The world is filled with a multitude of plant species. Some plants are used as food, some make excellent medications, some produce the oxygen that all living things require, and still, others are simply beautiful. There are also plants that are used to make other useful things. For example, trees are used to build a great many of the items we, as a society, use every single day. This includes furniture, cooking tools, building frames, doors, and paper among many others. Also, many flowers are used to create many types of dye. The colors are more than just beautiful, they have the ability to make other things equally as gorgeous. These reasons, as well as many others, are the reasons more and more people are choosing to grow their own plants. Some people have large gardens will manner of plants. This is an excellent endeavor, but many people simply do not have the option. Generally, these people utilize pots and other containers to grow plants of their choice. The space you have to work with will determine how many plants you can safely handle in these conditions. Keep in mind that plants require oxygen and sunlight which means that there are only certain places inside of a home where you will be able to grow most plants. Space is also an issue if you have a container garden outside. You do not want to overcrowd each pot lest the roots become tangled and run out of the room. Also, too many containers often mean that you will not have the time to properly care for them all. One of the primary concerns when growing plants, regardless whether it is in a regular garden or a container garden, is soil. Bad soil can destroy a garden by keeping the plants from being able to grow correctly. Also, the soil is heavy which is a deterrent for many people who are not physically able to move bags or soil or overturn the earth to create a garden space. This, among many other reasons, is why scientists have discovered that it is not actually necessary to have soil at all for many plants. This process is called hydroponics and here you will learn about finding the best supplies available to help you get started with this amazing growing method.
First, it is vital to understand what hydroponics is and how it works. As previously stated, there is no soil involved in any part of growing a plant using hydroponics. This does not mean that there is a loose soil or that the seeds are planted in soil and then later removed. It means, that there are no soils in any part of the process. Think about how a plant grows just for a moment. A plant gets its nutrients through a process called photosynthesis. This means that the plant combines sunlight with the chlorophyll that already resides in the plants leaves to convert carbon dioxide and water into the things it needs to survive, glucose and oxygen. Those are the only things the plant needs to survive. Nowhere in the equation will you find the necessity of soil. The reasons that soil is typically used are many. First of all, planting something in the soil means that the plant automatically has support as it grows. Also, the soil gives the roots something to cling to as they grow. However, none of these things are necessary for a plant to survive, even thrive.
All you need is some basic supplies. To get the necessary supplies, you will need to find a store the sells hydroponics supplies. Many stores do not carry this type of equipment or not all of the things you will need. This is why it is necessary to seek out a special hydroponics store. When you are looking for one of these stores, there are few things to keep in mind and a few steps to take to ensure you find what you need. There are many areas that still do not have a hydroponics store, but there are plenty of them that sell online. Therefore, one of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you are determined to find a physical store to peruse or are interested in an online store. You will also need to outline your budget and determine what all supplies you are going to need. If you are ordering online, you will also need to consider shipping methods, fees, and times. Regardless of whether you are looking for a physical store or an online one, the best place to start looking is the internet. All you need is your preferred search engine and a few keywords. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing your keywords. If you are looking for something local, you will need to include location-specific descriptions and phrases. A good example of a local search is “#1 hydroponics supplies in Canada”. If you are looking for an online store, simply omit the “in Canada” for the search and you can use the same basic search. From there, all you need to do is sort through the results until you find exactly what you are looking for. If your first search does not yield the results you want, try again with a variant of your keywords.
Hydroponics uses water and substrate in place of soil. There are two variations of hydroponics, the first is where the roots of the plants are immersed in nutrient-enriched water and then covered with some form of substrate. The second version still includes covering the roots with the substrate, but instead of immersing the roots in water, you place the plant in a container that has only a small opening and then keep the air inside of the container as saturated as possible. This way, the plant still has water to feed off of, but you do not have to worry about water levels. This type of container acts like a contained terrarium which means that it will hold the moisture for quite a while, generally days.
