All You to Know about Growing Hydroponic Plants

To get fresh plants has been a trend, and growing own plants has become a habit for many urban living populations. But to get a garden in a downtown could be high demanding, and the alternatives for many are choosing hydroponic kit for home. So we want to clarify on this blog and let grow lovers understand the necessary growing steps for hydroponic plants.

Suitable Indoor Plants In Hydroponic Grow System

Firstly, we need to acknowledge what kind of plants are suitable to be put under hydroponic grow system, and we have added up detailed information on this blog. You could read it first: https://www.jnclighting.com/blog/suitable-indoor-plants-in-hydroponic-grow-system/

Storage Requirements for Seeds:

Low temperature dry and cool environment:

When placing seeds at home, you can store the seeds in the refrigerator, keep a dry environment at 4-5°C, keep the refrigerator clean and tidy, and wipe and disinfect with disinfectant alcohol if necessary.

Seed expiration date:

The basic storage time of ordinary crops is one year, and a few are as long as 2 to 3 years. When planting, pay attention to whether the seeds have expired.

Substrates and Nutrients:

Hydroponic substrate:

It is equipped with sponge, peat, coconut bran and other substances. The material is environmentally friendly. It has been sterilized by high temperature fumigation to ensure the safe growth of plants. The added fertilizer is enough to provide the nutrients needed for the growth of leafy vegetables and spice vegetables for up to 150 days

Nutrient solution:

choose a nutrient solution with a reasonable ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which is hygienic and convenient, and provides the nutrients needed for flowering and fruiting of flower and fruit plants in the later stage.

Use of substrates and nutrient solutions:

Fruit plants need a lot of nutrients when they set fruit, and the release rate of nutrients contained in the matrix itself is difficult to keep up with the speed of nutrients absorbed by plants. Therefore, after the plants are differentiated into buds, a certain concentration of nutrient solution can be added in proportion to supplement nutrition for the plants every 2 weeks.

How to raise seedlings:

Soak the growth base in water for 3 to 5 minutes

until the base is soaked and swelled

After the substrate is swollen, put it into the planting basket and product, poke the groove in the middle of the substrate with tweezers, and then plant the seeds, then lightly attach a small substrate to cover the soil, cover the seedling cover, and remove when the seedlings grow out.

There may be 2~3 seedlings growing in a hydroponic substrate. We compare these seedlings. When the plants grow 2~4 leaves, we need to clamp and discard these 3 types of seedlings: ① seedlings with yellow spots or incomplete deformation (looks abnormal state) ② seedlings with thin stems and ③ seedlings with high stems.

Summary: Be thick, short and healthy. The priority of three conditions: health > stem diameter > stem height

When the plant grows 2~4 leaves, add water to the hydroponic box

Attention:

1. Number of seeds to be sown:
   1. Fruit seeds: 2 capsules per hole
   2. Leafy vegetables, spice vegetables: 3 capsules per hole
2. Basil likes a warm environment, and the temperature should be kept above 16 ℃, otherwise it is easy to get frostbite.
3. The temperature of tomato flower bud differentiation period is not lower than 15 ℃.
4. Light management: It is recommended to set the light to be always on when sowing, which is beneficial for the plants that emerge first to receive light and prevent leggy growth.
5. Temperature management: The recommended day temperature is 20~25℃, and the night temperature is 18℃.
6. Moisture management: The water level of the 10-hole hydroponic box is kept at the second grid position of the water level meter, about 2000ml of water. The 4-hole hydroponic box should keep the MIN water level of about 800ml of water for seedlings, and can add water to the MAX water level of about 1500ml of water in the later stage of growth.
7. Humidity management: keep it between 50~60%.
8. The growing environment should avoid high temperature and high humidity without ventilation.

Instructions on How to Adjust Hydroponic LED Grow Lights:

After you purchase hydroponic LED grow lights from market, you better to watch this instruction first:

1. The height of the product can be adjusted: 40 cm, which is also the highest height of an adult plant when choosing a plant for planting.
2. Introduction of light: 4000K light is suitable for planting leafy and spice vegetables. 3500K light is suitable for growing fruit plants.
3. Lighting time introduction: Automatic time switch, Light on for 16 hours a day, off for 8 hours
4. Lighting location introduction: Seedling period and Early plant growth period: Adjust the light board to the lowest position.
5. The distance between the light board and the plant is 3~5cm, which is most conducive to the growth of the plant. The growth of the plant over 10cm slows down, and the leaves at the bottom of the plant below 3cm grow poorly.

And it’s also important to know the steps of cleaning up the products for second time usage:

1. After dismantling the product, put the light board part and the wire part aside, be careful not to get water on this part.
2. Remove plant debris and substrate from planting baskets and hydroponic boxes.
3. Wash the hydroponic box and planting basket until the section is clean and clear of plant debris, brushing if necessary.
4. After washing, dry the hydroponic box and planting basket, and place it in the sun to dry and disinfect.
5. The hydroponic box and planting basket are dried and assembled again, waiting for the next use.