Hydroponics has been practiced for centuries. It is believed that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was a hydroponics system. It was developed in its modern form during World War II. US Air Force personnel have used hydroponics to grow crops on military bases in the Middle East and the Pacific.
With the advent of new plastics and growing media, hydroponics has become a practical proposition for hobbyists. It is already widely used in commercial greenhouses.
The advantage of hydroponics is that it allows the grower to control with great precision the nutrients the plant is fed. Nothing is wasted and plants get exactly the nutrients they need at every stage of their life cycle.
There are a number of methods that are suitable for amateurs and can be placed in a home greenhouse. Perhaps the most popular method is the dip and drain method, but the nutrient thin film method is growing in popularity. Both are perfectly suited for the greenhouse.
An alternative method is deep water hydroponics. It is less adapted to global warming. But it may have applications when used with fish preservation. Waste excreted by fish serves as a source of nutrients for plants. This type of hydroponics or aquaculture is probably a little too specialized for most hobbyists, but it's worth keeping in mind.
For most greenhouses, a flood and drain system or the thin film feed method will work well and are not difficult to construct. The supplies needed are available from specialty retailers, most of which have websites. They will be happy to advise beginners on the best equipment for the greenhouse.
Most of the supplies you will need can be obtained from your local hardware store. Square section gutters, PVC pipes and water tanks are easy to find. A hobbyist can make a lot of money with a typical greenhouse hydroponics system.
The feed and drain system involves immersing water in a plant tray and then letting it drain out. It's simple like that. The greenhouse must be equipped with a water tank, pipes to transport it and a pump to circulate the water in the system.
You need a bowl or other container with an outlet for the water. The container should be filled with a growing medium such as perlite, coir, rockwool, or clay gravel. Rockwool is commonly used in commercial greenhouses.
Thin nutrient film works well in a greenhouse. It just requires a waterproof surface. Even a sheet of glass will do. The continuous flow of water is carried out on the roots.
Special drinkers are available. They are designed for general use, for specific crops or for specific growth stages. It must be added to the tank in the amount specified by the manufacturer. All the plants in your greenhouse can be fed from a common source thanks to a system of tubes leading to and from the tank.
A simple hydroponic system might consist of a series of rainwater gutters running down each side of a rectangular greenhouse with a reservoir at one end. To optimize the space of your greenhouse, you can arrange the gutters in tiers. A large greenhouse can have gutters arranged across the width of the greenhouse.
A more sophisticated system in a large greenhouse may put the gutters on rollers so they can be moved. An efficient system of sowing at one end and harvesting at the other can be achieved with this system.
In a circular greenhouse, a tray system may be more efficient. If everything went down to a central tank, the need for piping would be reduced. The tank can be covered with a terrace so that you can stand on it to tend the plants.
Hydroponic systems work best if the water is heated to around 55 degrees. This temperature is reached in most greenhouses during the summer. But in winter, you may need to heat the tank when you heat the rest of the greenhouse.
Hydroponic systems can be used outdoors, but they come into their own in a greenhouse. The advantage of greenhouse hydroponics is that it allows you to exercise complete control over your greenhouse. Not only are the temperature, watering and atmosphere of the greenhouse at your fingertips, but also the level exact of nutrients plants are fed.
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