Seasonal Hydroponics – Growing for Halloween

It's almost the end of October -- and Halloween season is quick upon us. So growers might start thinking seasonally, and wondering what they can grow for the harvest season. Actually, if you’re thinking about this right now, it makes more sense to plan for next year. In any case, here's what a lot of growers do around the harvest season to get some Halloween cheer into a crop cycle.

Hydroponic Pumpkins

Can you grow pumpkins in a hydroponic garden? Yes -- you can. The key is to utilize the principles of hydroponics well to support these large vining plants.

The biggest thing to think about here is that pumpkins need a lot of support. In soil gardens, the vines simply lay on the ground and sprawl out from a central point where the root system goes into the ground. The pumpkins lie on the ground and get bigger and heavier.

In hydroponics, instead of letting the plant vine out horizontally, you can have their roots in plant pots above the ground, and let the plant vine down. But the pumpkins need to be supported so that their weight doesn't destroy the plant. To this end, growers often install netting or mesh underneath the plant pot, for a comfortable place for pumpkins to sit and grow.

Hydroponic Gourds

You can also grow a variety of decorative gourds in hydroponics gardens. The method is going to be very similar to the pumpkin method. These gourds might not have the same weight, but they need to be supported in a similar way.

Look at specific seed varieties to get all the sizes, shapes, colors and hues that will make your Halloween season brighter.

Halloween Herbs

In addition to these vining plants, there are a series of herbs that can be great for Halloween.

Many of these are traditional esoteric herbs that don't often get used in conventional cooking. Instead, you use them to decorate your house for the harvest or Halloween season.

Some of the most obscure examples are things like St. John’s wort, wormwood, juniper, sage and wolfsbane.

Other herbs are more useful in cooking -- rosemary and thyme are two examples. By having these hardy herbs in your hydroponic garden, you'll be better stocked up to make all those hot soups and dishes that sustain you through the darker and colder months.

These are some of the most popular ideas for hydroponic growing around Halloween. Have a safe and happy Halloween!