While they were once restricted to commercial farms and those willing to build their own system, hydroponic gardens are now more accessible than ever. Available and suitable for every level of gardener, small-scale smart gardens offer many benefits, and at Mr Fothergill’s, we’re going to cover them all, as well as the fundamentals of how HydroGardens work and how you can build one.
The Basics of Hydroponic Gardens: How They Work
Before delving into the benefits of hydroponic gardens, let’s first briefly cover the fundamentals of what they are and how they work.
How Do Hydroponic Gardens Work?
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. Rather than having plants compete for nutrients and water in the soil, this method evenly distributes nutrients and water directly to plants via a rich liquid solution, allowing them to focus more on growing and yielding.
What Can Be Grown in a Hydroponic Garden?
You can start almost anything in your Mr Fothergill's HydroGarden, taking into account a plant's height, size, and root system if you’re planning to grow it for harvest.
Our favourites to grow include small-fruiting crops like chillies and strawberries, leafy greens like lettuce and spinach seeds, and herbs like basil.
If you're more into flowers, plenty of varieties can be grown in your HydroGarden, including alyssum, dichondra, and even dwarf sunflowers!
How Long Do Hydroponic Gardens Take to Work?
Hydroponic garden plants use less energy searching for food and water, meaning they can put more energy into growing and yielding a delicious harvest. With the right hydroponic parts, you could have leafy greens ready for eating in as little as three weeks and vegetables in as little as six weeks.
What Are the Benefits of Hydroponic Gardening?
Now that we’re up to speed on what hydroponic gardens are, let’s highlight their positives. These staples of home and benchtop gardening provide a unique method of growing flowers and produce, but what else do they offer?
- Water Efficiency: Hydroponic gardens deliver water directly to the delicate root zones exactly where needed, preventing moisture loss from evaporation or runoff.
- Low-Maintenance: Most systems don’t require frequent water top-ups, and some units have their nutrients and hydroponic seeds built into the growing medium.
- Fresher Food: With hydroponic gardens, you can harvest as and when required, meaning produce is always fresh while maintaining the quality of nutrients and texture.
- Mess-Free: For tidy gardeners, hydroponic gardens use clever growing mediums that provide stability to plants as well as aeration and moisture to roots, all while being mess-free. Some use loose mediums such as vermiculite, but for the ultimate mess-free solution, try out ones that feature hydroponic accessories such as refillable grow plugs or lingots.
- Great Growth: In hydroponic systems, plant roots have untapped access to rich nutrients, accelerating their speed of growth. Being kept indoors, home gardening units also provide significant growth rates even in cooler months.
- Pest Exclusion: Hydroponic gardens are kept safely inside, away from many pesky critters like caterpillars and snails!
- Portability: Benchtop hydroponic units are lightweight and portable, taking up very little counter space. If you ever have to move, you can take the unit with you and continue growing wherever you go.
- No Sun Required: A lack of consistent sunlight is common in urban areas, but hydroponic gardens feature powerful, timed LEDs that provide the necessary day/night light for crops to grow.
- Living Décor: Hydroponic gardens can be a striking piece of home décor, bringing much-needed greenery or blooming flowers to interior spaces.
- How To Build a Hydroponic Vegetable Garden
Hydroponic gardens such as Mr Fothergill’s HydroGarden are simple to construct, making them a viable indoor, small-space gardening unit for anyone, regardless of experience. To build these units, all you need to do is follow the clear instructions provided in your packaging. To give you an idea as to what to expect, let’s look at some of the key components that make up our Classic HydroGarden:
- LED Light: This 6W, full-spectrum light, mounted on a telescopic light post, attaches to the base via an adjustable arm and extends up and over the plants, providing unhindered light.
- Grow Basket: To be filled with provided clay pebbles, this container houses the unit’s seeds and comes with wicks for efficient watering.
- Water Reservoir: Holding the unit’s water supply, this hidden feature comes with a level indicator to prevent overfilling and notify you when water levels are too low.
Discover the Joys of Hydroponic Gardens With Mr Fothergill’s
Hydroponic gardens are excellent for growing healthy fruit, vegetables, and herbs indoors year-round. Designed for use no matter your gardening experience, these small, lightweight, and easy-to-assemble gardens are changing the game. If you want to try a hydroponic garden for yourself, check out our full hydroponic and smart garden range, or feel free to contact us with your questions.
