The Seven Deadly Sins of Hydroponics

The idea of “seven deadly sins” is very different to a hydroponic growers than it is to someone majoring in medeival literature. But although this might sound like a funny way to talk about hydroponics, it can be instructive to look at some of the biggest “no-nos” in this kind of project management.

Letting plants roast or freeze

Keeping an even temperature is very important in hydroponics. It's one of those fundamental commandments that every new growers should understand. The right temperature range is going to facilitate healthy growth and nice harvests.

Ignoring pH value

The acidity or alkalinity of the plant environment is also paramount. Neglecting pH value is surely sinful in the way it will affect your crop turnouts. That's why smart growers keep items like pH up and pH down solutions on hand, to micromanage the acidity in the plant area.

Nutrient burn

This scenario also be really bad for plants. When they encounter too much of a powerful chemical, what they feed on can actually start turning leaves yellow and generally withering plants. Fixing nutrient burn involves cutting down these nutrients, and re-examining the plant equation, possibly micromanaging the plant reservoir to give plants a milder atmosphere.

Failing to protect plants from bacteria

Bacterial invasions like pythium can devastate plants. Some prevention tips include keeping harmful debris out of the grow space, sanitizing plant pots and other items before use, and keeping a close eye on plants to spot any beginning cases of bacterial blight.

Leaving plants in shadow

Plants that don't get enough light are sure to suffer. That's why providing the right lumens and the rate spectra of light is critical to plant development, and something that should be in the grower’s playbook.

Overwatering plants

Just like with soil-based growing, waterlogging plants is a great way to kill them. This will compromise root structures and eventually lead to mold and other problems. Growers have to be sure to get this equation right, to understand how water is moving from a central reservoir to plant areas and back in.

Under-feeding Plants

At the same time, the opposite problem can be extremely harmful as well. That's why part of the fundamental ‘skeleton’ of the hydroponics system is the irrigation tubing that goes from one area to another. It's critical to have powerful pumps, and also to put in place air and water circulating equipment that is going to give plants with they need to thrive.

For more on what you need for hydroponics projects, take a look at what manufacturers and retailers offer with advanced systems to help you succeed in this type of complex field.