What is a home-made hydroponics solution? How can you make one at home? Follow our DIY guide here:
MAKING ORGANIC HYDROPONIC NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS AT HOME
Hydroponics is the future of agriculture, and the future is here at home. In a country such as Kenya where access to land is a problem and with limited water resources, hydroponics agriculture could contribute to agricultural opportunities for rural farmers. By addressing rural farmers’ concerns about climate change affecting products, water scarcity, and inadequate soil quality, hydroponics can address these issues and contribute to sustainable food production. Hydroponic systems are revolutionizing the agriculture industry with their popularity rising both in commercial growers and for-home growers.
The starting cost of hydroponics can be quite intimidating especially when compared to soil cultivation. Hydroponics sets can cost from $25 to upwards of $100 and the price only goes up according to the more complex the hydroponic system is.
Besides the system itself, the greatest cost to start a Hydroponics garden is purchasing nutrient solutions. The cost of Hydroponics nutrient solutions depends on the type of plant to grow. Buying industrial-manufactured nutrient solutions is expensive, and few farmers are now making their solutions after realizing the elements used for making these solutions are not as expensive.
Making the home-made hydroponics solution at home reduces the cost of production in a hydroponics system.
The nutrient solution and its management form the basis of an effective hydroponic system because they determine crop productivity and quality. Since hydroponics provides better control of plant growth, high productivity can be achieved by controlling the quality of the nutrient in terms of the nutrient composition, dissolved oxygen concentration, temperature, pH, and electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution.
Making Hydroponics solutions at home.
Generally, people do not prepare their nutrients because they consider this task “terribly difficult” and they prefer to keep buying previously made formulations so that they don’t have to deal with the technical problem of making their fertilizers. What most people don’t realize is that the profit margin of hydroponic farming increases if one prepare their solution since the elements used in preparation are cheap.
But why should you make home-made hydroponics solution or mix your nutrient solution in the first place rather than simply purchasing premade bottled nutrients? There are several reasons:
1. It puts you in total control of what you feed your plants. You can prepare to match your cultivars’ exact requirements.
2. Making the home-made hydroponics solution offers flexibility and cost-effectiveness.
What constitutes a hydroponics solution?
Plant survival is attributed to three factors, moisture, respiration, and photosynthesis processes which are available in Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Carbon in the air and water, which is the same rule that applies in hydroponics.
The nutrient solution contains two set elements;
Macronutrients. These are the components required in large quantities by the plants and include the following. N, P, K, Mg, Ca, S. Each nutrient has its role in plant and development, therefore, obscene of one nutrient may slow the whole process of plant growth and development.
Micronutrients. These are elements required in small quantities by the plants and include the following; Zn, B, Fe, and Mn.
Procedures for forming Hydroponics nutrient solutions at home.
Equipment needed
- Bucket or container.
- Accurate scale.
- Gallon jug or large measuring cup.
- pH test and adjustment kit.
Image _ courtesy.Electrical conductivity (EC) meter.
- Teaspoon.
- Stirring rod or spoon.
- Gloves.
Materials required.
Calcium nitrate salt. This supplies nitrogen and calcium. Nitrogen is necessary for stems, leaves, and plant cells.
Magnesium sulfate salt. (Epsom salt). This salt contains magnesium vital in chlorophyll and the distribution of phosphorous in plant system, and sulfur which is responsible for the production of plant energy and also facilitate the use of other elements by the plant.
NPK. All-purpose fertilizer containing all micronutrients.
Procedures of mixing nutrient solution.
Measure 2 g of calcium nitrate and put it in a container.
Measure 1 g of magnesium sulfate and it in different containers.
Add distilled water to both containers and stir well until all the granules dissolve completely.
Measure 2 g of NPK fertilizer for all purposes and put it in a container and add water and stir until it dissolves completely. A water-soluble NPK fertilizer with a high percentage of nitrogen is best for leafy vegetables. But if you are going to use it for tomatoes or other vegetables with fruits using high nitrogen initially then high potassium is the best.
Add dissolved NPK solution into a jug containing 5 liters of distilled water and stir to mix.
And the calcium nitrate and magnesium sulfate solvent into the same 5-liter jug and stir to mix completely.
Ensure the mixture is thoroughly mixed so all nutrients are evenly distributed in the jug. This is to make sure that each plant receives equal amounts of nutrients. One liter of this stock solution made is diluted into 250 liters of nutrient solution using diluted water.
Adjust pH Levels
Adjust the pH levels. After thoroughly mixing the solution, next you need to adjust the pH level of the solution. Make sure that the pH level is between 5.5 and 6.5 because it the preferred by most plants. PH levels affect the ability of the plant to absorb essential elements from nutrient solutions. A PH level of more than 7 is considered to be too alkaline, and what you need to do is to reduce the pH level using a mixture like vinegar. If the pH level reads less than 5.5 the solution is considered to be acidic and what you need to do is adjust the PH using the baking soda.
Adjust EC Levels
Adjust the EC levels. This is defined as the ratio of nutrients to that of water. After adjusting the pH level, what follows is adjusting the electrical conductivity levels. Dip an electrical meter in the solution and take the reading. The EC for plant growth ranges between 0.8 and 3.0. In some cases, EC levels of about 1.5 to 2.5 are considered ideal for crop production in hydroponics. High EC levels are reduced using distilled water. For good results test your solutions as soon as you make them. Keep a record of EC and it is recommended to measure your EC every day.
Maintaining homemade hydroponic nutrient solution.
Changing hydroponic solution. It is essential to keep on changing the nutrient solution to avoid the building up of nutrient microorganisms, such as bacteria, or fungi. This is usually done after every two weeks depending on your schedule as some people prefer changing after every week.
Regular temperature checkups. When temperatures get too high, the dissolved oxygen decline and can lead to drowning of roots which may kill the plant. The ideal temperature for hydroponic nutrient solutions is about 65 to 75 degrees.
Regular EC checkups. EC levels are one of the key components in hydroponics solution that requires close monitoring. EC levels determine the amount of nutrients in the solution. This is because plants do not absorb nutrients at the same levels. So additional nutrients without considering the EC level can lead to a build-up of certain minerals.
General nutrient formulas for plants at different stages of growth
Vegetative stage
Flowering stage.
Fruiting stage.
PROS AND CONS OF GROWING ORGANICALLY IN A HYDROPONIC SYSTEM
Pros.
1. Organic solutions are environmentally friendly.
2. Food grown in organic solution have a better test when compared to inorganic food.
3. Organic food has better markets
Cons.
1. Organic Hydroponics are tricky to handle. Handling organic solutions requires extra skill as it requires a lot of attention.
2. Organic home-made hydroponics solution yields are small as compared to inorganic systems.
3. The concentration of organic nutrient solution is low and may lead to stunted growth of plants.
4. It can also cause the blockage of Hydroponics systems.
5. They are prone to the accumulation of bacteria and fungi leading to diseases in crops.
6. Organic nutrients are sometimes expensive and hard to find within your area of operation.
Making hydroponic nutrient solutions at first can be challenging. You should add all the nutrients in the correct quantities to ensure higher yields. These procedures lower production in hydroponics to a great extent. It also gives farmers knowledge of handling the chemical themselves. Try mixing your nutrient solution today and gain experience in due time.
References.
