Many friends ask me, is growing vegetables with a hydroponic system difficult? is it troublesome? for sure, no specific answer. Growing vegetables or gardening with a hydroponic system can be very easy, if we enjoy the process and also work according to a good pattern. However, farming with a hydroponic system can also be tiring work if not done wholeheartedly.
The biggest difficulties for novice hydroponic growers is creating consistent conditions and atmosphere. Agriculture, is it conventional or hydroponic farming? is a monotonous job, and can be very boring if we do it without written intentions or desires.
One of my ways to get rid of the boredom of this gardening activity is to write this hydroponic journal. By writing, I can share my experience and knowledge about growing vegetables with a hydroponic system to many people. I also feel that I have to be more passionate and consistent about gardening so I can share my stories with all of you. This time, I'm back to participating in the HiveGarden Community to share stories about my gardening experiences in my hydroponic garden.
Condition of Pakcoy in My Hydroponic Garden
In last week's journal hydroponics, I told about the process of transferring hydroponic seeds to my growing medium. Currently, the pakcoy that I plant in my hydroponic garden is about 15 days old after sowing.
The conditions for the pakcoy that I planted grew well and were very optimal. During this planting period, I used a liquid fertilizer solution with a concentration of around 1000-1100 ppm. I also do additional treatment by spraying organic fertilizer on the leaves of these vegetables. I want to prevent the discoloration of the pakcoy leaves from turning yellow, because of the several planting periods. The Pakcoy that I plant in my hydroponic garden often experience symptoms of leaf discoloration in the second and third weeks after sowing.
Because of that, the pakcoy leaves that I planted this time looked greener and also fresher. Unfortunately, I can't prevent rat infestation in my hydroponic garden. There are about 60 pots of pakcoy, which are attacked by rats, the form of damage is like eating leaves. These rat infestations are very annoying, but can be a good sign. Because, the vegetables eaten by mice means they are also safe to eat for humans. I still leave these damaged vegetables in the Hydroponic Media, I try to provide additional leaf nutrition to stimulate the growth of these vegetables.
Spinach Conditions in My Hydroponic Garden
Next, I invite my friends to see the spinach that I grow in my hydroponic garden. I haven't grown spinach in almost a year in my hydroponic garden. This time, I tried to plant spinach to replace the kangkong which I usually grow in my hydroponic garden.
Last week, I transplanted about 80 pots of spinach into my hydroponic medium. Currently, the spinach that I plant in my hydroponic garden is 14 days old after sowing. Growing spinach in my hydroponic garden is nothing short of good. Some spinach does not grow uniformly and I will use this as a lesson for the next process of planting spinach.
One of the reasons I didn't plant spinach was because it was difficult for me to seed this spinach. Spinach seeds are very small in size with very low growth potential. In addition, the treatment of sowing spinach seeds must also be extra patient and properly controlled. I was lucky, my father helped me to do this spinach seeding.
Conditions of Lettuce in My Hydroponic Garden
This week, I started harvesting the lettuce that I planted little by little. I sell my salad every day about 1 kilogram to the local fried chicken restaurant in my city. The fried chicken restaurant bought my lettuce at a high price. Currently, I have harvested about 5 kilograms of lettuce and only about 2 kilograms left in my hydroponic garden. All of these lettuces do look very pretty and lush.
I have also made preparations to replace the lettuce that I harvested. This week, I have sown lettuce seeds and at this point, the lettuce I have sown has grown about 3-4 leaves and is ready to be transplanted into the planting medium. How to maintain a cropping cycle like this is also very important. Because, we can reuse the water in hydroponic media to grow vegetables without having to replace it with new water.
Mint Leaves Condition in My Hydroponic Garden
This week, I made a simple hydroponic installation with PVC pipe. I have plans to increase the number of pots for the mint I grow in my hydroponic garden. In the next week, this simple hydroponic installation will work properly.
Honestly, of all the vegetables I grow. Mint leaves are the most profitable product and have a very high commercial value. I have many regular customers for this plant, from Middle Eastern restaurants, herbal medicine and also some cafes or coffee shops that use mint leaves as their signature drink menu.
The mint leaves that I grow in my hydroponic garden always grow very well and optimally. I try to keep the mint leaves well maintained with green leaves and free from caterpillars or insects.
Condition of Vegetables in Wall Hydroponic Installation
Lastly, I will invite my friends to see the condition of the Chinese mustard that I planted in my hydroponic wall installation. For information, this vegetable is a favorite vegetable in my family. The taste of this vegetable is indeed bitter, but for some reason it is very delicious when eaten with warm rice.
The growth of mustard greens in this Wall Hydroponic Installation is slower than the bitter mustard that I planted in other hydroponic media. I harvested all the bitter mustard greens that I planted in styroafoam media last week. But, although the growth is slower. This bitter mustard continues to grow beautifully and optimally. I can't wait to eat this bitter mustard, and cook it for my family at home.
Okay, that's all my story this time. Hope this inspires you guys, see you next time.
Call me Isdarmady, because I have a full name that is very long, namely Isdarmady Syahputra Ritonga. I am a head of the family who work as Farmers Vegetables Hydroponic and Consultant Hydroponics, sometimes I also sell coffee from various regions in Indonesia.
I have expertise dispensing coffee with a variety of techniques and tools brewing, because I have the desire to make a coffee shop with hydroponics as centerpieces. Help me realize that dream.
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