The current pandemic situation has made people look for hobbies to fill their free time at home. Aside from exercise, a hobby that is trending these days is farming using the hydroponic method. Planting plants using hydroponics is really well suited for yards with limited space. In addition, there are many types of plants that can be grown with this hydroponic method.
Types of hydroponic plants you can make at home
Fruits and vegetables are suitable types of plants to grow using hydroponic methods. The result can be healthy as the ingredients used are natural without any chemical additives. Here are the types of plants that are suitable for hydroponic planting.
1. Spinach
Spinach can grow faster with a hydroponic system or other methods that keep the nutrient solution well ventilated. Sowing spinach in the ground reduces water consumption. It is very easy to germinate this plant from seed in a week. After that, move these plants to the hydroponic system.
Growth time: 40 days
Best pH level: 6.0 to 7.5
Tip: To get the slightly sweet taste of spinach, keep the temperature of the plant between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius. Low temperatures can stop the growth of spinach.
2. Strawberry
A fruit is a fruit whose harvest is seasonal. It is very difficult to get strawberries at their best when they are out of season. Luckily, with hydroponics, you can get strawberries ready to eat all year round. Typically, strawberries are grown with a tidal system, but smaller varieties of strawberries can be grown using hydroponics or nutritional methods.
Growing time: about 60 days
Best pH Level: 5.5 to 6.2
Tip: Don’t start with strawberry seeds, which take years to grow. Start with cold strawberry seeds ready to grow.
3. Paprika
Pepper is one of the most modern types of hydroponic plants. Don’t let this plant grow tall, prune and pinch when it’s 8 inches tall to encourage fruit growth.
Growth time: 90 days
Best pH Level: 6.0 to 6.5
Tip: Give the plant about 18 hours of light a day.
4. Salad
Lettuce and other leafy greens might be the first plants to try with this hydroponic system. This plant has a shallow root system that is suitable for hydroponic growing. All you have to do is let them grow on their own and supply them with nutrient solutions regularly. The lettuce is ready to be harvested when it starts to grow fresh leaves.
Growth time: 30 days
Best pH Level: 6.0 to 7.0
Tips: Plant as many plants as you can so you don’t have to buy expensive salads anymore.
5. Tomatoes
This fruit has become quite a popular plant among fans of hydroponic farming. It should be noted that tomatoes need a lot of light to grow. Therefore, if you want to put it indoors, prepare additional lighting.
Growth time: 60 to 90 days
Best pH Level: 5.5 to 6.5
Tip: When hydroponic tomatoes are harvested twice within 10 months, replace the plant with new seeds.
6. Shallot
Shallots are known to be plants that are easy to grow and suitable for low to medium soils. Therefore, growing hydroponically in the yard is very easy. For shallots, you can use the hydroponic wick system technique.
Growth time: 60 to 65 days
Best pH: 5.5-6.5
Tip: Provide nutrition at ppm according to the age of the plant. Remember to keep the pH of the water constant with a meter.
These are six types of vegetables and fruits that are suitable for growing with a hydroponic system. Choose the best hydroponic growing medium and one that suits your plant type for the best results.