hydroponics gardening technology – developing countries are also beginning to utilize hydroponics gardening systems because of their efficiency and the agricultural benefits of hydroponic growing.

Commercial hydroponics has grown exponentially throughout the world over the last decade. Small- and large-scale hydroponic farms can be found in countries such as Spain, New Zealand, Mexico and Australia. Nicaragua produces over 125 million pounds of hydroponically grown peppers annually. Thanks to the sustainability and efficiency of hydroponics gardening, countries like Nicaragua can perpetually produce crops while bringing in substantial revenue.

Countries such as Israel can benefit from hydroponics gardening systems because hydroponics prevents water from being wasted in the soil. Hydroponic systems both save and recycle water and nutrient solutions.

While hydroponics growing has an increasing commercial appeal, more individual households are also taking advantage of hydroponic systems. Design and construction of hydroponics systems also make hydroponic gardening appealing due to their portability.

Thanks to hydroponic growing, healthy and high-yielding crops are being grown in places such as Antarctica and the International Space Station. The hydroponics garden in Antarctica is used to provide the staff of the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station with at least one fresh salad a day, and a variety of fruits and vegetables typically unavailable in the past.

Climate in indoor hydroponics systems is easily controllable, adding to the universal appeal of hydroponic gardening.

As the world population steadily grows (experts estimate the global population will reach 8.9 billion by 2050) hydroponics gardening systems may play an even more important role due to the sustainability and economic efficiency of hydroponics growing.

Benefits Of Aeroponics As An Indoor Gardening System

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Being from the similar background of soil-free rearing of plants, Aeroponics takes one step further by eliminating the need for any medium whatsoever. Aeroponics system often consists of plants supported on channels with their roots dangling midair for the whole time.

So, when in hydroponics, the nutrients are supplied to the plants thorough water acting as a reservoir, Aeroponics just takes out the middleman entirely. The nutrients are directly sprayed onto the roots of the growing plants dangling in form of an atomized mist sprayed with much high pressure.

So, here well discuss the benefits of employing the aeroponics system for gardening, by citing the some basic differences that separate the same from the conventional hydroponics.

Better Results

As the plant roots directly receive the nutrients in atomized form, the uptake for the same certainly is faster. Also, since every spray of nutrients is separated with intermittent time gap, the oxygen intake of the plants is much more. This not only accelerates the growth of the plants, the roots even spread out seeking more air and speeding the vegetative growth altogether.

Aeroponics is the most advanced method of farming, which takes the whole accountability to every input idea to a entirely new level. As with the absence of any growth medium and thus resultant spatial availability issues , the plant are no more deprived from any amount of nutrients and oxygen.

Efficient Resource Management

Three crucial factors are to be considered here. Water, nutrients and air, these are the factors which were primarily targeted in the first place with the advent of aeroponics.
No system of any kind in modern farming provides such efficient use of water. As the nutrients solution is directly sprayed on to the roots, the water requirement is much less. This is in lieu of fact that water is no longer acting as the medium, but instead as to transmit the nutrients to the roots directly. Thus the total water requirement can be maintained up to 1/20th of the amount that is used in conventional methods.

With no medium to dilute the possibility of uptake by roots, the nutrients requirement in an aeroponics system can be tuned much more closely. As the maximum amount of nutrient supplies taken by roots, the total nutrients input in the system decreases even further. Nutrients are can be now supplied evenly throughout the crop, thus eliminating the randomized effect that a growth medium has in this respect.

In hydroponics or any other method, the supply of air is managed thought the medium itself, which in turn leads to uneven distribution. So, now we have dangling roots in constant supply of air i.e. oxygen and CO2, making the equipments such as aerators more or less redundant.

Economical
Aeroponics systems are generally built with few commonly found or even recycled materials. A readymade setup is also available if one is looking for an aesthetically pleasant structure. Tubes, buckets are often used in a modular structure to build an efficient system.
Money is also saved in maintenance of the system with a nutrients solution of 700-900 ppm is found to be quite adequate for a typical scenario. A simple water pump giving out 60 psi worth of pressure can be used to provide the required atomized mist.

Disease-Free Conditions
With a constant supply of fresh air and absence of a medium which may act as a shelter, pathogens are less of a problem in any aeroponics system. Not only the excess oxygen keeps the anaerobic bacteria at bay, removal of affected plant part is much easier.

Mobility
An aeroponics system offers a certain ease when it comes to moving the entire crop from one place to another.

Changes in the Regimen
Any kind of change in the nutrient input is much economical if not easier, as the plants do not need to be flushed altogether. This gives a grower certain freedom so as to manage the crop more efficiently.

The benefits which are listed above presents a better scenario for any grower in order to procure the maximum yield with best of the quality.

Want to know more on Aeroponics System or need some expert tips just log on to http://www.advancednutrients.com/hydroponics/articles/hydroponics-gardening/aeroponics-and-NASA.php

Hunter Valley Gardening – Roses

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Winter is over and Spring is in the air. The sights, scents and sounds are all around with the garden coming back to life. Trees are coming into leaf, the blossoms are out and the roses are budding up ready to commence their 9-month flowering spree.
The rose is one of the most widely grown of all plants and dates back to ancient times, there are even fossil evidence discovered in Colorado dating back 35 million years.
The domestic rose most likely originated in Asia around 5 thousand years ago and has made its mark throughout history as symbols of love, beauty, war and politics. In ancient Egypt the rose was considered the most sacred of all flowers and was used as offerings to Gods as well as being used as wreaths in tombs. In 1492 a crew member on Columbuss ship picked a rose branch out of the ocean which was a sign of the presence of land and the next day Columbus discovered America, while in England in during the 15th century the rose was used as a symbol for factional fighting. Known as the War of the Roses- the white rose symbolised York and the red rose symbolised Lancaster. In the 17th century roses were in such demand that royalty considered roses and rose water as legal tender and Shakespeare refers to roses over 50 times in his works.
In modern times the rose continues to make its mark with the Netherlands being the world leader in the export of roses with over 19,000 acres under rose cultivation while Zambia being a small nation has 80 per cent of its cultivated land dedicated to the production of roses. The rose is also the national floral emblem of the US and was signed in by law in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan.

So what does all this mean? Not much really except that the rose has stood the test of time, not only due to its beauty and elegance but also because it is one of the toughest plants around. Full sun, a little fertiliser and some water and the modern rose will reward the even the most novice of gardeners. The biggest problem people face these days is which rose to grow. Roses come in all shapes, sizes and colours (except blue!) and the range can be a bit confusing – Bush, Climbers, Standards, Ramblers, Pillars, Hybrid Teas, Floribundas and landscape are few types but all will do well in our climate.
If you have never tried to grow roses before and not sure what to grow, here is a list of the top 10 we grow at Hunter Valley Gardens. All these varieties are tough, disease resistant and very free flowering and will reward with months of colour.

Apricot Nectar – A floribunda rose with large, very fragrant apricot blooms with pink tints. A compact bush with strong stems. An excellent cut flower.

Chameleon – A floribunda miniature rose with flowers that change colour as they mature on the plant. Starting at a mid yellow with the outer petals changing to pink while the centre changes to white.

Double Delight – A large flowering hybrid tea rose. A very fragrant rose with high centred double flowers. Creamy white with red streaks around the edges of the petals.

Fiona’s Wish – A vigorous hybrid tea. Large vivid pink petals flushed with a white underside. A full classic rose with fragrance. Bush. Excellent for cut flowers.

Iceberg – The best rose available. A white flowering cluster floribunda with slightly scented flowers. A very free flowering rose that will show colour all year round.

Just Joey – A large flowering hybrid tea. Full petalled flower in tones of fawn, copper and buff. Very fragrant in warmer climates with extremely large flowers that fold out.

Peace – A vigorous large flowered hybrid tea. Very large flowers are a bright yellow flushed with pinkish-red at the edges and are lightly scented.

Pierre De Ronsard – A pillar/climbing rose with very full double cupped blooms with a slight fragrance. Flowers are centred with mid pink and fade to white on the outer petals.

Seduction – An open flowered floribunda rose. Buds start at mid pink and fade to a white. Flowers open completely to expose stamens. A delicate, elegant flower.

Simply Magic – A spreading floribunda rose. Very heavy flowering variety with carmine-pink clusters of open petal flowers. A low and spreading variety with a very long flowering period.

For those who enjoy their roses or want to try something new, there are some exceptional new releases available for 2008 that are sure to inspire.

Tequila La Savillana A floribunda with bright yellow-orange flowers blending to pink. Loose medium flowers that offer a continuous display.

Blooming Miracle Highly perfumed repeat flowerer with apricot, cream blooms. Very hardy.

Fire & Ice A hybrid tea with a white petalled flower with cherry red tips. Excellent disease tolerance and dark glossy green foliage.

My Hero A Classic shiny pink flower that will not fade and is self-cleaning. Massive flowers borne above dark glossy foliage.

Love-In A psychedelic rose with swirling lemon, pink flower that ages to a rose colour. Voted the most disease resistant rose at the 2006 rose trials.

Make sure you visit your local garden centre to see all the latest releases and enjoy the spring weather and Happy Gardening.