Oops, Have to scale back on the Hydroponics System a little

I know I promised a real life "example" complete with pictures and a step by step story to explain it all, but I am afraid I am going to have to postpone that project a little while. Real life intrudes...

I did manage to get moved, despite the best efforts of the moving company I hired to break everything of value in my life (mostly the electronic stuff like my 300 gig external hard drive, 37" television and my microwave!). We are officially moved in but still unpacking. See, this house has a much bigger yard, but a much smaller house so it doesn't all fit!

And the area I was certain I could use as the main garden area is currently inaccessible by a portion of the main yard fence which I was certain could be gated. Only to have my new landlord decide he liked everything just the way it is thank you very much.

Now for the good news. I found existing PVP piping laid all around the exterior of the main yard with little drips lines at all the major plants. I guess the previous tenant really liked large flowering bushes so I have to remove some of these plants to get what I want in, but I don't think that should be a problem.

Of course, there is the other little element of real life intruding... work. I work at home, which means most of the time, I get to set my own hours, take things in whatever order I want or think makes sense. Occasionally, a client will come along who wants something now. Right now. Oh, and by the way, we need these 30 hours of work done in three days. Yeah, right.

Well, that's what pays the bills, so I drop everything (like unpacking, grocery shopping, setting up my surround sound) and get to work on a "30 hour" project that turns into something more like 130 hours. Seems the customer vastly underestimated what they wanted done, until they heard what was possible. Again, oh well, customer is always right. Right?

So, sorry for the delay's, but like I said, real life. Sometimes it's a bitch. More as soon as I can.

Cenay'

Okay, I get why the Internet is such a popular research medium

Let's see if you can relate. You want to know about something. Something you REALLY need good information on, what do you do?

Without the Internet, remember how you had to do it? (Those of you old enough. You young whiper-snappers probably wouldn't know where to start, but those of us old enough to remember the gas-crisis of the 70's will at least have some idea) Let me give you a clue. It involved getting in your car, or taking a bus, or knowing someone who had the answers. Give up? I'll tell you. The Public Library. That's right. It's an antiqued idea but let me remind you how powerful a tool this was.

You signed up for a "library card" to the library of your choice. This involved manually completing an application, using real paper and real ink. Delivering it in person to the authority figure who got to decide if you were worthy enough (okay, so that's not true, they wanted everyone who wanted to read, to have access) and you were "issued" a card. This little piece of plastic gave you some amazing access. Unheard of access. An entire library of the collected works of some of the greatest thinkers of all time. Oh yeah, and the guy that wrote a book about how to rebuild your lawn mower or how to complete a grant application. Back then, only books, magizines and newspapers made into the halls of the library. Meaning, someone had to publish it. Meaning there was oversight! Someone read your work and decided if it was worthy. If it had value. If it would sell.

Hmmm.

Now, we have the Internet. A vast network of computers, servers and backbones of connectivity. And an open system, push button publishing. Think it, write it and push a button and it is OUT THERE. Wow! Never before in history has it been possible for the average man or woman to give pen to an idea, and have it available to the masses. Which means, there is a LOT of content on the Internet. And since some of the same "filters" aren't in place for Internet content that existed for the type of content that made it into libraries, not all of it is of the highest quality.

There is one overriding reason so many use the Internet now and the books in libraries are gathering dust. Convenience! Image if you will, you have a burning question, something you want to know right now. Only, it's 2:00 am. The local library doesn't open for several hours yet. You're stuck.

The Internet is open 24/7, 365 days a year. And while the some of the content isn't the highest quality, there is a lot of it. Surf long enough, and you WILL find those hidden gems. Search often enough, and you learn the best way to search, what to exclude, what search engines cater to your "area of interest" and how to filter out what isn't what you are looking for.

So, I get why the Internet is such a popular research medium. Convenience. Pure and simple. Surf any time of the day or night. Read things written by your next door neighbor or Issac Asimov. What a wonderful time we live in.

Just my two cents worth.
Cenay'

Where is all the good gardening content these days?

Have you noticed, the content available on your favorite subject just seems to be a rehash of the same articles over and over? And they aren't written too well to begin with! This is supposed to be the age of information and we have access to the "Information SuperHighway" on a daily basis. So I guess it's no wonder all the articles resemble the billboards of an actual highway. Same message, over and over, and chocked full of advertisements. Well, I personally am fed up with it!

Starting tomorrow, I will be using the public library and other more traditional sources to lookup, find and research NEW content. Well, not new if you figure that it was published in book form! I will also be starting a live experiment, with pictures, so I can show step-by-step, a real hydroponic system, done in real time.

I am also going to open up a forum that other gardeners can contribute to. Let's start sharing our experiences, trials and failed attempts, as well as the successful one's. Standing alone, each of us are doomed to repeat some of the same mistakes over and over, but if we share (those of us that have BEEN there) what NOT to do, I think we save some time, money and energy. We can also let others know what DOES work, shortcuts found over the years. Remember when you started gardening? That passion?

So, I am starting a new gardening site and building in the tools we can all use. Journal's for determining the growth influencing factors, articles on the subject matter (some found on the net, some written from more traditional sources, and hopefully, some created by other gardeners about their own experiences) and...and...let's see... what else will we need?

I would appreciate hearing from some other gardeners tired of the same ole content. Give me some suggestions about what would work for YOU. See, I am a gardener but ALSO a programmer with the skills to make it happen. I already purchased a domain name and built a couple of templates. So, please let me some suggestions... what would YOU want to see, what tools would help YOU garden, what type of articles would YOU like to see... post your comments here or on the new site.

Although I am starting with Hydroponics (my chosen field of experiment), I will offer sections on Raised-Beds, Organic, Greenhouse, Landscaping, Indoor Plants and as many others as I get a request for. Just plain tired of the same stuff, over and over! How about you?

More soon.
Cenay'

Introduction To Hydroponics

Hydroponics is one of the easiest methods to get started with, when you want a lost cost, high growth yield garden. We will explore and explain some of the many ways to grow beautiful healthy vegetables and fruits without soil. And trust me, you will love it because plants grown in this manner require less maintenance, fewer pesticides and have dramatically faster growth rates.

It's very simple to do, there are no weeds, no digging, plants grow extremely fast, and with a little planning, you can usually manage to have your plants at waist height. Getting your working surface off the ground eliminates the back strain normally associated with gardening, making it more viable for more mature folks (like me). Okay, so enough already, let's get to the good stuff!

Benefits

Hydroponics has several proven advantages over standard "soil" gardens. For one, the growth rate on a hydroponic plant is 30-50% faster than with a soil plant, grown under exactly the same conditions. In the case of a vegetable or fruit garden, the yield is also greater due to the extra oxygen in the growing mediums which stimulate root growth. And you ladies will love this, hydroponically grown plants have fewer probems with bugs! Funguses and diseases are also almost non-existant. This means a healthier, happier garden, and a healthier and happier gardener.

Even better, there are also environmental benefits with hydroponic gardening. Growing your garden using one of the techniques shown below uses significantly less water than soil gardening. Fewer pesticides are required due to lack of necessity (bugs live and breed in the soil). Since hydroponic systems use no topsoil, erosion isn't an issue.

Hydroponic Techniques

There are a number of different hydroponic methods or techniques you can adopt, depending on your needs, preferences, supply availability and a few small details. Let's take a look at the broad outline for each type.

• Static Aerated Technique (SAT):
  
  Plants are grown in a depth of static nutrient solution which is aerated by pumping air into the nutrient solution in the tank. This is referred to as a "Passive Technique" and is ideally suited for learning the basics of hydroponics and R & D work.
  



• Ebb and Flow Technique (EFT):
  
  Also known as the "Flood and Drain" method, plants are grown as in the SAT method, but the solution is drained off 3-4 times a day to permit the roots to breathe. This method is good for both home garden's and nurseries.



• Root Mist Technique (RMT):
  
  A fine mist of nutrient solution is sprayed constantly onto the roots of plants suspended from a frame. This technique is also known as "Aeroponics". It is best for initiating rooting of cuttings and for extracting (milking) phytochemicals from the roots for medical purposes.
  



• Nutrient Film Technique (NFT):
  
  A thin film of nutrient solution is always in contact with the bottom of the roots. The nutrient solution is circulated, but most of the root surface is exposed to air. This helps the roots to breathe which is very good for producing fruits and vegetables.
  



• Drip Irrigation Technique (DIT):
  
  Plants grown in inert or organic substrates, a medium that will support the plant and root system. The nutrient solution is fed closely around the roots with a drip line positioned right above the roots, about 6-7 times a day. The flow rate is slow, just drops or trickes. Deserts in the Middle East are now exporting crop produce because of this technique. It's also a good choice for plantation, orchard and landscaping projects.
  

Starting tomorrow, we will take a closer look at each of these techniques to help making the right Hydroponics choice for you.

More soon.
Cenay'

Why Am I Here?

Let's just say this is an experiment for me. You see, I have always been fasinated by Gardening and hydroponics offers a new (old) method that removes alot of the hassles normally associated with gardening... you know what I mean, bending over, lifting heavy bags of soil, fertilizer or buckets of water. As I get older, I find I am less inclined to spend my free time over-taxing my body... it takes longer to recover!

So, I am learning all about Hydroponics this month and thought I would share what I learned. I'm funny that way. Mom says I should have been a teacher. Yeah, right!