The main plant to consider for your hydroponic garden is the microgreen. These plants are in the chlorella family, along with strawberries and alfalfa. They are easy to grow and can survive on a variety of soils and conditions. You can use microgreens as a replacement to annuals, perennials, or flowering plants that you already have in your garden. Although microgreens are considered vegetables, they do not have to be. Here are some growing tips to get you started growing microgreens.
For optimal growing conditions you will need two separate pots. One to support the micro green plant and one to provide your soil with moisture. Most seed packets come with detailed instructions for the correct amount of water and fertilizer to be used in order to plant the seeds properly. Do not forget to use soil conditioners when using these fertilizers.
Although it takes much less work to plant microgreens than it does to plant an annual, you will still have to provide your plants with adequate drainage and misting. If your soil has not been adequately moistened before planting, you will have to add water very slowly, over several weeks’ time, until the topsoil has established. This can be accomplished with automatic watering systems, or with manual watering methods as well. You should always check with the manufacturer to see the recommended drip pattern for each species.
Although you can plant microgreens without any additional containers, it is much easier to establish them when you use pots and later use automatic watering systems. You should leave enough space between the pots and trays for the roots to spread out. The trays need holes for air to enter, but no holes for the microgreens to enter. The microgreens will form a root system that is the foundation of your planting.
When choosing seeds for planting microgreens, remember that there are two different kinds. White and red varieties are available from many garden centers, and many online sources, although some of these may be contaminated with fungus spores. White microgreens tend to have a stronger flavor and are more fragrant, whereas red varieties are often considered milder and tend to be lower in fragrance. The instructions for planting microgreens also state that you will need at least six weeks’ worth of winter weather, preferably fifteen.
When choosing microgreens, you should consider planting time, because younger leaves will not be ready to take in as much moisture as the mature leaves on the plant. You will need to water these leaves only once or twice a day, while the mature leaves will need watering daily or more, depending on the species. For this reason, planting microgreens needs to be done during early fall, although some prefer to do it in summer or fall. Before planting, you should check local rainfall and temperature patterns.
Although they require less water, microgreens will need fertilizer after planting, depending on the time of year and the amount of water they received. If the local climate is cool and the temperature is high, you can fertilize all of your plants with a good quality fertilizer every month during the growing season. If the climate is warm and the temperatures are cooler, you can fertilize your plants once a month during the summertime and once a month during the fall.
In addition to watering, microgreens should be sprayed frequently with an organic growth solution when needed. This solution can come concentrated or in a spray bottle, depending on how often you want to apply it. If you are growing plants for other uses, like food, you may consider buying organic fertilizers that are specially formulated for growing plants and can be used for automatic watering as well. Alternatively, you can save money by growing your own compost for your microgreen garden and applying fertilizer to help avoid wasting it.