Do you want beautiful flowers all year round? With a hydroponic garden, you can! Bouquets of single flowers from the florist tend to die after a week, whereas if you grow your own you can enjoy them for months!...
Do you want beautiful flowers all year round? With a hydroponic garden, you can!
Bouquets of single flowers from the florist tend to die after a week, whereas if you grow your own you can enjoy them for months!
Hydroponic gardening allows you to grow your own flowers inside with ease and little mess. Let’s take a look at how it works and some of the best flower varieties for this method.
Hydroponics
If you already have a Salad Table then you will have a clear understanding of what hydroponics are and how they work. But, for those of you who are new here, we’ll start by explaining what this process is and its benefits.
When you grow plants in soil, you have to dedicate hours to tending to them and ensuring you plant them in ideal conditions. Hydroponic systems take the work out of growing flowers, so you can enjoy all the beauty of homegrown flowers without all the effort.
This method of gardening allows nutrient-enhanced water to be delivered directly to your plant’s root systems. This helps plants grow twice as fast and produce higher yields than soil growing. There are also no weeds, and fewer insects to contend with. This, paired with the lack of soil makes them perfect for indoor gardens.
Orchids
Orchids grow best in tropical climates, making them ideal for hydroponic growth. Many of the orchids you see in florists around the world are grown this way, rather than in soil.
It is important to ensure the air humidity doesn’t drop below 50%. Even though their roots will be in the water, the top of the plant can dry out. To combat this, you may need to give the flowers a light mist spray on really dry days.
Orchids are sensitive to sunlight. They require diffused lighting, but never direct sunlight, to grow well and stay healthy.
Another important tip for growing orchids hydroponically is to keep the tips of the roots a safe distance from the water. This is because long periods of sitting in stagnant water can cause the roots to rot.
Snapdragons
Snapdragons are popular due to their vibrant colours and dragon-like formation. They are also relatively easy to grow in different conditions.
They can be quite sensitive to weather conditions such as direct sunlight and heavy rains, which makes them ideal for indoor growing. Growing them inside will keep your home smelling sweet, while adding a pop of colour.
When grown hydroponically, snapdragons require a strong, supportive growing medium, such as perlite, to help them stay upright when they grow to their full height of up to 48 inches.
Amaryllis
Amaryllis is a bulbous flower, meaning its important organs are stored underground out of the harsh elements. This also means that when growing them hydroponically, you should be careful to keep the bulb out of the sunlight and above the water.
When placing it in your system, you will need to plant the bulb in the growing medium and then dip the roots in the nutrient solution.
Unlike some of the other flowers in this list, even in hydroponics, amaryllis will not grow all year round. They have a three-month dormant period during the colder months. During this time, you can dry off the bulb and store it in a dark and dry environment.
Peace Lilies
Peace lilies are one of the easiest hydroponic flowers to care for as they are an adapted form of lily. This variety has shorter roots to absorb water and are also quite tolerant to underwatering.
Peace lilies are vulnerable to chlorine, so it’s important to check the ingredients in your nutrient solution. Our Salad Table solutions are chlorine-free, so your flowers will be safe in the nutrients.
When growing peace lilies from saplings, if they come in soil pots, be sure to thoroughly clean the roots before moving them to the hydroponic system. When transferring them, be sure to only submerge the roots.
An important consideration when growing these plants inside is that they are poisonous if ingested in significant amounts. So, if you have young children or pets, it is best to grow these out of their reach.
Carnations
When growing carnations it is best to start with cuttings. However, you can grow them from seed; it will just take a few extra weeks to propagate.
These flowers like a decent amount of direct sunlight, around 5-8 hours per day. So, if you grow them indoors, you should ensure that they’re near a window.
Carnations are popular indoor flowers as they have a strong sweet aroma which will make your home smell wonderful. Their petals are also edible; they can add a sweet taste to your tea or act as a stunning and edible decoration for your baked goods.
You can visit our website to learn more or order your own hydroponic Salad Table and start growing beautiful flowers in your home.
