Hydroponics, simply stated, is the growing of plants without soil.

Anywhere. Indoors, in a greenhouse as well as outdoors. Any plant can be grown with hydroponics, though some are more delicate than others. If there is enough light for the plant to grow, you can probably bet somebody has grown it using hydroponics.

Aeroponics is a method of growing in which oxygen is infused into the nutrient solution, allowing the roots to absorb nutrients faster and more easily. This facilitates rapid growth resulting in fantastic yields.

There is a huge popular debate about the value of "organic" fertilizers and methods. Many people would like to apply "organics" to hydroponics. Currently accepted organic fertilizer components are dependent upon organisms in the soil to convert the "organic" materials into a useable form for plants. In hydroponics we provide the minerals required for plant growth directly, completely eliminating the need for soil and soil organisms. The result is much higher growth rates and yields, and better crop quality than organic methods can achieve.

Hydroponic produce is cleaner than its soil grown counterpart, and the grower has the ability to adjust the nutrient feed for maximal growth and yield in the shortest time.

Hydroponic produce frequently exceeds soil grown produce in terms of flavor and nutrition. This is because all of the nutrients required by the plant are immediately available when the plant needs them

Any space can be converted into a garden. If this is your first time gardening indoors, you may want to try a couple of different sized plants on the first cycle. This will help you find the proper size and height of plant to fruit or flower.

Maintaining hobby hydroponic systems is really very easy, requiring a minimal amount of time. Daily maintenance should take no more than about 5 minutes, just checking to make sure the nutrient reservoir is topped off and the pH levels are correct. Every couple of weeks, your nutrient solution should be replaced with a fresh batch. The old nutrient can be used to water houseplants or landscape plants around the home.

For Clones/Seedlings and Vegetative Growth use an 18 hours on/6 hours off lighting schedule. In order to induce your plants to flower we recommend subjecting your plants to a 12 hours on/12 hours off lighting schedule.

There are two things to consider when deciding what size lighting system to use: the actual area in which the plants will be taking up, and how tall you want your plants to grow. 150-175 watt lights are primarily used for seedlings or cuttings, though they can be used for growing plants to maturity if the plants are kept short. 250 watt systems are good for areas up to 2.5' square at the most, as long as the plants don't get taller than about 2'. 400 watt systems cover a primary area of about 3' x 3', or up to 4' x 4' max. 600 watt systems cover a primary area of about 4' x 4', or up to 5' x 5' max. 1000 watt systems cover from 4' x 6' up to 5' x 7'. The taller you plan to grow your plants, the higher the wattage needed. This is because the light intensity diminishes by 50% for every foot you move away from the bulb. So, if your plants reach 4' tall, then the leaves at the bottom of the plant are receiving only around 12% of the light that the top of the plant is getting!

Select a branch or stem that has at least 2 or 3 sets of leaves. Locate a spot on the branch between, or next to, a set of leaf nodes where your cut will be made (leaf nodes are where the branches come out of the stem). Leave at least one set of nodes above the cut. Make a clean, neat, 45 degree slice with a razor blade or knife. It is important that you do not damage the branch while handling. Remove the lower 1 or 2 sets of branches (stems and leaves), leaving the upper sets of leaves to be placed above the growing medium line. Trim any flowers or buds that remain (if necessary; refer to picture below). To prevent an air bubble (embolism) from lodging in the stem where the cut is, immediately dip the base of the cutting into a quality cloning gel, like Olivia’s or RooTech. Place cutting into your growing medium. Keep your growing medium moist and warm with bottom heat at all times for best results. Never let your growing medium dry out. Check your growing medium and transfer cuttings once roots appear or a strong root ball is established.