ADVANCED NUTRIENTS IN HYDROPONICS

Hydroponics is the growing of plants without soil—which means the nutrients that are usually supplied through the growing medium to the plants must come from another source, usually through the water solution.  Obviously, the nutrient solution fed to hydroponic plants has a direct impact on their growth, health, and their yield.

There are around seventeen different elements found naturally in soil that plants need for healthy growth, and most basic solutions formulated for hydroponics will provide these elements (you can also mix your own, if you know what you are doing).  It is important to use formulas specifically designed for hydroponics, because regular fertilizer products won’t usually have all the elements needed.

There are also advanced nutrients available—special formulations and/or additives that evoke specific behaviors or growth in the plants. Understandably, creating the best nutrient mixture is a complicated business, because there are so many factors involved: the type of plant, the nutrient blend on which the plant thrives, the desired result, etc. The  combinations of elements and quantities are endless.  Essentially, this is chemistry; and if you took chemistry in high school, you probably recognize that the right blend of chemicals can be beneficial, while the wrong blend can be disastrous.  Thankfully, there are a lot of products available where the homework has been done for you; but you still need to be aware of your plants and their needs, and read labels to make sure you’re giving them the right thing—especially when it comes to advanced nutrients and additives.

In general, while basic nutrient blends promote regular health and growth, advanced nutrients give an extra push in certain areas.  Some blends deal with keeping the right pH balance in the water, which is very important in hydroponics.  Some nutrients promote accelerated growth; some affect the blooming stage; some encourage thicker foliage; some increase the yield of harvest.  However, it is not as simple as putting an additive in your gas tank, or applying the right formula to get the desired result.

Whenever you put something in the water, you are feeding the plant something that will ultimately affect it for good or ill—just as “we are what we eat.”  When a doctor prescribes medicine for us, it may treat a symptom or condition, but there may also be side effects.  It is the same for plants; simply adding a booster to the water may have a positive effect in one way, but have unintended effects in other areas.  The more you know how different nutrients affect your plant, the better you will be able to decide what the best things are to feed your plant.

Thankfully, most hydroponic developers want you to have the right result from their advanced nutrients, so they will put important information on the label.  The important thing is to read the label before buying the product.  The label will usually tell you what the formulation is for, and what plants it benefits.  If the product doesn’t have enough information on the label, don’t trust it.