Advantages of Hydroponic Gardening

There are several advantages to indoor hydroponic gardening over conventional gardening. It is especially the case for the small scale gardener or hobbyist. For some these advantages may mean the difference between being able to garden and not being able to garden.

February in the garden

Hydroponic gardening indoors means the climate is much easier to control. Many live in a climate where it is difficult to impossible to grow at certain times of the year due to the excessive heat or the extreme cold. In some climates it takes constant care even after planting season finally starts to protect young seedlings from late frosts or pelting rains. Even high winds can be damaging at times to young plants. What is the weather like when you are starting your garden at the beginning of the year? For many it is necessary to get out there as soon as the soil is workable and temperatures are still very low. How about the temperature in the heat of summer? In many areas this is almost unbearable and plants must be covered so they don’t wilt. 

There are far fewer pests to control. All of God’s creatures love to eat tender plants as much as we do. Everything from little green caterpillars, aphids and leaf miners to rabbits, woodchucks and even deer enjoy a hearty salad it would seem. Of course there are ways to deal with each one. Various fences can be built. Bugs can be sprayed for, even organically but the need for this constant vigilance is far less with indoor hydroponic gardening.

Bok Choy and Violas in a Hydroponic Bin

Weeds are nonexistent. As most hydroponic systems are soil-less, there is just no place for weeds to grow. With indoor hydroponic gardening, it is much more difficult for unwanted seeds to reach an indoor site to germinate in say a perlite or coco coir grow medium. Plants are generally grown in individual containers or individual net pots in hydroponic bins, lengths of PVC pipe or plastic buckets.

Indoor gardening is far less strenuous. Outdoors there is digging to do, fences to build, maybe even raised beds to build and fill with dirt. This is all great if you are able and that is what you are looking for. If not indoor hydroponic gardening is a great option. 

Many people do the outdoor gardening during the times of the year when it is possible but keep an indoor hydroponic garden all year round. This gives them the best of both worlds. They will get the hard work, fresh air, and sunlight of an outdoor garden and the simplicity, ease of operation and convenience of indoor hydroponic gardening.

Enjoy a Nice Salad Any Time of Year

It is a great joy to be able to walk downstairs and pick a fresh organic salad in the middle of winter. Even tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers can be grown indoors although they take up a bit more space than greens like kale and arugula. 

Hydroponic gardening is also a great solution for those who just do not have the space in an urban environment or an apartment or condo situation. Plants can be grown in even a small 5 gallon tote with a fish tank air bubbler in a sunlit window or under an inexpensive grow light. Even a few compact fluorescent bulbs will work as lighting for many plants.

Get Growing Now

You might like to check out hydroponic gardening if you think you would enjoy weed free, virtually pest free, less labor intensive indoor gardening all year round. Maybe you are excited to start producing fantastic vegetables but fear that you do not have the expertise or the patience, then there is a solution that can make things very simple for you. You can skip the trial and error stage and start producing amazing crops immediately. Hydroponics101 has compiled a simple course that can make your learning curve much easier. Check it out by here and happy growing.