How to Grow Hydroponic Plants and How to Change the Water for Hydroponic Plants
Nowadays, houseplants are entering more and more homes, and hydroponic plants are especially popular because they are clean, hygienic and easy to care for. But many people still do not know how to grow hydroponic plants or how to change their water. Below we give simple answers to these two questions.
How to Grow Hydroponic Plants
1. Temperature
The suitable growing temperature for hydroponic plants is above 5 degrees and below 30 degrees. In other words, as long as the temperature feels fairly comfortable to people, the plants will feel comfortable too and can grow normally; even in winter they can stay lush and leafy, adding vitality to our lives.
2. Light
Mainly indirect light. What is indirect light? It is natural light coming in through windows and other openings and scattering naturally indoors. In general, plants only need appropriate brightness to grow; they do not necessarily have to be exposed to direct sun, and in summer direct sunlight should be avoided as much as possible.
3. Nutrient Solution
Generally, you can simply use the special hydroponic nutrient solution sold on the market, and mix the appropriate concentration according to the instructions, for example diluting it 400 times or 1000 times; do not get the ratio wrong. When preparing it, let the tap water sit for two hours to half a day until its temperature is close to room temperature and the chlorine and other substances in the water have fully evaporated, then add the concentrated nutrient solution in proportion, and it becomes a nutrient solution suitable for growing hydroponic plants.
4. Changing the Water
Changing the water means replacing the water in the bottle that contains the nutrient solution. Generally, in spring and autumn change the water every 5-10 days; in summer change it about every 5 days; in winter change it every 10-15 days (let the tap water sit for half a day, then add the concentrated nutrient solution in proportion).
Changing the water is to ensure the oxygen supply in the water; fresh water contains more oxygen and the plants will grow more healthily. If you do not change the water for a long time, the plants can still hold on for a while. For example, sometimes when people go on a business trip or vacation and are away from home for ten days to half a month or even a month, soil-grown plants cannot take it long before and quickly die, while hydroponic plants can still survive as long as you add more water. But if the time is too long and the water in the bottle becomes very stale or deteriorates, it will affect the growth of the hydroponic plants and, in serious cases, cause their death.
Note: When changing the water, please leave half or one third of the plant's roots exposed.
5. Cleaning
Each time you change the water, rinse the plant's roots and the container with clean water, and trim dead branches, withered leaves and rotten roots. Under normal growth conditions, hydroponic plants will periodically have some roots rot and then grow new roots, so when you find rotten roots, do not panic; just use sterilized scissors (disinfected with alcohol cotton) to trim off the rotten roots. Sometimes you can also trim off some old roots to promote the growth of new roots (note: this should be done under the guidance of a professional). But be sure not to damage the water roots, otherwise the plant's growth will be affected.
The roots of hydroponic plants: the white, tender roots on top are the water roots. Some grow directly from the base of the stem, and some grow from the main root; they are all responsible for the plant's absorption function, so be sure not to damage them.
6. Moisture Retention
In winter there is very little moisture in the air, especially in the north, where indoors it is very dry, which is bad for plant growth. So in daily care, please spray the leaves with clean water to maintain humidity; you can spray with clean water twice a day.
How to Change the Water for Hydroponic Plants
1. Time to change the water:
Generally, a water-changing interval of 5-7 days is suitable. But the water-changing schedule depends on the season; for flowers that have just been set up for hydroponics, change the water once every 1-2 days. In summer, plants grow vigorously, the temperature is high, and the water easily deteriorates, so the interval should be shortened. In winter, most plants are in a semi-dormant or dormant state and the temperature is lower, so the interval between water changes can be longer. Overall, a shorter interval between water changes is beneficial to plant growth.
2. Cleaning the roots and container:
When changing the water, the roots should be cleaned; you can use clean water to rinse off the mucus on the roots, and cut off some rotten roots and old roots that have lost their absorption capacity. After a container has been used for some time, some sediment will cling to its walls and moss is also likely to grow, so it should also be washed clean when changing the water.
3. Depth of the water:
When growing flowers hydroponically, people often immerse the roots in water, but this method is not appropriate. It is best not to add too much water; immerse most of the roots in the water and leave a small portion of the roots exposed to the air, so that the roots can both absorb dissolved oxygen from the water and absorb oxygen from the air.
When growing flowers hydroponically, people often immerse the roots in water, but this method is not appropriate. It is best not to add too much water; immerse most of the roots in the water and leave a small portion of the roots exposed to the air, so that the roots can both absorb dissolved oxygen from the water and absorb oxygen from the air.