Indoor gardening is starting to become a trend these days, especially with a lot of people staying indoors. In urban areas where space is limited, where most people live in condominiums and in apartments where there are no lawns and gardens, indoor plants have become quite a beloved addition. Hydroponic indoor gardening system has particularly become a popular choice because of its simplicity and its easy maintenance compared to soil gardening.
If you find yourself thinking about setting up an indoor garden and considering a hydroponic system, you’ll be happy to know that there are so many choices available for you. All you have to do is to find the right one, considering the different factors to check which one is best for your home.
Before you select the right hydroponic system and set up your indoor garden, consider answering some important questions. These will help you determine how best to set up your garden at home.
How much space do you have?
Do you have sufficient room for indoor gardening? Or do you have only a small space in your kitchen, enough to grow some small herbs for your daily cooking?
Depending on the type of system that you will set up, whether a manual system with the individual parts connected together or a complete electronic system that runs automatically, you will need to allot some space for your garden.
There are electronic hydroponic gardens that occupy a minimal amount of space—you can place them on your kitchen counter and let the plants grow as they should. But if you have more space and you want a more conventional experience, you might want to go the other route. Which leads us to the next question.
What is your long-term plan for your hydroponic indoor garden?
Do you intend to just plant some herbs for your cooking, or maybe some flowers to brighten up the room? Or, do you have any plan of expanding your garden after a while so it can be a real source of food for you and your family?
The latter is possible, especially if you have enough space for more plants. If you have a rooftop or some extra space that can accommodate several meters of area for your hydroponic garden, you can increase the potential of the garden and your options.
How much time can you devote to caring for your hydroponic indoor garden system?
You might need to add a secondary question related to this—how much skill and knowledge do you have when it comes to indoor gardening, especially the hydroponic type? This is perhaps the biggest factor to consider when choosing between a manual or an automatic system.
The success of a hydroponic garden lies in achieving balance between the right amount of the elements needed for the plants to grow—water, nutrients, light, and temperature. When one of these elements is lacking, or is supplied in excessive amount, your system will fail.
If you feel you don’t have enough time and skill to maintain an indoor garden at its optimal level, getting an automated system will be your best bet.
What is your lighting source?
This will depend on the location of your hydroponic indoor gardening system. If you have space close to an open window where light can pass through, then you have a natural source and won’t need an extra lighting source. However, if the garden is placed indoor with no natural light source, you will need to invest on a lighting fixture for your plants.
Natural light is best, but if this is not available you have options between incandescent bulbs or LED and fluorescent light. The important thing to remember is to place the lighting source at the right distance from the plants. For instance, because incandescent bulbs are relatively hot, they must be at least 2 feet away from your plants. Meanwhile, because LED bulbs are relatively cooler, you must place them closer to the plants, about half a foot away. For fluorescent bulbs, which are between the two types mentioned, it is advised to place them 1 foot away from the plants.
Another option if you want to go the easier route without all the hassles is to get a complete hydroponic garden kit. It has all the elements needed for the plants to grow, including a built-in grow light that you can adjust in height relative to the growth stage and height of your plants. You will find several options for this in the market, among the most complete of which is the Lyko Indoor Herb Garden Kit, a smart system that can provide your plants with their needed light all year round.
What plants do you want to grow?
This is another matter of available space. Vines are not advised for planting in a hydroponic indoor garden because they will require much space. It’s the same way with plants that grow very tall, like corn.
The best plants you can start with are fruiting plants that you can prune, such as tomatoes and strawberries. Herbs like basil are also perfect, because you prune them as you harvest. Check the right plants according to your need, and make sure that they are compatible with a hydroponic system.
Armed with all these questions, it will be easier to determine which system is best for you and your home. Find the right kit, read on for more information, and get started. Happy gardening!