I am definitely a novice at this gardening stuff but after success with my small little garden growing tomatoes, lettuce and a few other small herbs and veggies my interest has grown.That inspiration to do more with my gardening piqued when I visited Disney with my family a few weeks ago. My 7 year old daughter performed along with her dance academy at Disney and all the women in my family traveled to support her. In attendance was my grandmother who is almost 90 (pictured with my mother and children here) went on all the rides we could together but there were limits. My grandmother wanted to go on every ride that she possibly could so we made sure to do slow moving simple rides and I'm glad that we did. I would have never gone on the slower less action packed rides without her presence. During our Epcot day we went on a ride called Living with the Land and the name alone grabbed my attention but it's definitely one of those rides I wouldn't have gone on if it weren't for my grandmother and the unbearable heat. Never-the-less the ride had no wait and it was a sit down ride which accommodating wheelchair riders and it completely blew my novice gardening mind. I was blown away by all the usage of the space and the amount of vegetation they were able to grow in what seemed like a confined space. In addition to the space utilization, they also used sand instead of dirt and had rows of piping for their hydroponic vegetable garden which I've never heard of before. Again my mind was blown and I was immediately intrigued. Their vegetables were abundant, full and extremely vibrant which I only thought could be achieved through dirt and soil gardening. After doing a bit of research I decided to give it a go and purchased a small hydroponic system to use during the winter months here in the North East.
Hydroponic systems are great for indoor use and really maximizes small spaces. I purchased small florescent lights, a grow tent and pH controllers so monitor the system because one of the biggest drawbacks is root rot. I'm trying to avoid root rot and any pest that attack my harvest and naturally an optimal pH is what's best to assist with my overall goal. One thing that kept coming up during my search is that most people use this same method to grow indoor weed gardens so if you're into that and it's legal in your state it's a great little gem to get you started. Don't say I didn't look out for you.
Hydroponic systems also expedite growth so you're able to produce more plants at a faster rate. You're also able to control the nutrients of the plants being that it's all administer by you through the water. Since your plants aren't getting the nutrients from soil, then it's completely up to you how nourished your garden will be. Being that you're able to control the nutrients and there is no dirt the roots get more oxygen and the oxygen expedites the vegetation's growth and maturity. Your garden is also pesticide free which is healthier for you. Also there are no weeds to prune unless you're growing weed (HA) intentionally. If you've ever been on the fence about growing a garden to ensure what you're eating is healthy then there is no better time then the present to jump on it. Happy growing and I'll be posting my progress shortly.
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