COLUMNIST: KAREN STEWART-RUSSELL
Hydroponics is a type of growing which does not use soil, the name is taken from two Greek words “hudor” meaning water and “ponos” meaning work. It sounded a little futuristic and strange but I was keen to try something new.
Hydroponics uses water in place of soil to deliver the nutrients that your plants need. It does not require as much water as traditional methods, yields are higher, growth is stronger, and you can grow year-round. It is a method widely used commercially for crops such as tomatoes and salads.
The system I use at home is a five-pod hydroponics kit with full spectrum lights to mimic sunlight which are on a timer. It has a water tank that provides growing space, to which you add the nutrient liquid, a pump then circulates this to keep your plants nourished. The kit came with everything else needed to get started: sponges and baskets for holding the seeds, covers for the baskets to aid germination, and the bottles of nutrients.
When my kit first arrived, I started off very simply by growing some herbs and salad leaves to enjoy while it was still far too cold to plant anything outside. What a joy it was to have fresh lettuce and zingy herbs to add interest to my sometimes bland and less than colourful winter meals. It felt like a taste of summer and was so welcome. It was also very exciting and uplifting to be growing again at last after what felt like a long boring spell without it - as a gardener I’m sure you can relate!
I progressed to starting off tomato and chilli plants and noticed a huge difference between the ones started hydroponically and the ones in traditional seed compost.
I potted up all but one tomato plant which I moved into the middle pod. I was thrilled to see tomatoes forming several weeks before I usually see them and I had ripe, ready to pick tomatoes very early on in the season. I chose the variety ‘Tiny Tim’ and would recommend a smaller variety like this as larger varieties would quickly outgrow the system.
If I was starting out again, I would have chosen the larger kit as I would have loved to have grown more, but smaller kits are a great, more affordable way of seeing if it is for you.
I kept an empty milk carton marked to indicate the amount of water needed to mix the nutrients into, which made it very easy and was practical for refilling the water tank as needed.
I would have also planned much better. I would start my tomato and chilli plants off then once potted on, I would grow salad leaves and herbs for a continuous supply. I will add a larger growing unit to grow some tomatoes plants to cropping point.
I will be growing salad and herbs soon to extend my season as thanks to the less than fabulous weather, outside crops have really slowed down and the slugs are eating what is managing to grow.
Overall, I think it is a fantastic way to start growing much earlier in the season and it has allowed me to continue cropping long past my usual end harvest time. I am glad I took the plunge.
Karen Stewart-Russell lives in the heart of rural Fife. Passionate about the mental health benefits of gardening, she loves to share the joy of growing through her garden wall seed, plant, and book library. Karen has a relaxed, wildlife friendly garden, full of flowers, and is a huge fan of roses. Her latest project is an apothecary garden as her enthusiasm for utilising herbs and useful flowers grows. Follow her on Instagram.
